End of Summer Wrap Up

How did we spend the rest of the summer you ask? Well you probably didn't ask but since you're here already, you might as well keep reading.

1. We had an unexpected and fabulous visit with friends who moved to Richmond two years ago. Their son is about 6 months older than Jack but they played together beautifully, probably because they have very similar personalities. The visit was uneventful (and I mean that in a good way) but significant for me in that it was the first time that Jack played with a friend in a room other than the one I occupied. They went into the back room and played by themselves. It was slightly traumatic to realize Jack is that old now.

2. We attended several birthday parties. These were coveted invitations to exclusive affairs and my kids totally lowered the standard...


One party was at the zoo which was a total blast except for the fact that Jack pet a rat. He thought it was cool. I almost threw up. I know this was just a taste of things to come with two boys in my house...







Another party, at a great local ice cream shop where we have spent many an afternoon this summer, was notable precisely because there was a moment toward the end of the party where the enormous sugar rush seemed to hit every child at the exact same time, thus resulting in a simultaneous explosion of energy.

Notice the dads sitting quietly in the corner with the latter borns...no coincidence.

The final party was our niece's first birthday party in Richmond. No animals and because the party was in the middle of the day, we had to leave before cake time (horror of horrors) and thus no sugar.














3. Visit to Richmond
On a recent visit to Richmond to see Mimi and Pops, Jack got his own fish (whom he named Thomas naturally) to live in the fish pond there.

4. As with the first part of the summer, we lived at the pool. For us, the pool is not just a luxury, it's a necessity. Because of our blisters, the kids can't run around like other kids during the summer. Swimming is literally the only way to get energy out when it's warm outside without being unable to walk for days. So we pack a bag, that to outside observers would indicate a weekend trip, and we head over to the pool...

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It's always best to hold hands when going to get a snack..


5. Wrestlemania has begun. The boys have started playing with each other which usually involves one of two things: (1) Will wants to play with whatever Jack is playing with. So far, Jack has developed quite a diplomatic approach to this problem. He finds something else to give Will (who, let's be fair, doesn't care what's in his hand as long as he can eat it) and he can keep whatever toy he likes best at that moment. So far so good. (2) They "hug" each other which inevitably turns into a wrestling match of some kind.















6. We had some quality "daddy time".... Billy works harder than most people I know which is a testament to his great talent. (Sorry Billy, I get to brag). It also means that his hours are typically longer than most. With litigation, when things heat up you are at the mercy of the court's schedule. And sometimes that means that you're not home before midnight for weeks at a time. Someone once asked me how I could be married to another lawyer. To me, the question is how could I NOT. Apart from the fact that we are constantly bouncing ideas off of each other and dissecting each other's cases and strategies, I understand more than anyone what is required of him. That being said, when there's downtime in the litigation world you have to take advantage of it. And Billy was able to spend some great time with the kids this summer which they naturally loved.