The end of summer always brings with it a sense of melancholy but this year i find myself welcoming the end of the blistering heat and all of the domestic strife my family has been suffering these past few months. As the heat fades and the tide comes in , it seems that life is settling into a more comfortable place lately.

My step-daughter continues to heal and my son continues to grow. Colin just turned 17 months and is FINALLY a true toddler - walking AND talking his way through his little life like a miniature Frankenstein . He even has the growl down- rrrrowwrrr ( this he learned while reading Animalia by Graeme Base . You know , "lazy lions lounging in the library" ? He is busy destroying our house, the village is next.

He loved the beach this year . No more fear of the ocean - just a good , healthy respect. He ran right toward the waves holding our hands like a baby sea turtle trying to return from whence he came.

My favorite moments are of him playing in the surf while the gentle tide formed pools at the edge- just the right size for Bug to explore and wade in safely on his own. He played unencumbered by any sense of time and watching him was like a meditation for me.
It was something my battered heart needed badly.

My husband calls him our 'little band-aid ' because he has such a comforting and healing effect on us . Life can be so difficult at times but these sweet little babies keep us afloat , don't they ? Yes, they are exhausting and SO much work but it is a trade-off for moments like this . Just look at him , so at peace , so happy in the world. In his own skin.

If only we could go there more often , too.