One of the things I knew I would love about having a
daughter is the stage she is at right now.
Why?
Because I can remember those parts about my own life.
With such fondness. And I see her living it right now and it brings back so
many good memories for me. I love seeing her grow into a young woman-it is such
an honour. And a privilege.
I love seeing her have BFFs. Beauty has always had a gang
of 5 girls since kindergarten and all have been her BFF’s forever it seems, she
has camp BFF’s and a BFF in Switerland-.
But this summer she has found her summer BFF. The kind that it is sleepovers almost every
night..she almost lives at their house…eats all her meals there. The meals not
eaten there are eaten here at our house. There is no question what they will do
the next day…we just know they will be together and it is just a matter of what
time they will call on each other in the morning when they wake up .
And best part of all this? Beauty’s BFF this summer is
her “cousin”!!! One of my BFF’s daughters. They were always close for the last
9 years but not at all to this level. They saw each other at our events and had
a few sleepovers a year. Always loved each other but this is a whole new way of
being for them. Inseparable.
And it’s likely a summer love as different schools and
circles of friends. The public pool and synro has brought them so close and the
fact that both their mommies let them have a lot of freedom and liberties now
they are 11yrs old (vs. some moms of girls this age don’t let them bike to the
park and this makes or breaks a lot of friendships in some ways as at different
stages and interests)
And lucky me again my friends stays at home for the
summer so drives them all over the place, texts me on their whereabouts, feeds
their bellies, makes cookies with them……all of it. How can I ever thank her
enough???? A working Mom’s summer dream I tell you. I am so blessed and so is
Beauty.
Tonight the girls are at my house and in the pool in the
dark (with bathing suits on!!!) doing the same synro routine over and over and
over. Tomorrow they will come and swim here late afternoon as Fridays is the
only day I get home earlier than 6:30pm. We will get dressed up and take them
to a fancier dinner in order to make sure we do our share !!! I feel blessed
but guilty too!!! I want to make sure the girls spend time with us too.
And they are beautiful both inside and out. They even
look like sisters or cousins. All I know is that being a kid in summer is
really really fun. Especially when you have a bff to share it with. Endless
days at the pool in the sun, freezies, ice-cream for dinner and late nights
staying up watching movies together. Starting it all over the next day…..
brings back a ton of good memories for me with my BFF in those days (who I am
still super close it now!!!!)
Summer for me has always been about breaking away from
the routine, the schedules, the rules (in some ways) Summer is to treasure..
and with one week left before school I can honestly say that my kids have loved
every (cold) minute of summer so far and so have we. I have zero need right now
for us to return to schoolbooks, getting up at 6am, packing lunches and
homework after school. None. We are having a great time with the perfect amount
of structure and routine vs lazy days and breaks. The normal amount of love and
fighting and quiet and noise. It is all good.
This summer has been a summer of friends. There have been
many walking in an out door since the day school let our. At our tables, in our
pool, on the boat and in the lake. Many frozen pizzas made and bags and bags of
snacks enjoyed.
The regular bedtime around here has been between midnight
and 1am..and although that is a lot of hours awake..they have been mostly
wonderful. I have always wanted to be the home the kids want to hang out at. This
summer has been perfect for that.
So as I watch my daughter and her summer BFF in bloom….I remember
back to my own summer and that delicious feeling of freedom. Of holding hands
in the sun and walking with one of the girls you love. And remembering it as so
sweet and such a wonderfully secure and safe part of my childhood.Summer-the
time when the weather is nice, rules are relaxed, no goals and no fuss. Love
summer.
