Those Summer Nights

As I mentioned in my previous post, Marc, Jack and I were fortunate to have my parents here for a recent visit. Their trip started out with a perfect Father’s Day, hit a rough patch during the week when poor Jack got sick, and ended with a literal bang the following weekend. I won’t get into my sweet baby’s day of vomiting, but suffice it to say, it was a heartbreaker. Fortunately, Jack was back to himself by the weekend and we had a great one, packed with lots of fun and meaningful experiences.

Our weekend began at Marc’s alma mater, Westerly High School, where I participated in the Relay for Life. My parents, Marc and Jack (as well as Marc’s dad and our nephew Kody) joined me at the track where we all walked laps in honor of those stricken with cancer. It was a moving event, and one that I am proud to have participated in. I raised over $300 for the cause and did so in memory of my dad’s parents.

The following day was a lovely one, with the sun finally returning after a short hiatus. We spent the afternoon having lunch at the beach, after which we brought Jack down to the shore to stick his little tootsies in the ocean. Jack loves the pool and the bathtub, but he does NOT love the ocean (not yet anyway)!! His ocean-loving parents didn’t expect such a strong reaction to the sand and the saltwater…the face on the poor kid was priceless!

That evening, when Jack had recovered from his distressing time at the beach, we packed up everything but the kitchen sink and headed to the park for one of the coolest local (free!!) events…the Westerly Summer Pops. The Chorus of Westerly hosts this event each year to mark the commencement of summer, and it’s truly amazing. Great vocals with the Boston Pops Orchestra, complete with fireworks and cannon shots during the Overture of 1812 finale. I was nervous for Jack’s little eardrums during the cannon firing, but he was totally unfazed. He actually enjoyed the entire event, the kid loves live music. My parents seemed to enjoy themselves as well, and it was so good to have them here for a weekend of fun!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy 1^st Father’s Day to my handsome husband! I truly could not ask for a better father for my son. Marc has been such a good father to Jack from the moment he was born…because of my c-section I was unable to do skin-to-skin with Jack for the first two hours of his life. Marc immediately jumped in and took care of Jack while I was in recovery, and he’s been an amazing daddy from that moment on. Jack adores his daddy, and completely lights up each night when Marc gets home from work. Marc has started a lovely father-son tradition with Jack…every Sunday morning, the two of them go out to breakfast. Sometimes it’s just the dynamic duo, but other times they bring along Marc’s grandfather or father. This Father’s Day my dad was also in town, so Jack got to have breakfast with his daddy, his two grandpas and his great-grandpa! What a lucky baby!

It was so nice to have my dad here on Father’s Day. We don’t get to see each other often enough, so it was extra special to spend the day with him…his first Father’s Day as a grandpa! We all had a perfect day up at the lake with Marc’s family. Jack is so fortunate to have so many wonderful men in his life, and I want to thank them all for being such good role models for him. Happy Father’s Day not only Marc, but to both of our dads and his grandfathers as well!

Roots

Marc, Jack and I spent this past weekend getting in touch with our roots. One of my favorite people, my childhood friend Jaimie, came to meet Jack and spend the weekend with us in Rhode Island. I've known Jaimie since we were twelve and I'm so glad we've stayed close through all of life's ups and downs. Jack just loved her and I'm pretty sure the feeling was mutual! We can't wait for Jaimie to come back for another visit, although next time she needs to bring her sweet baby girls!

While Jaimie and I were busy reminiscing about our junior high, high school and college shenanigans, Marc took his grandmother and Jack to a local Scottish festival. Marc’s Scottish roots run deep…both of his grandmother’s parents were born in Scotland, and he travelled there with his entire family when he was a teenager. Even though the weather wasn’t great, all 3 generations of Scots enjoyed their day with their fellow clansfolk. I’m going to tag along next year so I can see the “Bonny Knees” contest…judging the knees of men in their kilts!

I'll Be Your Huckleberry

Each June, our local sportsman club hosts “Huck Finn Day” for the kids in our community. This annual event takes place at a huge public field, with a little pond that the sportsman club stocks with fish right before the big day. Each kid gets a chance to fish the pond with a bamboo pole and a worm, with prizes being awarded to winners in each group of kids (there are seriously hundreds of kids at this event, most of whom are dressed up in their finest Huck Finn inspired attire!) For the kids (and their parents) who are waiting their turn to fish, there are tons of activities to keep the little ones busy. Kids can take a ride on a horse-drawn carriage, play games of miniature golf, sift for “gold”, have their face painted and the like. There are sack races and water balloon tosses. The best part? The whole day is free! You don’t have to spend one dime for a day of fun with the kiddos, not even on food or drinks. Who doesn’t love free?

Of course we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to dress Jack in some overalls and a straw hat. (Yes, the same straw hat he’s been wearing all spring if you view the photos in my previous posts. I swear he doesn’t really wear it THAT often!) We met Jack’s cousins at the field and had a fun-filled morning while waiting our turn in the fishing derby. None of us caught any fish, but it was a fun time just the same!

There was also a contest for the best Huck Finn lookalikes, with winners being chosen in 3 categories: best boy Huck, best girl Huck and cutest Huck. Guess who won the cutest Huck? Jack, of course! He won a gold medal and his very first fishing pole. His fisherman father could not have been more proud!

Memorial Day

It was so nice to have an extra day off to spend with my family this week. Thank you to our fallen soldiers for your ultimate sacrifice, as well as those safe at home with their families, and of course the troops still serving our country overseas. To me, Memorial Day is more than just a day off for barbecues and boating. It's a day when I remember my Grandpa Colwander, who would have been 96 this Memorial Day. My Grandpa proudly served America in World War II and was an inspiration to me my entire life. I miss him every single day, and hope that Jack will inherit his kindness and generosity (and perhaps one day, his love of Old Crow Manhattans!)

And while the holiday may mean more to me than barbecues and boats, I was fortunate enough to enjoy both this weekend! Marc, Jack and I had such a great time with family and friends all weekend long. We were able to work on our yard on Saturday, something that I truly love, digging around in the dirt! We spent Sunday afternoon watching the Memorial Day parade that marches past the barbershop. Jack had a great time with his cousins and other family members, and loved waving to all of the paraders. After the parade we went to a neighborhood barbecue, where we had plenty of laughs and good food.

Monday was spent up at the lake, where we spent most of the day on the boat (thank you to my mother-in-law for watching Jack while we tooled around the lake!) We again ate yummy barbecue and spent the afternoon in good company. It was so hard to get up for work on Tuesday and leave my baby boy after three days with him! Can't wait until the 4th of July when we get to do it all again! Oh, and a Happy Happy 9-month Birthday to Jack!

Mother's Day

So Jack isn't the only one in our household experiencing "firsts" this week...I had the pleasure and privilege of celebrating my first Mother's Day as a mommy on Sunday! My awesome husband and my darling son made sure I had a memorable one. The three of us went out for ice cream (my favorite!) at a place that I love in Watch Hill, a fancy schmancy little yachting community with super cute little boutiques.

We then spent the afternoon with Marc's parents and his sister and her family at Marc's parents' lake cottage (okay, so it's technically a trailer, but it's totally adorable). The nine of us took a boat ride on their new pontoon, but it was a little chilly so that didn't last very long. Marc and his brother-in-law then cooked a delicious dinner on the grill for us moms. A perfect way to end a perfect day.

And now I can't wait to use my Mother's Day present from Marc and Jack, a gift certificate for a one-hour massage...thank you, thank you, thank you! Jack is a joy and a dream come true, but I am so excited to take a break, get a babysitter and be pampered for a bit! I'm also excited for my Mother's Day gift to myself...a housekeeper! I am away from home for 10 hours a day due to work, so when I am home, the last thing I want to do is spend more time away from my baby and clean the house. And let's be honest here...I've never loved housecleaning anyway. So Happy Mother's Day to me, from me :)

Happy Mother's Day, today and every day, to all of the hard-working moms out there. Whether a new mommy or a veteran mom, an at-home mom or a mom who works away from home, a mother's work, like her love for her child, never ends. Thank you to my mom for being such a great one, and to my mother-in-law for welcoming me into her family with open arms. Moms Rule!!