The Boosky Life

When Orelia was Bennett's age, her days were filled with play dates and music classes.

Bennett Boosky has the life of the second child - everything is at the whim of his sister's much busier itinerary.

Most days Bennett and I get a couple of hours with just the two of us while Orelia finishes her nap.

B loves to spend this time outside with Mama.

The backyard isn't as interesting as a music class or Gymboree, but it will have to do.

Thank God for this swing.

I get to push Bennett and his gummy smile on this swing almost every day.

One day soon he will be more interested in climbing and sliding, but for now it's just me pushing him on the swing.

We take Orelia's monitor with us wherever our unadventurous adventures lead us, and we run inside whenever she wakes.

As happy as Bennett is hanging out with Mama, he would prefer to be hanging out with Mama AND Orelia.

The Boosky life isn't a thrill ride.  It consists of naps in his crib, meals in his chair, and toes in his grass.  He wears whatever striped shirt was on the top of the pile and enjoys the only life he knows how to live.  A life full of snuggles into his mama's left shoulder and slightly rough tickles from his big sister.  He eats scraps of dinner on his daddy's lap and smiles fondly at his furry brown dog.  The Boosky life is simple but sweet.

After Dinner Chase

After a fun day in the sun, we often spent the last hours of sunlight running around the hotel grounds.

Some of us did more running than others.

Some of us just enjoyed the feeling of grass on our bare squishy legs.

Some of us enjoyed squishing the squishy one.

When the mood was right we went to visit the koi.  "Hi fishes!"

The mood was always right for a scoop of mint chip.

My mood was always right seeing this girl have fun.

Her bright blue eyes ablaze as her just-showered hair dried in the warm Mexican air - vacation was good for us.

It's easy to take hundreds of photos on vacation when the smiles come easily and the setting is beautiful.

Everyone was full of smiles.

Some were full of giggles.

And shrieks.

I just couldn't stop photographing her utter joy.

Vacation was so much sweeter this time around with another family member happy to enjoy every minute of it.

I am so grateful we got to spend such a wonderful trip together as a family.

We are all happiest when we are together.

And even happier when we are together in Cabo.

John has declared Cabo his new happy place, and I tend to agree.

The Warmest Pool

We spent almost every morning and every afternoon in the lovely warm pools at our hotel in Cabo.

By "we" I actually mean that I got in the water too!

I cannot stress enough how amazing it was to be in a pool was really, really warm water.  Mama doesn't do cold pools.  And Bennett certainly had a lot more fun in warm water too.

Orelia had the time of her life in a pool with lots of shallow parts to walk and jump in.  She's not a fan of floaties, so a shallow pool works great for her.

I braved the life of my Nikon to get these photos on our last morning pool jaunt.

I'm so glad I was able to capture Orelia in one of her favorite experiences.

Any time Bennett joined her in the water, Orelia was eager to hold him and play with him.  I can't wait until both kids are old enough to swim together.  I have lots of great memories of playing with my brother in hotel pools when we were kids.

Come on in, the water's fine.  And indeed it was.

Room 4604

We really loved our hotel in Cabo, which is a good thing, because I didn't leave it for the duration of our stay in Mexico.

We had a beautiful ocean view and a large suite that was comfortable to lounge in.  And we all know Orelia enjoys lounging.

Bennett takes three naps every day, and he only sleeps in a bed, so that meant either John or I were back in the room three times each day.

While this nap schedule was a bit of a burden with only one child, with two kids I relished escaping to the room while Bennett napped so I could read How to Talk to a Widower and Sweet Tooth on the porch.

I absolutely loved going crazy with Orelia other times too, but it was so relaxing to just sit and read outside for a change.

Bennett loved sitting outside and feeling the breeze.  He's not into novels yet.

There was a random chair/stool in the room that we moved for Orelia the first night so she could brush her teeth.  That stool henceforth became her special seat and she would drag it all over the suite.

Room 4604 was our home away from home and a great place to relax when we weren't busy swimming or watching Orelia cause mischief elsewhere.

Luckiest Girl in the World

I consider Orelia to be a lucky kid.  A privileged kid.  Probably even a spoiled kid.

Well when she's meeting dolphins at age two and a half, I think she may be the luckiest girl in the world.

When we were in Cabo, John took Orelia to a dolphin encounter that was within walking distance of our hotel.

I don't think Orelia realizes how special it is to touch and see dolphins like this, but she did know it was cool and she has been talking about it a lot.  Every time she sees a dolphin picture now, she lights up and remembers her fun experience.

Navi was the name of the dolphin who gave Orelia a kiss, so everyone dolphin stuffed animal or cartoon from here on out is "Navi" to us.  John purchased every photo and video taken of Orelia that afternoon, so we are making sure she doesn't ever forget Navi and that she is the luckiest girl in the world.