Posts tagged Beach
We only made it to the beach twice while Xander was here for christmas break. He is always so happy when we go. It made me realize that going to the beach with Xander is my favorite thing to do, my favorite place to be. It’s kind of a big deal, actually.
Before Mike moved to Ypsi we took turns visiting each other. When I came to LA we would always visit the beach. I would day dream about the day I got to bring Xander. I wondered if he would love it as much as I do. I would sit with Mike and wonder if I would ever even be able to bring Xander to the beach. I guess the beach became, in some way, the symbol for where I wanted to be, where I wanted Xander to be, where I wanted our lives to go.
Our decision to move to LA was not made lightly. Our move was not without struggle and heart ache. The first time we brought Xander to LA was exciting and stressful for me. There are so many things that I love about where we live and there was a small part of me that feared Xander would hate them…for whatever his reasons.
Xander’s first time at the beach was christmas eve night December 2010. There was a musician playing on the boardwalk, and Xander loved it but was too shy to dance. Once he put his feet in the sand there was no turning back. He loved it. We walked a little way onto the beach but Xander just wanted to run! I remember hanging back, while Mike and Xander ran to the water, and crying. Crying tears of happiness, for once….
The water was cold on our feet but he didn’t care. He was happy, he was joyful and for the first time in a long time I felt like everything was going to be ok. A few days after that we went back during the day so he could play in the sand. Oh boy did he play in the sand! Rolling head over heals, climbing on the rocks, running in the waves.
Xander was 6 when he first came to LA and of course I had seen him happy and excited, but never like this…he was just full of pure joy :)
Now, when I talk about going to the beach he plays off his excitement in typical Xander fashion. But I know it’s his favorite place too. I can tell when we’re driving and he catches the first glimpse of the water. I imagine we have the same expression on our faces.
So, that is why going to the beach with Xander is my favorite thing in the whole world.
The End
(by Erica Hampton)
This is for our families who we missed seeing this x-mas so that Xander, Mike and myself could spend our first x-mas together in California. This two weeks has been full of firsts for Xander; his first time on a plane, his first time in California, his first time to pet a shark, his first time at the ocean and many other adventures. We wish you could see the joy and wonder on Xander’s face the first time he went to the beach. I have to say it was probably the happiest moment of my life to date :) This iPhone pic pretty much sums up his joy, rolling head over heals in the sand and giggling every time the waves touched his legs. Thanks for not disowning us for spending Christmas at the beach ;P Love, Erica, Mike and Xander
284/365 Day Three of only Four…
