Caitlin having a picnic with Mr. Lobster at Castle Island

Staying indoors during the summer is sort of against my religion. Unless it is either raining or oppressively humid, if you need me I will be outside. Despite the very high temperatures, Caitlin and I ventured out to lots of local parks and beaches for some quality fresh air and sunshine. Don't worry, Caitlin wears SPF 1,000 which I reapply obsessively throughout the day. Caitlin loves spending time outdoors-some of her favorite outdoor activities include, eating grass, eating sand, pointing at other people, yelling at dogs, and swimming. Oh, how that girl loves to swim. In fact, Caitlin's love of swimming is so intense, it warrants an entire post to itself, so stay tuned.

We recently took a great day trip to Castle Island in South Boston, which has a beautiful walking path, a picnic area, and lovely views of the Boston skyline and Boston Harbor. Caitlin's favorite part of Castle Island was watching the many dogs out for walks with their owners. Every time Caitlin sees a dog these days she says a baby version of "Woof, woof" and points, which is pretty cute if I do say so myself.

We also went swimming at Houghton's Pond, which is part of the Blue Hills Reservation. Houghton's Pond features clean, shallow and warm water, a great combination for a swimming baby. Jessie, one of Caitlin's favorite friends, joined us at Houghton's for an afternoon of sitting in very shallow water, most likely warmed by the urine of several young children swimming and catching minnows nearby. Caitlin loved drinking pond water and attempting to eat rocks while she chilled in the water. Mama played some pretty tight defense and I am proud to report not one rock was swallowed during our stay.

A summer would not be complete without some beach trips. So far, Caitlin visited Nahant Beach in Lynn, which she absolutely loved. At Nahant, Caitlin played with Mama's co-worker friends, waded in the salt water, and ate lots and lots of sand. Today, Jessie came with us to Duxbury Beach, which is slowly descending on my list of favorite local beaches. Due to the high winds, our morning at Duxbury Beach more closely resembled hanging out in the middle of a Saudi Arabian sand storm. We did spend some quality time swimming in the moderately freezing ocean, but our time on the sand was less than awesome. By the time we left, all of our belongings and our entire bodies looked very much like sand sculptures.

Caitlin and I have lots of other summer adventures planned including, a trip to the New England Aquarium and hiking in the Blue Hills. I think Caitlin and I are going to feel very depressed when I return to work at the end of August. I keep telling myself that I still have a month, but it just does not feel very long. But, I am not going to let my return to work get me down. Instead, I will make every effort to enjoy each remaining day of vacation and if that means eating an ice cream cone every day, well dammit, I guess that's just something I'll have to do!

Caitlin thinking profound thoughts during our Castle Island walk and Caitlin relaxing at Nahant Beach

Get Up, Stand Up

While playing in front of her toy box last week, Caitlin gripped the box's edge, planted her feet, and slowly, determinedly, pushed her way upward until she was standing straight and tall. She looked somewhat like a newborn horse, all long, awkward legs going in different directions. As she stood peering over her toy box, Caitlin took a moment to look around the room-this time from a higher vantage point. No longer was she looking up at things. No longer did she wonder what we kept hidden on top of the coffee table. No longer was she shorter than the puppy. Standing gave Caitlin a whole new perspective on her everyday surroundings. Just as she processed the excitement of this new world, Caitlin's legs buckled, her bum hit the floor. But for that brief moment, I think Caitlin saw her future-a future full of stealing remote controls from the coffee table.

A Family Vacation

Caitlin and Mama hiking on a trail that overlooked the ocean in Acadia National Park

Matt, Caitlin, and Bella on the summit of Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park

Last week our family, dog and all, enjoyed our first true family vacation. We spent a week at my mom's home in Stockton Springs, Maine-a beautiful former shipping hub on the Penobscott Bay. Maine is gorgeous during the summer and the weather during our vacation was spectacular-especially since we avoided a sweltering heat wave back in Boston. We enjoyed cool mornings, sun-filled days, breezy afternoons, and brilliant sunsets every day. Caitlin loved swimming in the pool, exploring new crawling territory, and hiking outdoors in her Ergo baby carrier (at least some of the time). While most of our time was spent relaxing at home or by the pool and eating ice cream, we took some day trips to Belfast and spent a day hiking in Acadia National Park.

Our vacation was truly a much needed break. In Maine, there is quiet. We do not have television and our cell phones barely have reception. In Maine, there is rest. We did not feel burdened by the drudgery of household chores and endless errands. We did not have unfinished home improvement projects beckoning. While at home, it seems like we have to schedule family togetherness. During our week in Maine, we took pleasure in simple times together. I think we found a new family tradition.