Summer travel and guests

My boss gave me my schedule through August (I love how organized they are!) and I was pleasantly surprised to see that I have a total of 5 weeks off throughout the summer. June is going to be the craziest month work wise, with three full time weeks back to back, but it will go by quickly. . Ethan will get to be a bachelor for a few weeks that we're on vacation, and I'm sure he'll enjoy it! Looking at the summer schedule was a little scary since we are going to be SO busy, and it's going to go by so fast! I booked my flight to Ohio to visit my parents for a week at the end of June, so that will be Lily's first plane trip. The flight times are over naptime, so I'm hoping she'll sleep for some of it... but I have a feeling she will be much too interested in the environment to want to sleep. We're flying Southwest airlines, which will be a first. I chose them because they have no baggage fees for up to two bags, and I know I'll need to check at least one bag. They'll also let Lily fly for free in her carseat if there's an open seat available. We'll see what happens! If not, I'm already a pro at flying with kids, so I'm not too worried about it. I would MUCH rather fly than drive. With flying I can nurse and change diapers without having to stop the trip. Ethan and I are also taking Lily to the beach in July for the first time for just a few days over his days off, and we'll probably go to Florida somewhere. That trip will likely be more spontaneous than planned out since we just have to wait and see how busy work is, etc. We're really excited about going with just the three of us. It will be so much fun to introduce her to the ocean and the sand and watch her try to eat it. At the end of July, my best friend and I are going to the beach with Lily to visit our "second set of parents" also known as Phillip's mom and dad. We love them, and we're so excited we get to spend time with them. Lily and I might also go to Tybee Island with the Wells girls at some point, but that's up in the air. So Miss Lily will have two (maybe three!) beach trips this summer....and hopefully another Florida getaway in the fall with just the three of us again. We're also hoping to take her up to Brooklyn to hang with our friends Phillip & Irene in the fall as well.

October 2011...the month before Lily arrived at MoMA
Amazing how gravity and walking all day made me look this huge

Speaking of Phillip and Irene! THEY ARE COMING! They are visiting next month to visit for a long weekend and I could NOT be more excited and cannot wait to hug their necks. Ethan won't be around very much at all due to work since weekends are crazy for him. He has extra jobs on Friday and Saturday nights after work until 3 or 4 AM which require that he sleep in as late as possible on Saturday and Sunday so he has enough energy for work. Getting an entire weekend off is next to impossible as a sergeant, and we like to reserve requests for weekends off for really important things like weddings/vacation/family emergencies. It's also a loss of income for us when he doesn't work his extra jobs. Being a police family means not having a "typical" schedule, but we're used to it and it doesn't bother us. Family and friends pretty much know when they visit, they're going to be hanging out with just me and Lily with brief appearances by Ethan. Lily and I will be spending every second with Phillip and Irene though. They haven't seen our house here in Atlanta yet since the last time they were here was when we were in our Virginia Highlands apartment. I am so excited for Lily to meet her Aunt Irene and Uncle Phillip, and I have a sneaking suspicion that they're pretty excited too.

Another really special person gets to meet Lily next weekend....my Aunt Cathy. She's "29" and is over 6 feet tall. She is one of the best tour guides on earth, and knows where to find good food. For the longest time I thought I got my height from her. Until I was informed that she wasn't my biological aunt, just my "adopted" one...but I still regard her as my real aunt anyway. When Lily was born, a box arrived....full of the most adorable clothes from Baby Gap. Just when I thought there weren't any more outfits in the box, I would pull out another one. Aunt Cathy still sends useful and practical gifts in the mail for Lily, and I love it. She used to do the same for me as a child, and the gift I remember the most was this matching umbrella and rainjacket. It was pink with purple hearts. She'll be in Atlanta for business, and we're going to get together for a couple of hours. It's been a while since we've seen Aunt Cathy myself, so I'm really looking forward to catching up with her!

My best friend and her sister Noelle arrive tomorrow afternoon....it's a short visit (they leave Sunday morning) but I'm psyched to see them. Better go do a few things around the house in preparation for their visit... Ethan is gone since he sweetly took the Fit (the transmission is doing something weird) into the shop even though he has to work today.