We’ve traveled thousands of miles between my last post and this. We finally went back home for a visit after a year of being away. Christopher wasn’t able to come so it was just AB and I doing our airport thing of counting dogs, popping bonine and explaining for the five hundredth time that airport snacks are very expensive.

Elizabeth happens to have an inflatable boat in her room because why not. I thought it would make a very comfortable bed for Annabelle but she disagreed. Instead of sleeping in the boat, her little bed or on the floor, she spent nearly every night of the two weeks squished up against me in the twin bed which meant I was pushed up against the cold wall. I may have been more comfortable if I took the boat out on the open sea than spending 14 nights sleeping with that octopus.

We spent an afternoon visiting with Dad and exploring a quirky garden/greenhouse/hippie giftshop. They have a large bamboo forest that I loved playing in as a child and Annabelle now loves. She and Elizabeth went off the beaten path and stomped around like elephants while yelling like banshees. I kept telling them I didn’t think they should be over there, but eventually, I decided to pretend I didn’t know them at all. Elizabeth is always toeing the line of what’s allowed so I frequently pretend I don’t know her so I won’t be guilty by association if she gets in trouble. Obviously, there’s a picture of me scaling the bamboo with ONE arm but it somehow got mysteriously lost in the cloud.We went to the beach for a few hours and AB was reunited with her surfboard. She loves the water and the closest thing we have to the ocean here is the puddle in the front yard when it rains. Is it too late to get her on the Olympic surf team? Is that sign-up sheet still floating around?
Big things are happening in Massachusetts. Aaron and Emma got engaged a few weeks ago. I told him beforehand that he should wait until I was in town so I could photograph the event (meaning I wanted to watch from the bushes) but he turned me down. Rude. No one ever invites me to their engagement.
Even bigger news! I met baby Oliver. I REPEAT. I MET BABY OLIVER THE CUTEST BABY BOY OF ALL TIME.

He was more thrilled about meeting his new favorite aunt than it looks. I had just come from an unfortunate hair appointment and he was offended I had asked everyone else’s opinion on my hair but his. We worked it out and we’re on better terms now. All I had to do was give him a pacifier, change his diaper, sing a Sarah Original song, hold him facing out then in then out again, walk around the house and stand at the window before he came back around. We’re best friends now.