Sitting on the Porch During a Sunset

The girls are in bed and i am sitting on a porch as the sun sets over the hill.  There is a cool breeze, but with my pajamas and a pair of socks, the temperature is just perfect.  I feel like i can finally relax now that the girls are down.  Camryn is going on three days with no naps.  We have kept her busy, which means TJ and I haven't had any down time either.  Camryn fell right asleep tonight, as did Jaelynne, but Camryn just awoke with a startle.  She needed some cuddles in order to settle back down.  I love Camryn cuddles.

I have been anticipating bedtime for the girls with great excitement.   I have been loving hanging out with them all day during vacation, seeing their pure joy, excitement and amazement as they have discovered new things, interacted with family, and gotten special treats.  But, we have been going non-stop, pushing them to their limits and they have withstood a great amount with little sleep.  They have been so patient and so kind.  Tomorrow we are going to have to take it easy, as i know Camryn is going to have a rough night.  She often does when she is so sleep deprived.  She will wake up upset.

We took the girls on a pontoon boat all day yesterday.  It was truly amazing to hang out with family on beautiful Torch Lake and giving them experiences that will help shape who they are and will make even more dendrite connect in their brain.  We are making memories, memories of the best kind.

Today we hung out in Traverse City and roamed around downtown, eating good food, and wandering into cute shops.  Jaely walked the entire time, except she rode on her papa's shoulders on the way back to our car.  She was a trooper.  Carmryn got so sick of sitting in the stroller, but didn't seem to mind while she was licking my ice cream.  TJ and i have had many date night/days in Traverse City.  Today was much different in good and bad ways.  Camryn has extend-o arms, which can swing out and grab anything.  She was a little tricky.  Jaely was really good at just pointing and not touching, but she got a little bored.  My favorite bookstore was our last destination, and it didn't go so well.  After putting Jaelynne in time out in the store, she continued to be a handful and Camryn was only happy if you kept moving her stroller, so it wasn't worth it.

Tonight, Angie and Matt made a fiesta dinner.  Jaelynne is discovering that they are "nice"  It is so nice to spend extended time with family, instead of just a few hours here and there.  It was so awesome food!

I love being a mom to our two girls and i love that i have a good team player in this parenting thing, but at times i just get tired.  Vacation is really not about relaxing anymore.  It is just doing the same thing in a different place.  Don't get me wrong, that is a good vacation.  I get tired of going through the motions at home all the time, but it really is evident when you are the only ones with kids.  We have to get four people ready for the beach, or the boat, or a day of shopping.  We can't just leave at a drop of a hat.  Angie and Matt were going for a night swim and invited us.  We have two girls who depend on us who are sleeping in the bedroom that we will also soon sleep in.  It is such a line to cross that no one fully realizes until they cross it.  Camryn still makes poopy diapers, snack still needs to happen, baths need to be given, and sippy cups filled.  But, it is done on gorgeous beaches and with family members or on the covered porch with a beautiful sight or on the sidewalk in downtown Travers City.

And then, after i relax, I can hardly wait to sneak into the bedroom and stare at my beautiful daughters sleeping so peacefully, like little angels.  I love being a mom.