Vacation, All We Ever Wanted

Those Go-Gos really had a knack for lyrics, didn't they? At least, it seems so on this final day of summer vacation. I suppose it's not the last day for Danny, but since Clare's school schedule considerably affects the rest of us, it might as well be.

This was the first year that I really understood why people eagerly await summer vacation. When the kids aren't in school full-time, the day-to-day grind doesn't really change with the weather. But after nine months of 6:15 wake-up calls, rushed mornings, and lots of quality time in the car, we all eagerly embraced the comparative luxury of getting out of bed when we wanted, not getting dressed until we were good and ready, and staying home.

Of course, we really didn't stay home, spending 45 out of 71 days out of town. I am frequently grateful to Tim that I can stay home with the kids and work just a few hours a week on a freelance basis. But when it comes to summer, I am extremely thankful. Picking up and hopping in the car or on planes to visit our loved ones all over the country is something I so enjoy, and I try not to take it for granted.

Not that I do it simply for my own pampered satisfaction. The kids derive so much joy from visiting their grandparents, cousins, and friends, and I think there's an important lesson to be learned from travel. This summer, in particular, I learned a lot about the two of them, and how to best parent them. It probably has more to do with their ages than anything, but they played together, and played independently, so much more than I expected. The more I stayed in the background and observed from afar, the more self-sufficient they became. A valuable lesson, for sure.

So it's been a fabulous summer, but I think we're ready to return to the school routine (even if the weather is hotter than the hinges of hell). Clare has clearly loved her summer vacation, reading voraciously (there is just no other word), employing her imagination, and developing her independence. Best of all, though, is her excitement about beginning first grade tomorrow. As much as kindergarten felt like "real" school to us, it seems that all traces of babyhood are gone this time around. I always loved returning to school myself, and I find Clare's enthusiasm infectious. (You should see her religiously practice her shoe-tying skills.) I learned so much over the summer, I can only imagine what's in store for us as the school year begins.