Soon, it was time to hit the road. Mommy took our hands in hers and led us through the streets of the city. She stopped at each corner, holding us back until she was sure that it was safe to cross. I love how she does this. I love how all of our fingers end up wrapped around one of hers. I love watching her wave her hand behind her back, almost thoughtlessly, searching for our grasp whenever we head back out after stopping somewhere. I also loved that she took possession of our wallets and swiped our cards for us at the subway turnstiles and at the various establishments that we visited. There are so many little details like this that add up to something very special.
We wandered around Chinatown for a bit stopping for a bite to eat, and then took the water taxi across town to pick up some of Mommy's art. The man at the ticket counter for the ferry was very interested in Mommy and us babies. Mommy showed off a bit by giving Lettice a drink from her bottle. It's always entertaining to watch people's reactions to us. They vary from disgust and confusion to joy and longing. The boat ride was so amazing. The city was beautiful. I could see the Statue of Liberty on one side and the Empire State Building on the other. The bridge that we went under was gorgeous. It felt great to just enjoy the moment, in no rush to be anywhere, watching the sun set, and feeling the breeze against my skin.
The next morning, Mommy decided to make breakfast again. She was missing some supplies though so Lettice and I ran out to get them. We ended up having to make 3 trips! It started to feel like a slapstick comedy skit after a while, in and out the door, tripping over things to get kisses from Mommy. It was entertaining. On my last trip out, Johnny asked for a juice so I got him a Naked. He exclaimed that it reminded him of the 90's. I don't interact with him much so I was really excited to be able to bring a smile to his face. He joined us for breakfast, which was delicious, as always....organic eggs, tomatoes from the garden, thick-cut Boar's Head bacon, and pesto. Yum!
After breakfast, Mommy and Lettice started to get things ready to go to the beach while I washed the dishes. I watched the bustle and smiled, loving the feeling of being part of the family. I love the comfort of knowing a home....knowing where the cups are, knowing whether the cat is allowed in or out, being a part of keeping things running, and just the overall feeling of familiarity that builds the more time you spend somewhere.
The trip to the beach felt long but it was enjoyable. On our way out, a neighbor stopped us to give us some fresh champagne grapes from his garden. They were delicious! Lettice and I poked fun at each other and quietly giggled about silly things. Every now and then, Mommy would ask what it was about and we'd just laugh. It was fun to play with my sister in this way.
Once we got to the beach, we set up our sun shade, enjoyed some sandwiches, some beer, and some "Mommy drinks" before heading into the water. I seriously love being at the beach. It's sooooo relaxing and refreshing. Eventually, Lettice and I went to fly the stunt kite. Lettice taught me how to do it, step by step. She's a super great teacher. She held my hands at first to guide the kite until I got the hang of it. It was a blast. When we got back, Mommy was heading into the water so we ran in after her. Then she introduced us to her little moth friend who came to visit while we were gone.
When it was time to leave, Mommy pulled our swim suits off and put diapers on us, right there on the beach. We definitely got some strange looks but I think it's mostly because we chose to go topless for a while. At one point, Mommy decided that Lettice needed her paci in her mouth. Eventually, the paci ended up in my mouth. I was really embarrassed about it so I tried to put it back in Lettice's mouth.....which was not the right answer. Mommy put it right back in my mouth and told me to keep it there. I'm not sure what it was exactly but I found this to be really exciting.
The ride home from the beach was pretty awesome. Mommy and I were feeling super connected so there was lots of kissing. There was also a lot of giggling because Mommy had decided to wear a pull up. She wet it but didn't quite realize what it would be like to use it and wear it for an extended period. There was a lot of commentary and questions about the ordeal, which I found to be quite amusing in a giggly "little" sort of way. When we got home, Mommy helped Lettice and I shower and then it was time for snuggling on the couch while watching Totoro. This didn't last long though because we were exhausted so we cut the movie short and headed to bed. Mommy put us into the crib and kissed us goodnight and then headed home.
The next morning, Lettice went to school (aka work) and I met up with Mommy at a local diner for breakfast. Mommy ordered for me and we chatted....and chatted and chatted and chatted. It was great. I spilled my drink, in true "little" form, so Mommy had me use both hands for the rest of breakfast. After a while, we headed out and stopped at a nearby thrift shop where we browsed and tried things on for the next hour or two. I loved shopping with Mommy. It was a lot of fun. Eventually, it was time to go. It was really hard to leave. It seems to get harder and harder each time. I know we'll see each other again soon though.
