Despite the Pryors' move to New Jersey last year, we managed to coordinate a 2012 visit to Lake Martin, marking five summers in a row. Even better, we scheduled it along with Amy and her kids, also marking five summers in a row. And it seems the older the kids get, the better our visits. (Well, if I hadn't come down with a stomach bug Saturday night, but at least that was the tail end of our visit.)
I feel like there should be some sort of height chart at the dock, because nothing makes us think more about how much our kids have grown than heading down for a swim and thinking back to the first time we visited. As Clare spent hours swimming and jumping this year (far surpassing her compatriots in time logged in the water), I couldn't help but think about how hard I tried that first year to coax her to jump from the dock into an inflatable tube - and how she never did do it. A small reminder of how kids do things on their own time. I like to think I've grown similarly as a parent, but...that might be a bit optimistic.
I was more than happy to shirk my toddler-rearing duties for a couple of days, leaving Laura behind with Daddy so that we could enjoy the full pleasures of the dock, and the boat. Clare and Danny were in pure heaven - Danny had been counting down to this weekend for weeks. There was the addition of the Aqua Lily Pad, and a brief jaunt on the three-person tube, but mostly they enjoyed what they've recalled from years past: fishing, swimming, boating, snacking, goofing around with friends and plenty of freedom. If that's not bliss, I don't know what is.
No comments:
Post a Comment