First Steps in the Sand

I have been having such a hard time getting my writing done lately. I don't know exactly what it is but from what I can tell it is just typical "Mom trying to keep up with a Two-Year Old syndrome." Most days I feel guilty sitting in front of the computer for any legnth of time and by the time she goes to bed I am exhausted. Or need to get my house stuff done. Including but not limited to watching this week's True Blood episode.

So I knew I had to come up with a new strategy. My first strategy involved talking my husband into a new Macbook Pro. When I realized I did not have a leg to stand on since my shiny iMac is only a year old I decided to search for other alternatives. So I went old school. I got a notebook that was still laying around my house from college. No seriously. It was untouched. But definitly not a mature style. I dream of a fancy leather bound notebook with flawless penmanship scrawled inside. The reality of it is that I have a faux mod superstar notebook that looks like a high school sophmore should be toting around with water stained ink scribbles collected in a jumble of words and shorthand.

All this week I carried this around. I wrote a few days at lunch. I wrote on Saturday while laying on the beach watching my daughter play in the water and laughing. It was nice. I felt very.....coffeeshop hippie? Below is a recount of a few moments on the beach with the family. Just a few memories I want to make sure I don't forget. Who knew you could do that without a fancy computer? We are so new age spoiled.

July 31, 2010

I am sitting here watching Michael and Lily splash in the waves of Wrightsville Beach. All I can hear are the waves crashing and a little angel voice giggling "Up and Down! Up and Down!" Michael is pulling her us and over the waves as they crash on the beach. A new favorite game apparently. He looks tired. She looks thrilled! The weather couldn't be better. A welcome break in the 100 degree heatwave we have had for a month. Today hovers around 80. A perfect day for the beach.

I finally talked Michael into taking us to the beach for the day. We live less than two hours from Wilmington yet we never make it out here. Today is Lily's first steps in the sand. The last time we took her to the beach she was only three months old and it was the weekend before I ended my maternity leave.

It has been nothing short of a perfect day.

I have never seen a child eat so much in one day. I know the sun and waves wears a girl out but she literally has not stopped asking for breakfast in between every water break. Of course every meal is breakfast. I don't know why lunch and dinner get slighted.

The ocean always makes me realize how small we are. Now it makes me realize exactly how small she really is. I look at her standing in front of the vast water and I just imagine all she has left to accomplish. So much more than I have, I hope. But more than that I have the strong desire to protect her. From what? I have no idea. But she really does look out into the ocean with no fear. Maybe she will face life with that same attitude.

We rented a movie last night called "Remember Me." While the movie itself wasn't all that impressive, the message was clear. Live each day to your fullest and never take for granted your loved ones. Because you never know what tomorrow brings. Their tomorrow happened to be September 11th.

Today is one of those days. The days where I could close my eyes and take a picture of this memory to keep forever. This particular memory would involve Michael trying his damnest to get a seagull to come near us so Lily can see it. He is actually waving a piece of bread frantically in the air and saying "hey bird!" like the animal understands him. It is quite entertaining. All the while Lily is giggling and 'jumping' for the bird. He tries so hard to make us happy. Even at the exspense of his embarrassment!

By lunch time we have lost one beach toy to the unforgiving waves. The waves have been rough all morning. Fun for boogy boarding. No so much for an unexperienced toddler. Of course I am so freaked out by the ocean in generally sweeping me and Lily away that she never gets in above her knees.

I cannot believe I let Michael take a picture of me in a bathing suit. People have divorced for less. Of course I wasn't brave enough to take the cover up off except for boogy boarding breaks.

Later that night I asked Lily what she did that day. She talked of water play, up and down, throwing seashells in the water, the birds and the break, and sand castles built ontop of Mommy.

When I asked her what her favorite was she said the beach and the water.

And as she passed out in the bed later that night she grabbed my face between both of her hands and said "We go to the beach tomorrow Mommy?"

It was definitly one of those fairytale days. The days you don't soon forget and try as you may cannot recreate. We all slept so hard that night and so late the next day. That is when you know it was a good day. When you have so much fun that you can't take anymore and you just shut your eyes to end it on a good note. Little did I know the next morning I would wake up with a sunburn that kept the memory alive for more than a few days. Apparently you should put sunscreen everywhere...not just the places you can reach.

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