Dwindling Days of Vacation

Our last hurrah of summer was highlighted with a visit from our dear friends from State College, PA.  J, C, B, and T came for a few days and we had a great time and lots of laughs as always.  We spent time around town, at the lake, and headed back to Newport with them.  The only regret is that I didn't pull my camera out except for once to capture this frog and dragon post-bath:

Meanwhile, as I headed back to school today, Bea had a "Daddy day" which featured Target, the park, the library, and Subway, a la these matching shirts.  People guess the designs are of a constellation or lightning, but it's actually subway maps!

See?  Anthony's is of DC, and Bea's is of NYC.  My city kid and hubbie....

There are two more of these Daddy days next week before this girl becomes an official kindergartener on next Wednesday.  Can't believe it.

Newport, RI

                                            Admission to  The Vanderbilts' Breakers-$39.90

                                             

                       Kite Flying at Brenton Point State Park: free

Cost of this little yellow kite,  which soared as well as any in the park today, bought on Bea's 2nd birthday in Mystic, CT:  $20 

Building and playing with rocks along the shore:  Free

Awaiting dinner outside Flo's Clam Shack.  Fishermen's platter, shared by all 3 of us: $25.95

Building mud castles at the beach near dusk amidst the seagulls:  free

A summer day in a gorgeous setting:  Priceless

Summer morning

Walked/biked to cheer on the runners in a local race:

       Even though purple is now her favorite color, she's enjoying/glowing in her new hat and sneakers:

Love this face!

This pose is more frequent of late and flashes of a 13-year old send chills down my spine:

Beatrice loves rocks! She said lately she wants to be a "scientist.  Maybe a marine biologist, a geologist, or ornithologist."  (thanks Sid the Science Kid) Now she's sad because we're likely getting the rocky section of the driveway paved.  Her hope is to save all the rocks for her collection.  Oh boy.

School starts in less than 2 weeks for me, and 18 days for her.  These lazy mornings are coming to an end very soon.

(far too) Brief visit with Rachel

Half of the Chazanoff family stopped by to spend the night en route to NYC.  The girls lit up downtown Putnam at Victoria Station, Gallery on Main Street, and String Tinkers:

(there was a quick stop at a bar too, but we won't dwell on that....)

Then, back at home, they played some serious dress-up, princesses, picnicking, treasure hunting, goodness-knows-what-other-fantasy-play into the late hours:

It was an early departure this morning, but we're so glad we got to spend 12 hours with our friends!

Happy Birthday Dad

This little bundle from 1925 almost made it to the age of 88, which is pretty remarkable.  It's hard to imagine parents and other older relatives as someone's babies, vulnerable, helpless, doted on and oohed and aahed over. I remember clear as day the moment when my 90-something year old grandfather (this baby's dad) was talking about his parents and he welled up and said how much he missed them.  It had never occurred to me that this strong old man who took care of everyone the good majority of his life, was once someone's beloved child. At the age of 45, I'm only now just starting to really get the whole circle-of-life thing.

Now that both of my parents are gone though, I'm keenly aware that I.am.it.  There's no one to take care of me in the parental sense anymore and it's my turn to, hopefully, be the strong, reliable, wise, respectable adult that my elders were to me.  I'm all grown up.

As for Beatrice, I sometimes envision her as an old woman, and swear I can picture her perfectly. How beautiful her thick hair will be when it's salt-and-pepper, and eventually gray or white!  I wonder about her as a mother, grandmother, partner, colleague, and friend, and hope I can prepare her well for each of these potential roles she will play.  I sometimes mourn that I won't know her for many of these moments, such is the reality of becoming a parent at 40, but am seeing with clarity that increases daily that I will live on through her as those before me do in my body, mind, and actions.