Childhood Summer
As the days tick down to the start of “back to school” and the fall season, I can’t help be a little sad.
The summers always go by so quickly, but I’ve been trying my hardest to make them feel like the nostalgic, lazy summer days of childhood.
Like many career paths, my job doesn’t stop or pause during the summer months, so the routine never really stops, either. I get Fridays off during the summer months, which is a huge blessing that I never want to take for granted, and these Fridays become sacred to me every summer.
These summer Fridays end next week, and I feel such mixed emotions: thankful I have them, in awe that they’re almost over, bummed that the summer seemed to fly so quickly.
As a mom with a full-time day job, any free time to be “just mommy” is sacred time I don’t want to waste or lose. And summer — especially those summer Fridays — feels like months of possibility, of freedom, nostalgia, and making memories. That’s not to say you can’t make memories or have freedom/nostalgia during the other months, but summer hits different, doesn’t it?
I love to see summer through Vienna’s eyes. Here are some things I hope I’ll never forget about her second summer:
Her love for popsicles and how she savors each bite.
Her love for swinging, any time of day, and how she laughs when she goes high.
The hours we’ve spent at the water table, splashing, pouring, dunking toys, and cooling off.
Her attention to detail, whether to notice a plane, a bee, a bird, rocks in the yard, or the trucks driving by.
The straw sun hat purchased on a whim at the beginning of summer that has become the final accessory to every outfit.
Her velcro sandals and how she says “shoes, pay ow-side, peas” (shoes, play outside, please) when she wants to go outside to play.
The few times I’ve said “yes” to playing in the downpour so we could twirl around and splash in puddles because why not?
Walks around the neighborhood, to wind down before dinner, when the sun isn’t so hot.
Reading to her in the rocking chair, as her room turns a soft golden pink when the sun sets outside.
Her love for the beach, sand, and waves.
Exploring the local zoo and seeing the “mingos” (flamingos), monkeys, birds, and goats.
Having “mango” as a special treat (Rita’s mango water ice).
Splashing in her baby pool and climbing in and out, in and out, in and out.
Running in the grass, chasing Lucy and kicking her ball.
Bubbles - so many bubbles.
And chalk - so much chalk.
Hanging out with Gigi (my mom) having girls days.
Slathering on lots of sunscreen (numerous times) because of her pale skin (even though she’s both Middle Eastern and Italian…?!).
These are a few of the little moments that make summer so special. Her childhood summer, the memories she probably won’t remember making, but that I’ll definitely hold tight as the summers tick by. Childhood summer is something special; I pray I’ll always cherish it.