one thousand miles

Well, a lot has changed in the last seven days for our little family!  We live in Tennessee now!

Phew.  

It makes me tired just to type that.

It really does seem like a month ago that Bo and I were going to our favorite spots and meeting friends for goodbyes.  

Remember this moment, Bo.  It's your last view of the ocean and the last time you'll ever wear a jacket in June. 

We said goodbye to some and "see you later" to others.  Even though we really won't see them later . . . not until we make plans to cross state lines.  It just gets hard and tearful and nobody wants that.

Our last family night in Long Island we went for ice cream for the first time this year . . . and also the last time . . . but it was a walk we had made many times over the past three summers and it was a perfect farewell to the island.  Also we were heckled and honked at.  But that's Long Island.  

And this very flattering family picture. 

And the next morning I was gone.  Bo and I were on a plane by 6:30 am.  

Goodbye little white house.  In the best of times you were a romantic cottage by the sea, nestled in a meadow of wild flowers and visited by fawns and fairies.  In the worst of times you were a crumbling shack in danger of being swallowed by a field of poison ivy housing an army of ticks, 85% of them carrying lymes disease.  

Me, overreact?

Even though I sometimes felt like that house would be the end of me, I know that in my memories it will be seen through rose colored glasses.  It's only been a week and already I remember it fondly.  It was home to our little nursery that we worked so hard to get ready for our sweet baby boy.  We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows out in that meadow and watched the sparks drift upward towards the stars.  We watched deer creep up to eat outside our window and owls swoop down for their dinner.    The crunch of tires on dirt that meant I would soon see a flash of white and Matt's truck would appear in the driveway.  Watching the swans circle in the bay and the sun set into gold water.  

Goodbye.

And then, there we were.  In Nashville.  Bo and I spent a couple days in Murray while Matt and his brother and dad loaded and drove the truck down to us.  They drove through Virginia right after the storm but God provided for them by way of a gas station at JUST the right moment and a cancelation made way for them at a hotel with power.  And then it was 105 degrees when they arrived and unloaded in the heat of the day.  

But we slept so well in our climate-controled rooms.

No roaring window units here.

I know some of you were probably worried about this guy:

Well, he's just fine.  He travels better than the rest of us.  

We are moving just down the road from this little man.  He is an excellent helper at moving, very strong, and can really make his cousin Bo laugh.  

So we're really pleased with our house . . . but it looks like this right now:

It's a bit rough but I just have to glance at the dishwasher to feel cheered.  Or listen to the quiet hum of the central AC.  Of course those are just material things but after a couple years without them, we are appreciating them!!

I leave you with this- a laughing Bo in his Radio Flyer on the 4th of July.  

Now y'all get down here and visit!

14 months

Yesterday was the 20th and I thought it was the 19th.  Bo clocked another month and I didn't even realize it, which is becoming a trend.  Last month I was in KY/NY/TN/OK that day and it slipped by without recognition either.  But I am watching Bo grow and change before my eyes.  He is a real rootin' tootin' toddler these days!

He loves:

Swinging. 

  

His Moosey.

The beach.

 

He loves loves LOVES throwing rocks into the water.  

to EAT. 

This kid is serious about food- particularly fruit and cheese.  He loves his smoothies too.  I've been making him one almost every day with berries, banana, yogurt, spinach, and this beet/carrot juice I found at Trader Joe's.  Sound gross, right?  But the juice isn't bad (although I wouldn't drink it straight) and usually I have a smoothie right along with him.  I'm happy when he gets all those veggies in his tummy.

throwing balls.

The football is a new discovery but this kid LOVES to throw a ball.  He runs around the house saying "Ba, Ba, Ba!" and chucking a ball around.  He'll cry for it in the bathtub, he'll sit at the window and yell for a soccer ball outside.  

Reading books:

This is new and I like it! In the last week, Bo has really caught on to books and will go find them himself and bring them to us for reading. He'll also sit (briefly!) and look at them himself.  He's particularly excited when he spots a dog (and he'll make his 'bark' noise, which sounds like 'woo, woo') or a ball (ba! ba!). Not to be confused with BaBa, which is his bottle/sippy cup.

With his increased mobility comes more of him communicating what he wants.  He often goes to his bed and pulls his blankey and pacifier out of the slits of the crib, and will carry those two around the house. I'm not much of a fan of this... I try to keep blankey and paci restricted to the car and crib.  

Also he KNOWS stuff.  It's actually quite weird to have him respond to commands.  He will pick up his blankey, give moose a kiss goodnight, point to things in pictures, is learning where his eyes, ears, nose are . . . it's so funny.  He's like a little guy now and not a baby.  (waaaaahhh!!)

He's also more prone to frustration (read: screaming) when he doesn't get what he wants. 

Sigh.

Sometimes I sneak in and take a picture while he's sleeping.  Usually it's for Matt when he's on call (WHICH HE WILL BE NEVER AGAIN!!)

My little baby boo in his big boy buzz lightyear pajamas. xoxo

Four states, one weekend

We took one of our last weekends here to get in one more New England vacation. I love that we can be in New York at noon, take a ferry to Connecticut, drive on through Rhode Island, and eat dinner in Massachusetts. At our friends' beach cottage, no less. We enjoyed spending the weekend with our friends Meghan and Adam. They even let Moose stay too, so our whole family enjoyed a getaway! New England summers are cooler than I'm used to- which is fun and makes me want to vacation up here someday. Especially after watching Matt try surfing for the first time and catch a couple waves! So fun. We walked around Plymouth and saw the Mayflower replica and Plymouth rock and marveled at our country's humble beginnings.

Another sweet memory to take with us!

live in the moment

For us right now that means we need to act like we live in Long Island and enjoy it!  It's been kind of a crummy week - Matt was back to work after 2 weeks off and in the hospital working long hours.  I forgot what it felt like to be alone with Bo for 12 hours a day.  And my home is in uproar already as we get ready for a garage sale on Saturday and packing, packing, packing.  My dining room is all boxes.  So.  I don't like that. 

The good thing (if I choose to see it that way) is that I can only pack a few hours a day, while Bo is napping.  He is too busy right now for any of that while he's awake.  We've been getting out and enjoying some of the great things about our area.  Some of these pictures are old, from before our trip, and some are recent . . . but they are all sweet moments that will remind us of our time here.  And actually they are all pictures of Bo.  So. There's that. 

Bo at the beach on a 60 degree day, thus the long sleeves!  He had a great time with all those rocks. 

Soon our floors/patio/house will not be so rustic . . . 

Matt's birthday several weeks ago. xo. 

Recently I was at the pond texting Matt pictures of Bo ... 

and these turtles! I was completely enamored with the turtles.  They are so funny.

And then Matt showed up!  It was a nice surprise.  

Bo, Moose and I have spent a lot of time at the pond . . . there is nice grass there and Bo walks so cutely on it. 

And more beach time, on a warmer day when Bo actually got in the water.  Well, he sat by the water's edge and threw rocks into the surf.  He loved it!