The good life

Mom, Dad, and Charlotte just returned from 10 days on sunny Marco Island Florida. Ahhhh Sun, yes Sun. Sun that is warm enough to make you sweat. Sun that stays out until 7pm. Sun that makes you think it is summer, not the middle of February. Sun that at noon is directly above your head requiring you to put sunscreen in your thinning hair to prevent your scalp from burning.

The house was a beautiful Floridian style home. Complete with screened courtyard with spa and heated pool. A dock out back to fish and watch the manatees (yes we saw them frolicing in the water). Walking distance to the beach. And a giant screened back porch as long as the house. What do we come home to? 8 feet of snow topped with a 3 inch thick layer of ice on our house. Newly installed gutters that builds up ice causing any melting to reak havoc on our house by freezing back into our celings and walls. Yes we are so excited to be back home where the sun shines all day and doesnt melt the snow, where the sun sets at 3:30, where dads tan immediately faded to pastey white in a matter of hours. But most of you share in our misery so lets talk about Florida again.

Sun. Did I mention the sun? Isn't it beautiful?

You are probably thinking, "Wow, that is some sunset!" Unfortunately it's not the sunset. It is the sunrise. And dad got to see it every single morning because Charlotte wanted to wake up around 5am every day. We tried putting her to bed later, earlier, skipping naps, putting her in our bed in the morning. Nothing worked. Maybe she didnt like sleeping in the pack and play or that she was sleeping in a walk in closet, or that she just wanted to get up early to go to the beach. Who knows. But when is the last time you got to see a sunrise like that? It made it worth it. Ok not really but it was still nice to see.

Charlotte loved the beach. Marco Island doesnt have the typical new england sandy beach, rather a beach made up of shells. Some big shells. Some little shells. Some tiny broken bits of shell. We had fun looking for the perfect shell to bring home. Unfortunately most of the elderly people hit the beach at sunrise and take all the good ones to sell them to the shell shops (at least that is what dad thinks). He was able to find a couple of good ones and smuggled them home in his suitcase.

Charlotte and cousin Liam played very well at the beach. Only a few minor squabbles over the watering bucket or truck, other than that they had a blast chasing each other and just running, digging, and playing.


Charlotte loved the sun as much as mom and dad. Although we made her wear her surfer girl outfit to preven the sand from getting in her cracks and crevasses.

Ahh the pool and spa back at the house. The kids loved it because it was hot and because they could stand up on the seats. Mom being pregnant was forbidden by dad from getting into the HOT tub. So we shut the heater off for a while and she was able to get in when it reached a cozy 90 degrees. Hopefully we didnt cook baby Cornealius.

Mom found the screened in bug free porch that overlooked the water to be very relaxing.

Dad fishing for manatees. Actually he stopped fishing when he saw that there really were manatees in the water. A whole pod of them? Gang of them? Who knows, but there were at least 7 or 8 that paid us a visit. They are very cute.

We really didnt take the above picture, but thats what they look like Nanny in case you are wondering.

All in all the trip was great. We had a blast and Charlotte was very sad to leave Nanny, Beepa, Uncle Ian, Auntie Tiffany, Liam, and last but not least Baby Chase.

The things Dad loves

Coming home after a long day to have you run up to me to give me a big hug and lay your head on my shoulder.

You behaved perfectly the whole car ride. It helped that I stopped at Dunkin Donuts for you. They didn't have any "black munchkins" that you keep asking for, so I bought you six white ones and a black donut. You ate almost all of them and managed to keep the glaze out of your hair. Your face was a different story. But I handed you a wet wipe while driving (yes mom I can do that) and you wiped your face and hands. You are growing up before my eyes.

As we drove into Boston you kept asking to go through the tunnels (under the bridges). Then we really went into a tunnel and you loved it. You kept looking at all the tall buildings and were so excited. We parked, you jumped into your stroller and we headed to the New England Aquarium. Your eyes lit up when you saw the seals outside being fed. You laughed and kept saying "hello seal!" over and over again. You could have spent all day outside, but being the father I am you were poorly dressed for the weather so we headed inside.



First stop was the penguins. They were also being fed. They flipped and flapped in the water and you laughed hysterically. You loved watching them. The rest of the aquarium was a blur. We went from exhibit to exhibit, you watching all the fish, the frogs, the turtles, even a snake. However, you were a little scared at the giant tank with the sharks and divers in it. You were petrified at the divers for some reason.You jumped into my arms and I held you there protecting you from them behind 3 foot thick glass.



You were a little hesitant about reaching you hands into the tidal pool to touch the horseshoe crab and starfish. I did it first to show you they were not going to hurt you. Soon after you slowly dipped your hands in, then started petting the starfish. The next thing I know you had picked the whole starfish out of the water. Then you grabbed the spider crab and did the same. You love learning about creatures and didn't want to leave even though you hands were freezing.



After the Aquarium we had a lunch date at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was your naptime so you didnt eat too much. But you behaved very well and I was so proud to be out with you at lunch.


Sunday morning you woke me up a little too early. 5am to be exact. I stumbled downstairs while you were crying, made you some milk, put you back in your crib and tried to go back to sleep. You slept, I didnt. So at 6am when you woke up again I brought you into bed with me and we hung out and watched television.

We got dressed then dad surprised you with tickets to see Finding Nemo on Ice at the Verizon Center in Manchester. Even though I bought you your own seat, you sat on my lap the whole first half. After intermission you were a little more brazen and sat in your own seat. Then stood for the rest of the show, clapping and dancing in delight of Nemo and all his friends.

Mom had fun with her girlfriends in Boston while we had our own special weekend.



One that I will not forget anytime soon.