Tomorrow Cowgirl starts second grade. Where did the summer go?! Hoping to squeeze the last bits of goodness out of the season, I took a week off. Oh, I had such plans for that week! But rather than dwell upon what I didn't wander into, I will focus upon what did happen in those seven days.
We slept without alarms;
we stayed in pajamas until 11 am;
I read lots of new poetry;
I am writing even more poetry (which is still too raw to share just yet ... but if you long to go deep into yourself, your past, your present - if you pine for an inner self massage - then may I suggest Poem It Out?);
Cowgirl & I read books together on the couch, on the bed;
we danced in the first rain in over a month;
we made pizza;
we danced to the medley of British Music during closing ceremonies in London;
we let go of routines and embraced play;
we improvised a lot of last minute meals;
On our last day together, we headed for the zoo which is the place where we spent so many days those first few months we were getting to know each other. I love how we have our rituals at the zoo: penguins first, then the butterflies, then feeding the carp. We watched the sea lions laze about their pool, still enjoying their summer it seems.
The zoo always seems to end with a snack and a hike up an incredible hill to the exit and the parking lot.
How I will miss these long days of sun and time to linger together. I am savoring each day she still wants to be by my side.
Oh Lis - I adore this post ( and all of them!) but this one is precious - like these moments you shared....love the photos and please can I have some frog spit ?....lol!
ReplyDeleteI have a theory...about spending quality time with our kids while they are young, of course my theory hasn't been put to the test yet with my son still young, but the theory is that these wonderful days, times, moments with our kids are building memories for them when they are older which will translate into them wanting to spend time with us by their own choice then. Fingers crossed! We have another week and a half left before school starts and my original intention was to take the last week off work to do exactly what you did. But we may be taking a family trip the second week in September which puts the kibosh on taking time off now. Oh, and I'll take some Frog Spit, please!
ReplyDeletewhat a fantastic week spent with your daughter. so much goodness squeezed into those last days of summer.
ReplyDeleteand, yea, the frog spit, please!!!