Cape Cod 09

Before too much more time passes and I begin to feel guilty about not blogging, I want to write about our Cape Cod trip. This is an annual pilgrimage for my family. My parents own a lovely little home on the Cape and they grant it to us for a week each year. It is fantastic! I love the beach, the sun, the fresh food, the ceiling fans, the cool nights. It is awesome.

But every year, on the drive up, I swear to myself that we are NEVER doing this again.

This year was no different. With a three year old and an 8 month in tow, we set out for what is supposed to be about a 7 hour drive. I worked Friday morning and left the office at 12:30 hoping to meet Sam, finish packing the car and getting in the car by 1. Well, 2 pm was our more realistic goal. All went off ok until we got turned around/lost. Not once but twice. At one point, there was 4 people screaming in the car. Ugly! The plan was to stop at the 4 hour mark- at Andy's house in CT. We have done this before and it works fabulously. But this year, with all of our delays (which included a detour into Yonkers/Brooklyn, WTF?), we called our friends and said, "Just meet us there!" Originally we had no intention of driving the long drive straight but it was getting ridiculous. So, we went for it!

Seren naps starting around 1:30 or 2pm. But as she was sleeping, Wyeth was getting mad and fussing. She woke up to say, "Wyeth is making too much noise!"
Then, later, turn around is fair play. He was soundly sleeping and Seren yelled, "Hey! WYETH!"

Sam and I decided we needed one of those limo glass walls that went up between them. It very much felt like a "family road trip".

We stopped at McDonalds and ordered Seren's very first Happy Meal. Her response was classic. "Mom! There is a toy in my dinner! Why is there a toy in my dinner!?" Good question!

With 'Quakety', the stuffed beanie baby from Mickey Ds, we headed out again.

We arrived at the house with two sleeping children and two stressed out parents at 11:30 pm. Our 'guests', our friends had opened up the house, and put both of their children to bed. It was a busy start to a good week.

On the whole, the week was fantastic. We had longed for this 'family' time. Our little family has been so tired. So stressed. So overwhelmed this year. Two children are wonderful blessings but they also manage to drain you! Without time to recharge, and working three jobs, we were TIRED. The weather predicted 7 straight days of rain. But honestly, I almost didn't care. Sam, Seren, Wyeth and I would be there. (And later my parents). We would be fine.

In the end, we had glorious weather. Seren and Wyeth did great at the beach! Wyeth slept and sat in his new chair that my parents bought him (them). Seren busied herself digging. Unlike the last two years where she LOVED the water, she was more reserved. This surprised me as she has become very daring and spent several days at the Jersey shore this year. Whatever! I'll never figure out the mentality of a three year old.

Highlights of 2009 include

** meeting my best friend's daughter- 6 week old, Ali. They get major props for even attempting a night away!




**Mud Flat mania- an event where everyone has to look for all of the live creatures in the bay.




**Truro Park- a community playground constructed this year. It was awesome!



**Lobster night- we last had lobsters 3 years ago at the Cape. My dad and I enjoyed shrimp while Sam and my mom went to town on lobsters. I like this picture. The kids seem to be saying, "WTF? They are going to EAT that?"



**Not sleeping- this isn't a 'highlight' like the ones before it but man, Wyeth was thrown OFF by beach days, different beds, etc. And lets be real, it isn't like he has been a sound sleeper! Most nights, I got less sleep than I do when I work. Sam and I found ourselves with him in the car at 2 am hoping we didn't run out of gas. And when the gas light went on, he deposited me at home and he took my parents car! Ok, so sometimes he slept...



**"Cape Over"- Seren and Andy's daughter attempted to nap and sleep in the same room. They really just chatted. The only way it worked was Andy would put Julie down in their room and then they transferred Julie to Seren's room. Maybe next year?

**Showering outside- the house has an outdoor shower. This is perfect for kids post beach. You take the kids, covered in sand and wash 'em down with soap and shampoo. I enjoy this shower a ton- nothing like showering in the summer sunshine. Seren started to do the pee dance while we were in there. She told me she needed to go potty. I just said, 'Hey, let it fly!' Her face was classic. "NO! (you don't understand!) I have to go pee, Mom!" Again, I told her to just pee! "Standing up!?" "Yup, standing up! Go for it!" She peed and thought it was so COOL.

Later that night she was thinking about her day and said, "Mom, you don't go poop in the shower, right? Only pee?"

"Right, Seren, only pee."

It was a great week away! We had lots to think about and lots to celebrate. This time last year I was 22 weeks pregnant and just spent a lot of time sleeping and day dreaming about my son. This year we had Wyeth- full person, lots of energy, active, non sleeping Wyeth.

It was awesome! We also celebrated 7 years of marriage and Wyeth's 8 month!








>