The Number 9

Today you saw the ocean for the very first time. When I put you on the sand your body began shaking from the excitement...the new texture, the freedom of being set loose on miles and miles of tiny brown particles pieced together to make what we call a beach.

You immediately picked up a handful of sand and placed it in your mouth and you instantly learned why sand makes more sense to crawl on rather than eat. You never ate another handful of sand. I took you to the water and dipped your toes in the surprisingly warm for February ocean. Every time the water touched your feet you squealed.

We sat you down in a shallow warm part of water and you took it in quickly laughing and staring at both of us thanking us for this new experience. You were in baby heaven crawling around as the warm water crashed into your tiny body. You simply could never believe this moment was happening. You were so free in earth's gigantic bath tub. Could life get any better?

You tasted the salt water and quickly learned why you should avoid getting this in your mouth. You crawled and crawled and laughed and laughed and people strolled by you pointing and watching you take it all in. You looked at them and laughed and clapped because that's who you are. 

My stomach hurt a little in this moment mainly because every bone of my protective body was on high alert. The ocean...there are sharks in there and jellyfish and things that eat us and hurt us. The water...it takes one strong wave to swallow you up. I stared the ocean down as if I was challenging it to mess with us to ruin this day. The moment was beautiful, but I was still a mother first and no ocean was going to mess with my greatest blessing.

Have I told you that you are my greatest blessing?

FAST FORWARD TIME......

Nine uninterrupted days. You and me. I've been dreaming about this. Craving it. Wanting it with everything inside of me. And as I put you down on our ninth straight night together you cried as if you knew it was our last straight day together and of course I pulled you out of that silly crib and I rocked you and sang even though we both know singing has never been my strength. It calmed you.

Nine days.

I told you tomorrow you would get to see all of your friends and it would be great. And it will be great because it always is.

Our first out of state vacation together was truly magical not because we were minutes away from Disney World or playing under the sunshine, but because we were together. It started with a car ride...a long one. You handled it perfectly staring out the window kicking your little feet smiling at me nearly the entire trip. You loved the rest stops. You smiled at every stranger and I learned some new things about you.

You are adaptable. I always knew this, but this trip confirmed it. You go with the flow no matter where that flow is. You like change. You like new things. We saw a beautiful sunset on our first night in Mount Dora. Let's get to the pictures...