A Favorite Family Tradition

Every summer all of my extended family on my mother’s side gathers for an annual vacation. This year, thanks to baby Franklin, our group reached a count of 19.

The last few summers our group has traveled to the beach at Gulf Shores, Alabama, but in years past, our trips have included some unique locations. We’ve lassoed horses on a dude ranch in Colorado, traversed Indian ruins in Santa Fe and consumed countless servings of frozen yogurt on a few cruises.

But this annual trip is really not about traveling to a fun place. Don’t get me wrong, I love to travel and the beach is my happy place, but this getaway is more than just a week spent playing in the ocean. It’s a chance to pause the outside world and reconnect with loved ones.

Group photo from our trip this year - not pictured are my cousin Joseph and his wife Lindsay who were unable to come and dearly missed. 

My grandparents started this tradition years ago. They wanted to gather their family for a few days and simply spend time together. Eat good food, play dominos, sleep late, take long walks and just check in and see where life has taken everyone in the previous year. Ultimately this week is a testament to how they prioritize family.

When I was about 8 years old, my grandfather passed away while on our annual trip. We went fishing that morning and later that day, he didn’t wake up from his afternoon nap. As tragic as his death was, we found comfort knowing he spent his final days surrounded by his family, the thing he valued most in life. Since then, my grandmother has planned countless family trips, continuing their tradition of gathering family together. I think my grandfather would be so happy to know we now need nine bedrooms to house our growing group.

View from the third floor “baby penthouse.” For the past three years, family members with babies have stayed in the third floor suite.

The nice thing about the trip is the laid back nature of it all. Not many rules exist except one – no stowaways, i.e. boyfriends, girlfriends or friends. We all joke that you must have a ring to join the fun. After all this week is about reconnecting with family, and every year the trip seems to fly by and I’m left wishing for more time together.

And I really can’t thank my grandmother enough for giving us this experience. Since becoming a parent and having to make mature decisions like not spending Franklin’s monthly college savings money at Target, I’m even more grateful for the financial sacrifice she makes to bring us all together. I’m sure she doesn’t view it as a sacrifice, probably more like an investment in family, but it’s no easy feat funding a family vacation. One day Ben and I hope to continue this tradition with our own family.

While writing this post, I was reminded of some parenting advice I recently read. The author said the greatest gift you can give your child is your time. I absolutely agree and am so grateful for the time I have spent with my family on our annual trips. It is indeed the greatest gift.

Thoughts On Baby Time

I’ve been surprised by what I’ve found to be one of the more challenging aspects of motherhood. Dirty diapers and spit up don’t faze me; I’ve never been squeamish. The lack of sleep has been trying, but I think I’ve made it through the dark days as a sweet friend described the first weeks of motherhood. For me, adjusting to what I call “baby time” has proven to be the most unforeseen challenge.

I knew life would naturally become very different once Franklin arrived, and it’s a no brainer that my time is not my own anymore. But unlike other life transitions I’ve experienced before, I believe nothing can adequately prepare you for baby time. Now that I am staying home, my days are scheduled around naps and feedings every three hours. Here’s a picture of me utilizing nap time to work on this post. Most days with Franklin fly by, but then every so often, I look up and it’s only 9:30 a.m.

I was recently thinking about how I used to jet out on a whim and run endless errands or make last minute plans. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss that season sometimes. I don’t think that is bad or means that I don’t utterly love and adore my son. Life is just different now and requires more planning and babysitters. I’d be remiss not to mention my husband and parents here. These folks do more than I can describe in a sentence let alone a blog post. So rest assured my days of aimlessly wandering the aisles of Target solo are not over yet.

Currently at the Mandel house we are on roll over watch as Franklin is so close to rolling onto his tummy. I love how almost overnight, life morphs into a season where you’d relinquish all your free time for the rest of eternity just to sit and wait for your child to roll over. In this new season, how I spend (and don’t spend) my time has changed, and yes at times it is challenging, but with that challenge, I’ve experienced unimaginable joy. So yeah adjusting to baby time may have been the first sneak attack challenge of motherhood for me, but I am confident it will not be the last. I hear potty training is loads of fun.

First Official Day At My New Job

I officially quit my job this week. So I guess I am now a certified stay at home mom. Weird. I feel like I just joined a secret club. But I don’t own enough yoga pants and some still don’t fit yet.

Don’t get me wrong, I know I am extremely blessed to have this opportunity and that it is an absolute privilege to stay at home and care for our son, but I can’t help but feel anxious. I’m sure I’ll dive deeper into that ever-changing emotion a little later. Still working through that one. Anyways I’ve decided to chronicle this experience via a blog – because who doesn’t want to read about the daily life of a new mom . . . So here I go and I hope you’ll follow along and enjoy this new journey with me.

Here’s a picture from my first “official” day as a stay at home mom. Exciting stuff. 

But seriously I love that little one more than my heart can handle. I used to think it was bizarre when parents would tell their children that they could “just eat you up.” Um I get it now. And I am that person now. I have these crazy love emotions that just spill out and make me say things like that. Poor Franklin. He’s probably terrified.

Ok so that’s all for now. I am going to try and keep these simple so I don’t put too much pressure on myself and then don’t blog. Thanks for reading!