I am traveling for work this week and again after labor day. I am so grateful for a great job with lots of flexibility that helps make my family life a whole lot easier than it would be otherwise. So, when I travel I try to remember that the time away is the price we pay for that flexibility. 

And I love being in the office and getting to see folks. I have great friends at Deere so dinner out with people I love three nights in a row is social decadence. 
Still – I cry every day I’m away. I just have this crazy addiction to my family! I was facetimeing with Harry tonight and he kept asking me to pick him up. Isn’t that sweet?!? And a smidge heart breaking at the same time?!? I know, I’m ridiculous…

What makes the distance so much easier is knowing that Harry is having the time of his life in my absence. Evidence below…thanks to the #1 worlds best dad of the year, Grandma, Aunt Kristen, and Aunt Katie. 

At the water park:

   
    
 
Daddy time! Park, pizza, and pancakes:

   
    
 
Facetimeing with mommy – blowing kisses:

  
He loves the water, this kid!

Disclaimer: I’m attempting to post more on Instagram so these are duplicates for the wee few of you follow Harry there.

Had a blast last weekend playing in the pool at Jake and Katies’!

The slip and slide went on for a minor eternity. Loved it! Also, pics don’t capture the water’s arctic temps which Harry absolutely loves!! 

    
 All tuckered out! Precious little cheeks… 
 

These adorable pictures don’t capture the half of it. Quan and Harry have similar energy levels and Jesse is an amazing sport up for anything two years old or otherwise. 

Amazing friend time + Harry laughing without reserve = Come back and visit soon!!

As we often do, this morning, we walked to the deli for coffee and watched the trains come and go. I read the NY Times while Harry ate a bagel and it was quite quaint. Until…

Bud decided he wanted to go on the train. This was a problem because he was still in his pajamas, among other obstacles. 

It was a super pitiful, pooch out the bottom lip, real tears cry when I told him no. Even the conductor felt sorry for little Bud. 

So this evening, I took the train to Summit to pick him up from school and we rode it home. He was SO HAPPY! Loved it. 

The only issue is that he wanted to do more…I tried to explain that it’s like brushing your teeth: once at night and once in the morning. This logic prevented total meltdown but was still sad news.  

Great trip to Boston to see friends from Duke. 17 adults and 11 kiddies. Eric got to play golf and I got to hang out with girlfriends and hold some babies. Harry got to sleep in the big bed and make new friends. 

I was pretty nervous about Harry behaving his little 2yr old self – both on the trip and with friends. But he was great! At least no one has told me any stories of him breaking anything or stealing a toy from anyone. He was flexible and happy and independent. He made friends. He did decide to pour sand all over himself over and over again at the park, but that’s okay. We will wash it out in a few days. 😬 He slept the whole way there and has been a champ on the way home. Two more hours to go so knock on wood. The car is an iPad judgement free zone, right?

Colleen and Hadley had great 2yr old toys: Two whole grocery carts and a swing set and gated drainage hole down which Bud could spend days throwing sticks. The Dorans also have a handy watering hose, so that was the source of much entertainment. Clearly, Harry preferred watering flowers to the water table or the kiddie pool. That would be too obvious and intentional.

Kids do a lot of parallel play at this age. Nonetheless, he took a shine to Stella. Somehow, they’re kinda on the same page about things. See pics below for the evidence. 

All the way there, he was talking about Miss Sarah and Aunt Sarah, and the reunion didn’t disappoint. I mean, I was wondering if it would be like doggies: he talks about them incessantly but shies away when faced with the real thing. Not so with Sarah, he gave better hugs and smiles than he gives me and Eric half the time! 

This marks the end of summer mania for us. We have a few weeks to prep for college football and enjoy weekends at home. We are heading to the beach in Sep and down South in Oct and Nov. But for Aug, maybe we will get to go to the pool or just enjoy relaxing on our patio. As evidence of recent madness: Eric is taking a vaca day tomorrow to get his hair cut and do yard work. 

Okay, okay, here are the pics from the trip. Other than this pic of the guys, I don’t have any of adults. Typical…

   
11 kiddies, 3 itty bitty babies, 1 propped up by a very subtle John. I love Hads and the cell phone. If a popsicle won’t do the trick, the iPhone will surely work to appease. Oh, how I identify. Ollie and Libby in the Adirondack are also pretty awesome. Harry and Stella are ready to rock. Waves and cheeses all around. 

    
 
Water entertainment was a big hit! Believe it or not: this pic conveys a scene that’s a smidge more conservative than what was actually happening much of the afternoon. 

   
Makes having more kids look like a cinch….

Watering flowers and his doggie shirt from Uncle Jake and Aunt Katie.

  
His John Deere shirt from Papa, his doggie Leus from Claude, his binkie, and watching Elmo, Clifford, or George. 

 
Pink donuts. 

We are on our way to Boston to visit friends from Duke. Excited to see everyone and their babies! But before we left, Harry had a good-bye picnic with Ellie.

Not sure if I’ve mentioned yet, but we have the best neighbors!! They moved in a week before we did. We share a fence but we often keep the gate open. They have a 3yr old, Ellie and a 1yr old, Freddie. They are adorable. As seen here…

  Note that Ellie is eating pad see ew with chopsticks. Harry is eating pizza…with his hands…