How could it be that our sweet baby has quietly slept away her newborn days? Tucked in her bassinet, swinging to the soft tunes of a lullaby, or gently being passed from hand to hand, her little legs have grown long. And behind those closed eyes she has learned to smile, coo and connect with our admiring gaze. 
For the past three years, Sophia and her life jacket have splashed in each pool of water, hand in hand, an inseparable pair. "Take the jacket off and swim a little," I would cajole. "No Way!" was her reply. After a full summer and a half of prodding our little fishie out of her floatation device, I simply became accustomed to seeing her bopping around with her jacket zipped up tight. Multiple sessions of swim lessons were in our future, I was sure, with me doling out registration fees and Sophia blowing one bubble after another. But everything changed yesterday when Sophia slipped into the Gorman's pool. Of course she had her trusty life jacket on but suddenly she switched from vertical bopping to horizontal flapping, face in the water and all. "Take off your jacket" we all persuaded. With the life saving device behind her, she took a deep breath, plugged her nose with her little fingers, and shimmied her way across the pool! Our little fishie sprouted fins and away she went from one side of the pool to the other, back and forth, until the rafts and swim toys had been piled up high and the towels were hanging to dry. We pulled proud Sophie out, promised to call the grandmas and of course to bring her back to her favorite swimming pool. 
This summer we have committed ourselves to see each nook and cranny of New England that we have yet to explore. This past Saturday we made our way up to Cape Ann. Our first stop was Manchester by the Sea. Each time I drive past this tiny fishing village, I want to pull off the freeway. There is something about it's name that lures you down it's winding roads, lined with quaint shops and historical buildings, to it's harbor, which is one of the most picturesque in New England. I read about an arts festival taking place in the town center on Saturday, so I suddenly had every reason to see this charming inlet. We spent our time meandering through the artist tents admiring the handmade jewelry, pottery and canvases. We stopped to listen to the band play a mixture of jazz, disco and country numbers. Annelise and Sophia had their faces painted and we found yet another incredible local homemade ice cream stand.
So what do you do when you share your seventh birthday with your grandpa and grandma's viewings, funerals and burials? For Annelise, her birthday was not quite what she had in mind, but she was a great sport and made the most of her big day. Steve and I awoke early and snuck out the door alone with Annelise for a birthday breakfast at the Blue Plate Diner in Sugarhouse. Over omelets and waffles we spent our time together discussing the perfect way to do a cartwheel, the first grade social network, and which AG doll was most fun to play with. 
