Carolina blues

We woke up this morning in North Carolina after an uneventful flight down yesterday evening. I don't know if it's because she likes flying or because we've done it so much with her, but Elisa really knows the drill at this point which makes short hops a breeze. Before I had my coat off on the plane, she had grabbed the window seat, buckled herself in, and started to take the safety card out of the pocket to look for the baby floating in the water (my personal fave). At Grandma and Grandpa's house she was greeted by a big girl bed--in the form of an air mattress on the floor--which meant she has officially outgrown her pack-n-play adventures. Luckily, the Dora blanket, pillow and pajamas that accompanied it were exciting enough to get her jazzed about sleeping in there and within a few minutes she was down for the count. This morning we puttered around the house playing with every toy in sight before heading to Swansboro for lunch and a bit of a stroll by the water.

This is an area we've come to visit countless times over the years but on a nice sunny day, it feels so welcoming. Like we are embracing spring a few weeks early. Who doesn't want that after a long snowy winter? Elisa ran and ran and ran some more, all over the docks and up and down the sidewalks before settling into lunch at Yana's. A few ice cream floats, burgers and fries later and we were back in the car headed home to nap. And boy did that feel good. The rest of the week should be warmer than New York, so we're hoping to get out and enjoy a little walk on the beach maybe and a few laps around the driveway on her scooter. It's been five months since we've been back to North Carolina after Hurricane Earl interrupted our beach week with Mercedes and Diego last September, and this is our first visit since Stacey and the family moved. Things feel different and yet the same which is exactly how it should be, I suppose. Elisa has asked a few times about Mia and Jordan and when I explained that they are far, far away she kind of squints a look of confusion. Hard to explain, but I know she is missing them too. We all are.