And My Favorite Arm, Too!

If I had to pick any memory of my childhood as being my most favorite and forever-cherished, I would choose the weeks spent in the summer at my grandparents'. Swimming in the lake, in the river, drinking Shasta, eating cold hotdogs wrapped in Kraft Singles, playing bingo, going to the 5 and Dime for a "treat" . . . loved it all!
I mean, it's obvious. Think of how spoiled you can get in afternoon in grandma's kitchen, with mom and dad there, then times that by 1,000 as you spend a week! at grandma's! without mom and dad!

This summer is no different for the lil' dude. Next week marks the start of her summer "vacations" as she goes to spend 5 days at my aunt's . . . my three cousins, age 11-14, are so excited, they might have started a countdown calendar when I asked them a few months ago. I know my little girl will be in heaven with all that attention and nonstop affection.

All in all, the lil' dude has 4 weeks planned this summer visiting Her Peeps. A week each month when daycare is closed, plus a bonus week when Mama and the Dad go to Boston for fun right after the 4th of July. That seems like an awful lot of away from home time for such a tiny person, but it's called for. If I could take those three weeks off with her to relive maternity leave, I would in a heartbeat. But something tells me to save my vacation days for things like unexpected cold/flu/virus season flareups, or cold, blustery snow days instead. Such is the life of a working mom.

So, Sunday night, after the Dad and I drive away from the lil' dude, we are free to do what we want for 5 days. Five long, long days. I know I will feel like I am missing a limb. I'll continue to wander around our house looking for my damn arm, only to remember it's 90 miles away at my auntie's. Damn, I miss that arm and wish I could go pick it up right now.

This will not be the first time I'll spend extended amounts of time away from her. When she was just 3 month old, I up and flew to Vegas for 5 days. (It was for work, and I cried the whole 1 hour+ trip to the airport and thought about her every second of every minute of every hour of every day) And, now I can safely say the "band-aid" method worked for me, I was forced to leave the lil' dude, and forced to realize that she was just fine without me. But . . . she was just a baby then. Now, she's a real-live person who will look bigger and learn cool new things in just a span of a few days! Ugh, I am not going to lie when I say it's going to be hard.

So, what do the Dad and I have planned for the 4 night sans-lil' dude? We are doing what any other parents of a 6-month old does when they have some free time: we are going to drink. Drink with our friends on sunny patios at Real Live Drinking Establishments during Real Live HH. We figure a few nights out like the "old" days will more than make up for all the times we begged our friends to "come to our house for the evening! but make it after 8pm, be quiet, go straight downstairs and here, why don't you help me fold some baby laundry while we wait for the pizza to get here?"

I also plan on A) starting and B) completing my pregnancy scrapbook. No, I am not PG again, just trying to make the lil' dude's. I am up-to-date on both her (template) scrapbook and baby book though . . .

I know it takes a village to raise a child. People besides the Dad and I should experience the wonder and fabulousness that is the lil' dude. We know it's going to be great, for all parties involved. Oh, my poor arm, how I will miss you so. Don't forget about me, or else the dog gets all your toys and stuffed animals he's been highly coveting since your arrival.