Family Surf Trip - Part IV - The Best

When I was pregnant, I use to lay in bed at night and worry about how we were going to take care of this newcomer in our lives. Not that I ever feared we would be unable to provide the necessities: food, clothing, shelter; I knew we could take care of those. I use to think of all the other stuff: the college fund, the private (fill-in-the-blank) lessons, the mom and tot classes. I was mad at myself for not being more established in my career, for being a new grad, for being unable to buy a home. I wanted to provide Lola with the best start possible and I worried that all these things would set her back.

Whenever I would disclose these irrational thoughts to, well, just about anyone, I always got the same response: Those things don't matter. All she needs is the basics and some love.

With the basics taken care of, it was glaringly obvious on our trip that so was the love component.

Lola has quite the entourage.

Her Uncle Nick can't wait to teach her how to play guitar,


while her Auntie LouLou is counting down the days until we allow her to dye Lola's hair.


Lola pretty much has her Aunt Andy wrapped around her finger (see, she convinced her that they should wear their hoodies the same way),



while her cousin Jacob volunteers to assist on beach binky patrol, and




then her cousin Dani is always wanting to take L on a new adventure.

Her Aunt CheeChoo is always showering her with kisses

and even brought in an additional heart to love our L.

And, of course, we are her biggest fans.

I'm pretty sure Lola is the reason this entire trip even happened. A part of me believes that if it had been just Josh and I who went camping, only a few family members would have showed up. Instead, every one of our siblings attended. This was the first time since our wedding that we had all of our siblings in the same location, at the same time. Not too bad since almost every one lives in a different city. So yes, Lola is most certainly loved.