First Family Vacation!

Last week we went on our first real family vacation! We have been away for a night or two here or there, with some combination of children at various times (Niagara Falls, Blue Mountain, Sauble Beach) but never a REAL, extended vacation with all three of you. So an important first for all of us, in a variety of ways! First plane ride for all three of you, first time in a new country, first time seeing the ocean… and of course, the first for your father and I in accompanying you and witnessing all of those firsts (and uhh, paying for it all!)

Overall, we had a fantastic week. Of course, there were some hiccups here and there (a delay in taking off due to snow/deicing, a bit more rain than I would have liked, some fighting amongst you kids, some crankiness and sleepiness from staying up too late, etc.) but really, I can’t complain. You guys were ROCKSTARS on the plane and were super-patient in the airport, and you embraced every new thing with enthusiasm and joy. Watching you all jump in the waves in the ocean for the first time is a memory I hope I never forget – the laughter and the sheer unbridled happiness that you all exuded was so contagious that it felt like I was seeing it all for the first time also. We made so many wonderful memories – celebrating Mercedes’ 8^th birthday, dancing with SpongeBob, Holden’s joy at riding golf carts all over the resorts (or tractors as he referred to them), Lexi’s delight at eating ice cream with practically every meal, jumping in the pool over and over, visiting the dinosaur adventure park and digging for dinosaur bones, swimming in a gorgeous waterfall pool, the foam party in the pool (clearly a favourite of both Daddy and Lexi), meeting new people, practicing words in Spanish, trying new foods in restaurants every day, touring SpongeBob’s Pineapple Villa… like I said, amazing memories.

I hope that you all retain these memories; if not in their entirety then I hope that you remember us spending so much time together and being joyful and laughing and taking in each moment and enjoying each other’s company. I hope there are many more family vacations to come (budget is our obstacle with this goal), but I know I won’t ever forget this first special one, for so many reasons. 

Love,

Mama

Mercedes - Happy (early) 8th Birthday!

Dear Mercedes,

I am writing this to you a few days early, because next week we will be on a beach in the sunshine (that’s some birthday present isn’t it?) and I’d rather focus on spending time with YOU than writing in a journal.

Next week, you turn eight. It’s amazing to me how much you have changed in this past year. The reading, the writing, the math, the more intense discussions (like asking me about President Trump, and why he couldn’t be more like Prime Minister Trudeau, or asking me why so much stuff you see is Made in China). And of course, there’s the interest in clothes and shoes and makeup and the incessant wondering as to how old you need to be to get an iPhone (the answer? NOT YET).

I love watching you figure out the world around you and seeing your creativity at work – making pretend YouTube videos of your Journey Girls or your Shopkins, or stapling paper together to write your own book, or researching things on the internet. Your mind works in fascinating ways and it’s a glorious thing to watch.

You’ve had some rough moments recently – some friend issues at school and some anxious moments, but you face everything with bravery, even though I know you are nervous inside. That, more than walking into a room unafraid, makes me so proud. Seeing you accept these aspects of your personality, and try to understand them, and still work to conquer them – it’s heartbreaking sometimes to watch (or to get yet another text from your teacher saying your tummy hurts) but I am so proud to see you work through things that come your way.

I love everything about you, inside and out, and I am so proud to be your mother. I know the road will get rockier (the tween attitude is already strong sometimes!), and I know that we will make some mistakes along the way, but I am confident we can work through anything together. I can’t wait to see more of the person you become – and to finally be able to watch classic movies with you like Pitch Perfect and Dirty Dancing and Bring it On!

Love,

Mama