Seren and Craig, The Life: August 2015

Monday, August 31, 2015

Enjoying the day

I wonder who is having the most fun among the three (Grandpa Richard being the third)...

Mud bath

Buried on the beach on Long Island with Grandpa Richard

At the beach with Grandpa Richard

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Friday, August 28, 2015

Thursday, August 27, 2015

You'd better not dive.... Or else....

These are the alarmingly graphic anti-diving warnings near the shallower areas of the pool.

Camp out, take 3

This time, Emily is joining the fun. Seren is holding down the fort inside.

Haircut

Before, During, After

Nearly a foot to donate (cut in four small sections)

Summer

Playing at the Kids Academy and lunching by the pool.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

I clearly remember my children's births.
I remember being in the labor and delivery room on August 29, 2010. I remember pushing and schmoozing with Dr. Shin. I can picture the view of the Hudson River from the room. I remember Dr. Shin teasing Craig that he'd missed his child's birth when he ran out to refill his ice water cup in between pushes.
And I remember Dr. Shin telling me during my final pushes, "the baby has a full head of hair."
Moments before I met Belle- before I knew that she was healthy; that she was female; that she was our baby Belle- I learned that she already had hair on her tiny head.
That hair that Dr. Shin saw during her birth is now nearly at big girl Belle's butt, and it's time to say goodbye to it.
Belle is getting her first haircut tomorrow. She decided that she wants to donate it, so this first haircut won't merely be a trim. We will say goodbye to 8-10 inches of Belle's hair, which we will send to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths.
That's the plan, anyway. There's still time to change our minds.

Fruits of our labor

Strawberries from our garden!

Picnicking by the fountain

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Bouncing

"Oh captain my captain"

Coloring with Marc. Pretending to be in Dead Poet's Society" for the picture.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Outgrowing the lullaby

Since the moment I met Belle, I never miss an opportunity to sing to her. Primarily, I sing bedtime lullabies just before I kiss her goodnight. But Belle is nearly five so she thinks she's all grown up. She loves reading and often "reads" (looks at pictures) books and "magazines" (Lego catalogues) to herself at night. Tonight, after I read her Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, Belle said, "I'd like to read my magazine now. I'm getting too old for songs anyway." My face must have dropped because Belle added, comfortingly, "you can sing to yourself when you go downstairs if you want."
SLOW DOWN, BELLE!

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Spontaneous sisterly love

At Bushkill Falls and on a horse-drawn wagon

Friday, August 21, 2015

A walk down memory lane

Yesterday was rain (on and off), so we traveled closer to the Delaware Water Gap and had a fun day. We saw a children's production (for kids with cast members ages 5-15 years old) of "Cinderella" at the historic Shawnee Playhouse (where I saw a production of "Annie" with my grandmother nearly thirty years ago). We had lunch at the Shawnee General Store, then drove up to Shawnee Mountain (near the site of Shawnee Place, a water park I used to love as a child). On the way back to the main road, we swung by Shawnee Village to see the place my family used to vacation. It's quite different now. For one thing, the great pool I loved is gone (they removed the pool after a big storm flooded it years ago). But the access to the Delaware River was simplified, so Belle and I put our feet in the water. It's funny: sans pool, and with an enhanced golf course and the Shawnee Brewery on the premises, the Shawnee Village caters to a much older crowd these days.
Finally, we visited Bushkill Falls, which is advertised all over the Poconos as PA's Niagara Falls. Unfortunately, the rain picked up just as we arrived there, but we still enjoyed the view! The kids were amazing on the hike. They enthusiastically walked themselves as we followed the suggested 45-minute route. I was so proud of the girls for walking so heartily in the rain!
We had a great day, and I appreciated the chance to revisit places that hold a fond place in my heart from my childhood.