Michigan 2010 by Grandma Patty

Dear Zoe,

Paradise isn’t just a beautiful village in the upper peninsula of Northern Michigan; it’s four weeks of the summer with you Zoe B and all those you love. Nirvana would be 8 weeks, but you don’t have to think about that because you are always in that sweet place.



Zoe, you are so good and sweet at being 2 1/2 years old. You seem much older than that. What an aura of contentment you have. That means you seem to be happy and at ease most all the time. To wake up and laugh first thing in the morning, Zoe you make my heart sing. I can imagine waking up every morning and hearing your voice; it would be the best way to start my day. It’s not just a doting Grandma speaking; it is beauty, warmth, fun and laughter. It makes my home have a special sheen, kind of like when a baby is born in your bedroom. Do you remember Chelsea when Jessie was born? It was golden light.

Sam and Tansy, the furry friends who live here, were your delight as you meandered out to the kitchen. They were happy to wait as you filled their bowls and laughed and admired them twirling around your legs. I suspect Sam’s recent lack of enthusiasm for his same-old-kibble may be related to your absence. But I really think he misses how much you threw the ball for him. I miss your help with him too. He NEVER wants to stop playing ball.



One of the true gifts of getting older is how much I appreciate the things that I love; being with my babies is what I love. So you non-sentimental folks, just switch to youtube and be done with me.
Going to the beach is what we do in Michigan in the summer. The waves are as big as an ocean; the water isn’t salty and this year the great lakes are warmer than ever. The water is clear and the bottom isn’t mucky or rocky. The beach is wide and the sand is close to white and pretty fine. We hang there and build castles, run in the streams formed by odd wind changes eat, drink, swim, bury ourselves and pretend we’re whatever we want to be. Mostly we are in love with life. Chelsea reminds me that I’m never allowed to leave northern Michigan; she rails about the weather in Kansas and generally remembers why she loved growing up in northern Michigan.

This year you had not one, but two tubing adventures on the Platte River. Zoe, you are now a solo tuber. Your momma thought for sure that you’d want to share a tube with her on your first cruise down the river; but no, she wound up swimming or walking so you could have it to yourself. You even had a little snooze in your tube at the end of the trip. Way to recreate Zoe. On the second trip you were a regular tube master. Ten of us on the river: Colin, Jess, Aaron, Michael, Brian, Kieran, Eileen momma and me. You are now an experienced squirt gunner as well. Girl you amaze me. That would have been the ultimate perfect summer day if the 50 million flies hadn’t waited for us at the mouth of Lake Michigan. But we made it to the cars and saved the day!


It was really great to have Josie and Jack for two weeks of the time you were in Michigan. Remember how much fun you three had running on the trampoline at Torch Lake. I have such great pictures of that day. Who cares if it rains, right? You are very fortunate to have such a great brother and sister.



Zoe B what a great sail we had on Phil’s boat this summer. You were so brave to jump into your momma’s ever loving arms into the deep water. Life jacket required of course. Aunt Jess twirled you around in the water for your usual best friend good time. Poor J.J. was broken heart-hearted to leave you again.





I was saved from heart-sickness by the fact that I’m going to see you again this month in Chicago. And I can’t wait!

You surprised me with how often you seem to be thinking about what is going on around you and then talking about it. One day you said, “ Remember grandma when I didn’t want to hold your hand in the parking lot and I cried and cried. And then we saw that pig walking down the street and we laughed and laughed.” I can’t imagine forgetting that. Nobody’s that smart at 2 ½.

Your little green swing on my deck is really empty without you Zoe. Oh how I love to push you up in the swing, up in the sky so blue. I do think it is the pleasantest thing ever a grandma can do.

I don’t think we blew enough bubbles, did we? I’m sure we didn’t eat near enough ice cream. And I’ll always read you one more book. So I’m bringing some with me and we’ll head out for vanilla with sprinkles. See you soon my sweetest angel.

I Love you. Grandma Patty

September 2010

Dear Zoe B,

I know I have been completely negligent about updating this website. Your Grandpa David is about to ex-communicate me from the family. He's one of your absolute biggest fans, Zoe B, and that makes you a very lucky girl. It's just so much happens and the longer I go, well you know...the harder it gets to keep things updated.

We had a GREAT summer. Michigan was perfect and you absolutely loved being at your Grandma Patty's house for a whole month. Dogs and cats and beaches and boats and tubing and ice cream almost every single day.

Your Grandma's going to write a letter for you about your trip, so I won't say anything more about your awesome Michigan summer.


Let's talk about what a big girl you are, shall we?

"My birthday is on Becember 6th and I'm going to turn into three."

THREE?



You are very into playing with your doctor kit lately. You actually didn't even have one, but your Grandpa Russell and Grandma Jackie took you on a date to the mall and one of the things you came home with was a Dora Goes to the Doctor book (you also came home with the most fabulous stuffed Owl named Miss Hoots who is very well accessorized indeed). After reading this book 100 times, you started walking around banging the hell out of everyone's knees with your version of a reflex hammer which happened to be a wooden toy hammer.

So - off your Dad went to Target to get you a Dr. kit with a hammer that might leave all of our knees in better shape. We play A LOT of doctor around here. Someone always needs a shot or has a broken arm. You're still a little rough with the hammer, but you'll learn.

You have gotten kind of hard to photograph - well, photograph well I should say. You put on this ridiculous smile that is such a far cry from your real smile that I can't even take the picture without laughing.

I'm going to make that a goal this fall - to get out the good camera and try and get some good shots of you. It's good to have goals, even if you never meet them. http://m.npr.org/story/129528196

I love you, my sweet angel baby.

Mama