Cape Cod

We just returned from Cape Cod.  This very well may have been the best vacation we've taken in years.  It was soooooo relaxing.  The car-rides there and back were perfect and peaceful. Ben took the day off from work on Friday, and this time we made sure to leave during Leo's nap time so he'd sleep in the car and awaken on Cape Cod refreshed and rejuvenated! Ben and I valued the quality time together in the car, using it as an opportunity to talk.  We shared many laughs.  I am blessed to be married to the funniest man I know. 

This is the same beach on which I spent every summer of my life for 18 years.  In the picture above you can see our old house above Leo's head.  

Since I've been coming to this same beach for 25 years, I knew the hermit crabs were friendly and didn't bite.  Our Leo has a fascination with small creatures, so we decided to see how he'd react to seeing a hermit crab up close.  Of course our sweet boy wanted to give the little crab kisses.

As usual, Ben enjoyed fishing with Serge, a dear friend of our family with whom we stayed. I spent 18 summers of my life in the house next to JoAnn and Serge, and they are like second parents to me.

 

Serge poses with 'dinner':

My favorite part of our trip was tubing in JoAnn and Serge's motor boat.  Some of my readers may recall from a previous post our trip to the Hudson Valley back in May.  In that entry I mentioned how for an entire year I had been looking forward to enjoying one measly dance with my dear husband. We had it all planned out ahead of time.  My mother was going to watch Leo for 10 minutes while Ben and I had our dance under the stars.  Everything was running smoothly until the fireworks (which went off before the band started playing) scared Leo to tears, so we ended up leaving.  We walked all the way back to our room with a screaming baby while everyone else danced under the stars.  It was a humbling walk as well as a real wake-up-call for us as parents.  That evening we learned an important lesson - we learned to lower our expectations.

Now those of you who know me in person might also recall how I'm a BIG fan of water tubing. So you can imagine my surprise when I learned that JoAnn and Serge had purchased a motor boat and a really nice inner tube! Ben and I agreed that I would watch Leo while he went tubing, and then he would watch Leo while I took a turn tubing.  But when it came time for us to go tubing, Leo was napping!  He had been napping for about half an hour and didn't look like he'd be waking up anytime soon.  So I actually got to enjoy a tubing ride knowing my baby was sound asleep :-)  When I returned, he was still sound asleep.  If only he had known what mommy had been doing!  When he finally woke up, to him, it was as though I had never left.  

Below is some video footage of Ben tubing.  I am filming from the deck of the house we were staying at.  It was really foggy that day, as you can see in the video:

On Sunday morning, we walked into town and stopped for a cup of coffee and some ice cream. 

I also insisted that Ben buy himself some Crocs.  He is also hooked now.  And I should mention that he didn't buy the knock offs.  His are the real deal.  Ben never buys himself presents, so I was happy to suggest to my dear husband that he spoil himself this weekend.  The store only had one color in his size, but we both liked the color - it's kind of a grayish green.  Aren't they ugly in a really cool and fashionable way ;-)

I treated myself (or shall I say Leo ;-) to a new pair of Robeez in a size larger than the ones he's currently wearing.  I had been eyeing the black bull dog ones online for a while now, and I noticed a store when we were walking that carried them. I was amazed to find that the very ones I had been eyeing online were actually on CLEARANCE SALE at the store! I could've skipped all the way home I was so happy.  I absolutely LOVE Robeez, and they're the only shoes I buy for Leo.  He had Robeez with lions on them when he was 0-6 months, Robeez with pirates on them in size 6-12 months (the size he currently wears), and now when he outgrows his pirate Robeez he'll have the bull dogs to look forward to!  I couldn't believe what a bargain I got.  If I told you what I paid for them, you'd all have heart attacks. After I bought the Robeez, I had my materialistic fill, and I didn't feel the need to buy anything else the entire trip.

When we were in town, Leo couldn't help but notice a little girl baby named Anika who was wearing a hat which was very similar to his...

On our walk home we passed by this beautiful garden.  I couldn't not take a picture.  I used to walk by it as a little girl and think of the book "The Secret Garden."  Isn't it just lovely? What's even more lovely is that the garden hasn't changed.  

We plan to return to this same spot on the Cape again in August.  How I cherished seeing my little boy sitting upon the same sand I've enjoyed my entire life.  It is a beach my family has enjoyed now for four generations.  It is my favorite spot on earth.