The Long Hot Summer

One might think that my roots as a Mississippi girl would mean that I am tougher than the average broad when it comes to hot, humid weather.  Perhaps you might think that my skin became thickened after spending summer after summer broiling in the sweltering heat of my hometown.  W-R-O-N-G.  I am a total wuss when it comes to the heat.  I feel tired, cranky, and disgusting.  I hate sweating through my clothes, detest the effect the humidity has on my hair.  I lose motivation for...well, most things that don't involve sitting on a porch swing drinking a cold beer.  Now THAT I can do, people -- heat or no heat!

This is all to say that the weather in DC the last week or so been particularly unappealing to me.  We have had climbing temps of 98, 99, 100...even 102 and 104 on a couple of days.  Conor informs me that there have been 11 straight days where temperatures soared over 95 degrees -- it's some sort of record or something.  Anyway, it is obviously an understatement to say that it is hot, hot, hot here in DC.  And I am not a happy camper as a result.  Fall, where are you?  You are welcome to crash the party anytime!

For his part, Fionn has been weathering the heat in much better spirits.  This is mostly due to the increase in cold treats that he has been receiving in the last week or so.  Popsicles or "pop-see-sees" as Fionn calls them, have become a regular occurrence in the afternoon hours around our house.  Here is a pic of Fionn enjoying his FIRST EVER push pop.  Gosh, do you remember push pops?  They were the best!  Still are, as I can attest after stealing a bite from my son's rapidly melting treat.

Get your own push pop, Mama!

Apart from freezer treats, Fionn and I have been beating the heat in the following ways.  Sprinkler time, pool time, air conditioning time.  And repeat the following day.  Fionn wakes up from his nap now yelling, "Swim pooooool!"  Don't have to tell me twice, Kid.  But, of course, he does anyway because he's two.  Which means he says everything about eighty thousand times.  Argh.

This past weekend we hoped to beat the heat in a slightly different way.  We took a road trip to Portsmouth, Virginia for a get-together with my beloved grad school friends and their families.  This summer was particularly exciting for our little group because we are nearing our 10 year anniversary of knowing one another.  Crazy to think that it has been nearly a decade now since we arrived on campus at University of Virginia and began forming amazing friendships.

It's also hard to believe that it has been nearly 2 years since this photo was taken.  Check it out.

This is Fionn and William in Portsmouth, circa 2010.  They were both only a few months old.  Fionn and William, you might remember, were born exactly 3 weeks apart.  It has been incredibly special for Sarah and I to watch our boys grow up along the same timeline.  Even though we live in different places, I really do feel like our boys have grown up together in many ways due to our frequent email contact and get-togethers every few months.

Sarah and I had high hopes for our boys in terms of friendship.  We anticipated that they would be life long chums, best buds.  We eagerly awaited our reunions so that we could watch their friendship developing and deepening.  We expected that they would play together, laugh together, frolic around in the sunshine together.

Over the past 2 years, we have waited and waited.  And waited some more.  William and Fionn would play near each other at times.  Every once in awhile, one might steal a toy from the other as toddlers do.  But to be quite honest, they just didn't seem that into each other. 

Well, it turns out that we just needed to be a little patient with our boys.  Because a flame of friendship was definitely ignited on this past Portsmouth trip.  Fionn and William were two peas in a pod.  Thick as thieves in fact.  Here is an updated pic of our boys, caught in a rare break between their laps around the house on William's ride-on toys.

Watching the two of them chase each other around the house was the absolute highlight of my weekend.  There is nothing that melts my heart like watching my Fionny find a friend.  Especially when that friend just happens to be the son of one of my dearest friends.  It was just wonderful.  

I do have to say that two little toddlers can definitely mean Double Trouble.  Our Fionn and sweet William definitely got into some messes together.  Jumping on the bed, climbing up to Sarah's third floor attic room without permission...Let's just say they definitely weren't perfect little angels.  But the giggling that accompanied nearly every rascally activity.  Oh, that giggling.  It is just the sweetest sound.

Although the William-Fionn connection was definitely one of my favorite things about the Portsmouth trip, it was only one of many fantastic aspects of the weekend.  The weekend was chock-full of special moments and heartwarming connections.  It is really incredible to think that I have known these special women friends for 10 years now.  And even more incredible to know that I have known their amazing children for their entire lives.  Here is our traditional collection o' children picture that we attempt to take every time the entire crew is in attendance.  Good looking group, huh?

We now have 10 offspring in our motley little crew.  Our oldest Little is now 7 years old -- spunky and smart Caroline Miller who created a newspaper during our weekend together.  She is truly an exceptional little girl and blows me away constantly with her wit and creativity  Our youngest Little is just 6 months old -- darling Henry Van Orman.  Look at this face.  I mean, seriously.  I could have stuffed him into my luggage and stolen him in a hot minute, I kid you not.  He is just the most precious baby ever. 

The soaring temperatures kept us inside for most of the weekend, but we did manage one beach excursion on Saturday morning.  Of course, I was a complete moron and forgot the camera.  So I have nothing to show for it.  In fact, the bulk of the weekend passed without too much photography if you must know the truth.  Once again, I think we were busy just savoring the wonderful conversations and quiet (and not-so-quiet) moments together.  Try not to hold it against me, folks.

So, per normal for me when traveling away from home, I didn't sleep so great the past couple of nights.  That said, I'm going to sign off now and turn in.  Keep cool everyone, and I'll check in again after our trip to Iowa with Conor's family.