It never occured to me growing up that other people knew about Lake Geneva....to me it was just my little place of love and happiness. The place where we spit watermelon seeds into the garden with hopes they would grow, the place where skinned knees from the massive hill were kissed by loving grandparents, the place where plaid shorts and boat shoes were all the rage....sand and seaweed pouring out of your suit at the end of the day was a given and the smell of well water perfumed everything. And lightning bugs. Every night, lightning bugs lit up the land around us....and as a kid, there is nothing more magical than lightning bugs.
So. Eddie has been to the lake a couple of times.....over the years things have changed and evolved and we don't go as much as I had always hoped. I've dreamt, for a long time, of having a house there so Eddie can live the magic of the lake just like I did as a kid. We're young, and my husband is a rockstar and I know that he wants that dream as much as I do, so I do have hope that we will be up there in no time ;-)
But Monday, Eddie lived the magic of the lake.
As Eddie slept the drive up, my smile formed from ear to ear the minute we reached Hebron. The basketball water tower...the stop sign and the ice cream shop on the corner...it means we're close. And close means smiles.. All smiles.
We went up to my Aunt Lorrie's house, one that has an amazing mix of comfort and lake style, so imperfectly perfect that it would make anyone comfortable instantly. And comfortable Eddie was....playing with the toy basket, wanting to go on the back porch and ready to charm...my little shy man was hardly even shy. Just comfortable.
Eddie was immediately in love with his cousin Elliot (Ellie) and happily followed her around like a little puppy, with Ellie happy to boss around her little cousin. Our first order of lake-loving was a boat ride and while I was a little nervous for Eddie, not sure how he would react to a life jacket and the busy waters of the lake, I was excited for the opportunity.....to be honest.....excited doesn't begin to cover it.
Eddie loved it. Aside from the momentary panic of going from the dock with Momma to the boat to Uncle Chuck, he was perfectly content on the boat. He waved to the tour boats, pointed out boats that he liked and otherwise enjoyed what I now call "Aunt Lorrie's Famous Lake Tour". Because people....this wasn't your average tour. It was dotted with bits of gossip and history and what used to be and what now is in the every changing lakefront house market. I loved it.
Loved it. Loved it, loved it, loved it.
I cannot say it enough, because saying it just does not convey how happy I was on this boat, with my Aunt and Uncle and son and cousin and baby cousins. Happy, happy, happy.
Did I mention Hudson? He is not only the most easy going baby, but also has the best smile in the history of babies. This was Hudson's first boat ride, something I really, really wish I had my big camera to document, but this cell phone picture will have to do. Hi Hudson!
We got back to the dock, plopped a sleeping Hudson into the stroller, two little cousin butts into the sand and had a merry little time. Ellie didn't hesitate to boss us around, saying the second we set foot in sand "Ok. The first thing we do is dig a biiiiiiiig hole" with the authority and confidence of any professional sand-hole-digger. And a digging we went. And swimming. And rock throwing. And more lake loving.
After swimming and running around the park and pushing the tire swing and snacks under the big tree by the beach, we went back to the house to really initiate Eddie to lake loving.
As I stripped him out of his swim suit and diaper, half the sand in Lake Geneva came down with it and I knew we'd made it. We were officially lake lovers.
After some more snack and playing in the front with big cousins Wyatt and Ellie, we were both smiling ear to ear. And Wyatt taught Eddie how to ride a scooter! Such a big boy :) Some dinner, a walk around the neighborhood and a trip to the park later, Eddie was thoroughly exahusted and, I'm sure, convinced that he was in toddler heaven.
......
How to end this? I have no idea. More than anything, I have to say that I am so, so, so very thankful to my Aunt Lorrie and Uncle Chuck, my cousin Kelby and her kids Wyatt, Ellie and Hudson. To say that our day at the lake was rejuvinating and peaceful and fun and happy and everything and more than I'd ever hoped is less than I would like. If I can even put a fouth of how happy this lake day made me into this blog post I'd be happy, because I honestly don't think that I am able to write about such a happy and fufilling day.
Eddie still talks about the boats, I still dream of going back, and Hubby wishes he could see the smiles htat I got to see at our lake day.
We're thinking of renting a boat for my birthday, taking a family trip up there and just enjoying everything. I really, REALLY, really hope that Hubby takes my hints on this one :) I drop hints like bombs, people!
Lake, I love you. Family, I love you. Toddler place of dreams, Eddie loves you!
No comments:
Post a Comment