February 27th was Erin's 9th birthday...my baby girl, the one who started it all, the one who made me a mother for the first time, turned 9. NINE...as in almost ten...as in nearly in the double digits...as in WHERE ON EARTH DID THE TIME GO???
On Erin's birthday we flew to FL and went directly to a beach. Erin promptly removed her shoes and began to run down this incredibly long and beautiful stretch of beach, right next to the water and into the wind. She was feeling totally free and so happy. She ran and ran without looking back and she apparently had no fear about how far she was going or where she might end up. Arms open wide, sand and water splashing all around her, she just radiated the joy that she was feeling at that moment. It was a beautiful scene...made all the more amusing by the fact that her father had to run 400 yards down the beach after her before she even remembered to look back. We played at the beach for over an hour and then changed into dry clothes and waited until precisely 6:33pm so that Erin could officially begin life as a 9yo on the beach. The sunset was beautiful and we headed off to my brother's house for pizza and cake. While I'm sure that easing into the double digits will not be bump-free, I'm confident that this coming year will radiate with as much joy as Erin had when she was flying so freely down the beach. I'm so lucky to be watching her grow!
Erin and her friend Nick on a hike at Acadia. Photo credit to Nick's mother who is a FAR better photographer than I am!
i think that is erin as a baby and what a beautiful little girl!
ReplyDelete