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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

My Delicious Summer Babies

Written by Lee

Summer. It's my season. There's no denying it. 

In 1976, my parents packed us four kids into a green station wagon, drove away from our southside Chicago neighborhood and headed off to the Wild West to start anew. The Wild West was Phoenix, Arizona where the sun never stops shining.

I was on the brink of my 9th birthday when we arrived to our desert home, just in time for me to barely be able to remember those Chicago winters.  Any ability to withstand the cold was left somewhere along some interstate on that epic drive and now my soul thrives in one place only - under the warming rays of the sun.

So I guess it makes perfect sense that all three of my children were born in the summer. In the middle of long warm sunny days filled with ocean breezes and backyard afternoons. Becoming a mother was utterly terrifying for me and I think the heavens knew I needed the comfort and warmth of summer to welcome my first baby into the world.  And the second.  And the third.

Claire Rose was born on June 23rd, 2002 on a sunny quiet Sunday Santa Monica morning after a long torturous 36 hour labor.  She is now my sassy, sensitive, stubborn, spirited 7-year-old who riddles my brain and melts my heart with her freckled face, her strawberry blonde hair and her mama's hazel eyes.

Clairepose


Phoebe Anne was born on July 13th, 2004 eight days after her due date and 16 hours after they first started the pitocin IV.  Her entry into the world was the easiest of the three although my body doesn't give up any baby easily.  She slipped into the world on a peaceful Tuesday late afternoon with the summer rays streaming through the hospital window.   She is sweet, sensitive and her heart bursts with feeling and empathy. Creative, outgoing, and confident, she is a ray of sunshine herself.

PhoebeCU


Tommy Ryan was born on June 18th, 2007 late in the afternoon after another 16-hour induced labor.  He was the child we had given the most thought to - "Should we or shouldn't we?" but in the end we decided we might regret not having a third baby and we knew we would NEVER regret having another soul in our tribe so we took another step of faith.  And when we think that we actually considered not having a third, we shudder at the thought for he completes our family. Our 2-year-old son is all boy in his love for trucks, wheels, tools, and danger. I am head over heels in love with him and if I could eat him, I would. 

Sandboy


Because summer is summer and life becomes big and robust in summer for me, I live it. I let it soak slow and deep into my soul so it can sustain me through the rest of the year. 

We just returned from our first family vacation. The week we spent on Catalina Island off the Southern California coast was the epitome of summer. It was an old-fashioned holiday filled with lazy, lounging days and sand-brimmed caps and sticky ice-cream faces. With plenty of time for riding in a canopy-covered wagon, building castles for sand crabs and cuddling on a beach blanket at sunset.  No theme parks, no lines, no agenda, no schedule, no cars, no car seats, no stress.  

It was six glorious days where the seconds ticked by at summer's lazy pace. I could actually feel the hands of time slowing, giving me time to worship this season of life and the three most precious things summer has given to me.

My delicious summer babies.

Secrets
Sisters sharing a secret


Tommyflipsflop
A boy and his "choo-choos"


Flipflops
Tommy's first pair of flip-flops 
(yes, that is chipped pink nail polish on his toes)


Phoebewavejump
Phoebe the wave-jumper


ClaireCU
A tooth-fairy visit to the Island for a new lost tooth



Tommyboat1
A cruise to see the sea-lions


3kidsiceceam
Sticky summer fun

Wagonasleep
What is there to say about this one?


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Because summer is lazy, my blogging life is too.  Thanks for reading and see you at BlogHer next week when I'm forced to come out of my summer stupor. Or maybe not. 


21 comments:

  1. HI LADY!!!

    I feel this exact same way about summer! I need to soak it up to sustain me too.

    And Miles' BDay is June 28, Asher's is July 16...

    I've never thought about WHY before, but what you said here makes me nod in agreement :)

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  2. There is something about those baby boys that is so delicious, isn't there? It looks like you had an awesome time. Can't wait to see you next week!

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  3. Oh, such wonderful picts and words!!!

    So glad you guys had an incredible time.

    Maybe I should have a Summer baby after my Fall and Spring two?

    Probably not, but you almost had me sold :-)

    Glad you're back! Depressed your going to Blogher without me.

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  4. What a lovely tribute to Summer and your summer babies!

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  5. Happy Birthday to Phoebe Ann! Your vacation looks absolutely perfect. And that last picture really does say it all :) Now I feel like taking the kids to Catalina (we've never been).

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  6. I love it! My mom grew up in southern California and they used to sail over to Catalina all the time. I would love to take my kids on one of trips to California.

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  7. How very wonderful for all you!

    wish I were going to BlogHer for no other reason than to meet you!

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  8. I LOVED this post. I could just feel summer through it. I think that having kids enjoy summer lets you as a parent enjoy all over again as they discover all its wonder.

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  9. Lovely- can't wait to meet you!

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  10. How beautiful. And we'll let you stupor. ;-)

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  11. your babe's are so adorable...and happy! glad you are enjoying summer, and all the wonderful adventures that go along with it. Plus I agree, the best vacations are those that are not planned out! Have fun at blogher! :)

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  12. LOVE the photos!!.... they really capture Summer, we've barely had summer weather yet here in the Northeast...

    I had two winter babies, and done. No summer babies for me...

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  13. That's why I don't want a girl....to spare my sons toes from turning pink. Hey did you guys draw on some dollars and throw peanuts at Antonio's? I have two bucks on the ceiling in there.

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  14. thanks for sharing lee - loved the pics of your summer babies and the sentiment is perfect! and yes, this comes to you from our summer paradise -north shore oahu! :) lots of sand, stickiness and beauty! cheers to summer... just wish vacationing wasn't so much work... I thought I'd be able to read the book I brought. :) what was I thinking... Maybe in 5-10 years when my 3 yr old wants some peace and quiet also.

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  15. TOES!!!

    I love little toes.

    Those pictures are AWESOME.

    And can I just say..it's causing me physical pain that you'll be in MY home state, and we won't meet?!?!?

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  16. Ok, you're right - those summer babes of yours look so darn DELICIOUS!!!

    Beautiful words. Beautiful faces.

    Loved it!

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  17. What a wonderful gift you just gave your kids. I hope you save this forever so they can share this summer with their kids!
    BEAUTIFUL!

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  18. All three look edible. The pictures are beautiful and capture a mom's love, as do the descriptions. You totally had me with the words about getting time to slow down -- I've been obsessing this Summer about how slowwwwwly time flowed when we were kids, especially during Summer, but now it seems to whip by. Just a lovely golden post.

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  19. They are DELICIOUS!!

    and I loved this post......

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  20. Your kids are so cute and they make me miss you even though I barely know you. Technically speaking.

    Move in.

    Now.

    xo

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  21. And HOLY CRAP 89 comments on your blogher post!

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