Week 256: Reentry

All good vacations must come to an end. This was hands down the best vacation our little family has ever taken. Now that we are safely back at home, I can report without risk that this is the first vacation that I can remember since the kids were born where I did not have to wash bodily substances out of any bedding that did not belong to me while we were away. We had an absolutely amazing time with all the old friends who joined us on our vacation, and the kids had a blast getting reacquainted with an array of honorary aunts, uncles, and cousins that they hadn't seen in far too long. The loved the beach, too. In summary, we are going back next year, and hopefully for a longer stay.

Also this week, Lime turned 3. I can't quite believe it, but I suppose it's true. His little personality continues to grow and delight. He lives life at full speed, plunging headlong from one challenge into the next, falling over himself constantly but always back on his feet and racing of in a different direction in a flash. He is a great reader and manipulator of people, always testing to see just how far his cute face can get him. He is the greatest companion I could have imagined for his older brother, they are inseparable (even when it would be best to occasionally be separate), and our family would be so incomplete without him. 

One truly amazing thing about the trip was just how much Lemon ate while we were away. I'm sure all the running around at the beach helped with his appetite, plus seeing his buddies eating everything in sight. But I mean, grilled cheese, pizza, weird non-Morningstar veggie burger, an entire ice cream cone, broccoli, ham...staggering. He even ate breakfast a few times which is unheard of. At food school today, he ate more food than his teacher asked him to, so she was amazed as well. Although she recommended him for a "picky eaters" group in the fall, she conceded that he has basically gotten everything he can get out of the 1:1 sessions, which goes well with my plan of having him "graduate" from food school at the end of the summer. I feel confident that he has the tools now to eat without fear, and he's fully capable of using them. Now, he can be free to switch his focus to the many other challenges of kindergarten. Oh yeah, and he swallowed 100% of his enzymes as pills on our trip. I can't even tell you how amazing it is to travel without apple sauce everywhere. Seriously amazing.

Half my mind is still in Massachusetts with all my dearest friends. Wisconsin is definitely the place the boys call home, and they were so excited to see our house again when we got back. I have come to like it here, and to even feel situated. When I'm not comparing it to anything, I can even think of it as home. But fresh from a trip east, it is so clear where "home" really is for me. We'll be back soon.