Down By The Bay

We bloom where we are planted.....

As most of you know by now, we have traded our suburban digs for a beach house. And while the weather here is almost always a mild 60 degrees, and the pumpkins dot the hillsides in what is known as the "Pumpkin Capital of the World", I still had some sadness about leaving the only home that Max has ever known. We brought him home from the hospital through that front door. He took his first steps in that living room. He slept in his tiny cradle, snuggled next to our bed for so many nights. It was where our family began. But we bloom where we are planted, and I know that we will blossom here, in this new home that reminds me of Nantucket every time I pull into the driveway. This new home with windows that look out onto the same ocean that I grew up next to. This new home where you can hear the waves crashing while you walk to the park, and where the family that owns the produce stand by the side of the road knows your name.

Max has found so many special places here. I love how he watches all of the doggies being walked to the beach past our house. He'll stop whatever he's doing and run to the window, yelling "Hi!" and "Dog....woof-woof" to whoever is passing by. Our neighbors wave to him now when they see his little face in the window. He's got his eye on the world, this one...
He's made this house his home. Now that he's big enough for his own activity table, he's found that it's useful for many things. Like snacks....

And writing you a letter....

And perhaps one of the nicest things about our new 'hood, is the park that's only two blocks away. It has so many slides, swings, sandboxes, see-saws, puppies, friends....but the most exciting thing there would have to be the woodchips. Max's favorite way to spend an afternoon is picking up the woodchips and putting them places. Like this little spot....

Or this one....

And yes, we've been warned that in just a few short weeks the fog will start rolling in every afternoon, and it'll get more than a little chilly. So we have to be prepared....

For now though, we're enjoying life on the Coast, and soaking up all of the sunshine we can. Good thing our buddy Nathanael hooked Max up with the perfect beach accessory....

The weather's beautiful....wish you were here :)