Pruny

Swimming at sunset is one of life's most peaceful events. I hope everyone at some point gets to swim while watching the sun go down and dusk settle in late on a warm day. In general, at the beach, we lean towards staying on the beach until late in the evening and then having dinner in the condo instead of going out. It's relaxing and easy going.  We've also had a few sunset swims at the Grandma and Grandpa's neighborhood pool, and have loved those moments. Summer is such a fun time of year, heat and all. Long days, warm evenings, lots of playtime, kicked back personalities. It all makes for one long seasonal party in some ways. Halle also loves summer. She has felt good on and off, and Anders has of course been living the good life, as he tends to do... going to camp, surrounded by family, friends, and therapists who play with him, eating ice cream, swimming, and more.  Of course, Anders' language has continued to skyrocket and we love the little conversations we have with him daily.  He loves to say things like "I have something crazy to tell you. You are NOT going to believe this." or "Mom, I have to tell you a secret. I need to tell you something in your ear." Usually it's not something secret. It will be like "I need orange juice," said like it's a state secret.  His little colloquialisms are adorable and surely picked up from his fam.. including "You bet it is!" or "Jumping Crocodiles!" (from Rob). He loves to describe his hands as pruny after swimming or a long bath and muse "That's interesting..."  Recently he announced that he and Lucy are getting married and said "Lucy is my best friend, she's sweet, except when we fight." Right now, Anders loves group hugs, the weather channel, any concert or music we see in person or on TV, fish sticks, almond chocolate milk, playing "beach" volleyball and tennis on the backporch, Angry Birds, playing with friends, swimming, putting his head under water and talking, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, chewing gum, running, painting, and being silly. He's even started saying his L's... no more baby talk... No more Wove. Just Love. And Like. And Lightning. And Lucy. I miss the wwww sound a bit I must confess. It's here one day and gone the next, and we as moms we just have to embrace it and move ahead, knowing that each stage of childhood is filled with greatness and wonder.


Halle is getting hair!  Anders loves it. Actually, we all do. She's getting longer, and bigger. She loved the beach b/c we held her constantly. She has been making all sorts of sweet sounds and smiling a lot. We just can't get enough of her smiles. Any day filled with Halle smiles is a good day. We are always thankful for those and just hope and pray for no seizures, and no sadness and no congestion and no tummy aches. That is what we hope.

Anders just celebrated his fourth birthday, and I will post some bday pics soon, but for this post I will just put some summer and beach pics. However, Anders recently said to me: "I'm four. I'm so big you can't hold me anymore." When I pouted and said yes I could he said, "Well, when I'm 60 you can't hold me b/c I'll be married. To Lucy."  We always play the I Love You As Big as.... game. We love each other as big as sharks, excavators, the moon, the ocean, a bounce house.... etc. But recently he said, "I love you as big as Mama C's nose."  Mama Cia was standing right there. We've been watching tons of Olympic coverage and Anders has been so into it. "Wow, I want to play tennis in the Olympics. Sure I do!  Let's play beach volleyball."  He has requested diving and uneven bars, but mostly we now play beach volleyball with a balloon on the back porch all the time.

Some other quotes:
"Smash lives underground now." "I am LOVING the water."
Lots of negotiation..."If you give me orange juice, I'll be nice."

Anders knows that cigarettes are bad, but unfortunately he makes sure to say this loudly in front of people who are smoking. "That man is going to die."

He's been so sweet and curious about Halle. "When I was a baby did i use the stander?" he asked. One time I asked him to watch her while I ran upstairs to get something. Halle was crying and I heard him say, "Hi Sweet Baby, it's ok, don't cry."

Halle gave Anders a big crane for his birthday and he said "That was so nice of Halle to give me this cool crane."

While at the beach, we biked to the river that goes into the ocean a ton, went to dinner at Crazy Crab in Harbour Town, walked on the beach, collected shells, rode waves, and much more. Anders rode waves on a boogie board for the first time "surfed", and Erik would be in the water and give the board a little push. Anders loved it. When I tried to push him, he didn't go as far and announced "Mama, you're not good." and then asked Rob "I wonder what Mama was doing wrong."

Later, when I wasn't doing well at bocce ball, he consoled me, "It's ok, you can just draw in the sand."

He likes to ask us how we slept in the morning and tell us about his made-up dreams.  The little dude lives a big life. With lots of playtime.

Here he is pretending to be Novak Djokovic.

Sweet, happy smiley girl

Party time on the couch with Grandma, Nissa, and He-Man

Beach princess and Pops

Chilling on the balcony overlooking the Atlantic

Tio/Uncle Rob and Hal

Waterblasting from the 3rd floor

Good Morning, let's water blast

Surfing!

Hang Ten

Family time

Life's a beach

Best buds on the beach 

Running sprints

Jumping crocodiles. We love the every year matching outfit pics.

It was a great week of relaxation and fun. The beach = peace and good times that rejuvenate us. 

Anders also gets to have lots of wonderful playtime at Grandma and Grandpa and Nissa's house. Here he is coloring one afternoon. We foresee a sleepover soon.

Sitting in the office!

Anders and Nissa having a picnic

Soon I'll write about the 4th birthday, but for now I will sign off and enjoy the huge afternoon rainstorm we're having. We've had many lately and it's been very fun and cozy as long as we don't have to go outside.  I'll leave you with a few more quotes: "Sometimes people in this house say shut up." Oops. Nothing slips by him. And "Let's play volleyball. I'll be American. You be South Carolina."  "I'm really good at Espanol." "I love you."