Summer Vacation 2017

Just when I didn't think we were going to have a real summer vacation this year (mainly due to my early pregnancy woes and many a cancelled trips), we managed to squeeze in one week of visiting family and friends.  It had all the best elements of a vacation - no school for Olivia, sleeping in (past 8AM!) for S and me, home cooked meals, fancy hotel, and plenty of adult only time.  We packed up a car full (of mainly Olivia's belongings.  Geez that little kid has serious baggage) and drove all up and down the GA coast.

As we found out on this trip, Olivia loves playing with sand and spend about three hours sitting in this very spot digging around with her plastic spatula.  She also loves splashing around in the pool (while being held tightly by me or her daddy).  She is, however, not a fan of the ocean.  She will cry bloody murder if you try to dip her toes in the waves.  Bloody murder.  

Solar Eclipse 2017.  It happened around 2:45pm Eastern Time and Olivia slept through it all.  It was an overcast and rainy day on St Simons Island and didn't get very dark at all.  Still very cool to see.

Last family evening out on SSI before returning home.  Olivia Do 2.5 years old.  Me 15 weeks pregnant.  No matter how old I am, I always feel like a child at my parents' house - in a good way.  My mom cooks for us, washes our clothes, tells me when to go to bed... while my dad plays with Olivia and has philosophical discussions with me about world affairs.  There is no place like home. 

Books, Books, Books...

Last two of my Book of the Month Club reads -- 

A quick read that started a bit slow but then took an unexpected turn.  Entertaining.  File it under beach read category. 

I will have many wonderful things to say about this book for years to come.  It is controversial for sure, as evident by all the diverging Amazon reviews.  I only went to read those after I finished this book, to get a sense of where I am in the spectrum of opinions.  I will say this -  it is not for the faint hearted.  It is neither light nor fluffy.  It touches on dark subject matters concerning people living on the edge of society.  It challenged my values and sense of right/wrong, interjecting all shades of gray where it was clearly black and white before.  Take home message - people lead complicated lives that are every bit as real as yours and mine.  Don't be so quick to judge.   

Another heavy read for these heavy times.  Not sure how this one escaped my radar for so long.  I might be hopping right over to hulu to watch the miniseries.

Not a Baby Anymore... Olivia at Two and a Half

We recently sold our house and moved into a two bedroom apartment, much smaller than the big space Olivia is used to.  The first time we gave her a tour of the empty apartment, she wandered in, took one look around, and said "I don't like it.  I want to go home".  It was heartbreaking, and we tried to explain to her it is only temporary.

Surprisingly, once we moved in, she adapted really well.  She never asks about her old home anymore, and tells me "we are home" when I pull up to the street.  She doesn't seem to miss her toys too much, we only packed a fraction with us.  Sometimes I think she is really at an age to enjoy her toy kitchen, too bad its all in storage for the next six plus months...

This age, so innocently sweet it makes me weepy.  I wrap my arms tightly around her as much as I can to hold on to my little toddler.  Don't grow up too fast, Olivia.  At the same time, grow out of this whiny/tantrum-y/daddy-only stage already.  Can't have it both ways, I tell myself.  Time out (or the threat of) still works to snap her out of most stormy situations.  I packed this book close, just in case I need to brush up. 

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Olivia has always loved her daddy.  This, however, is an intense daddy only stage.  Most mornings when she wakes up she gets down from the bed herself and goes looking for him.  If he is home, I hear her shriek with delight.  If he isn't, she goes to her toys and quietly plays.  I am sure I could snooze some more if I wanted to, but an unwatched toddler left alone makes me too nervous. 

What surprises me the most at this age is how perceptive she is.  Olivia is very aware when we are sad, mad, happy, sick.  Not only does she feel it, she names it out loud.  "Mommy are you happy"?  She asks me, esp if she knows I'm mad at her.  

                                    

No... we are not potty trained.  I also brought this book but just haven't mustered up the energy to do it.  Before she turns three!!