We spent the latter part of last week and part of this weekend at Wild Dunes on the Isle of Palms, South Carolina. We had a great little mini-vacation and enjoyed just being out of town. The weather on the coast was perfect. The sun was shining, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the temperatures were in the mid to low 80s with a strong breeze. I think this is the perfect time of year to go every year before our boys start school. I hated to come home.
Hudson, especially, loved the “peach” and couldn’t get enough of the waves, the ocean or the sand. He enjoyed making sand castles with his Daddy and jumping in the waves while his Daddy held on tight to him. And when he got tired, he sucked his thumb that was covered in sand. And he never complained. Ick.
As we’d walk out to the beach with Hudson, he’d ask us both to hold one of his hands. I had Hayes in the Baby Bjorn and I was holding Hudson’s hand as we walked down the boardwalk to the beach. TC had Hudson’s other hand. He knew not to go into the ocean without us. He knew not to walk twenty feet away without us. And if he wanted to go to the ocean, he’d ask, “hold my hand?”
He had to sleep in a new room in our condo. The room had two twin beds. We put one of the twin mattresses on the floor next to the bed he was sleeping in. We had originally put it there in case he rolled off the bed, he’d have a soft landing spot. But I ended up lying in there with him every night to read him his stories before he fell asleep. And I would stay in there with him until he fell asleep so he wouldn’t get scared in a new place. He’d kind of whimper when I’d turn out the light and I reminded him I wasn’t leaving. And he’d say, “Mommy, hold my hand?”
So I held his hand until he drifted off.
That sweet little hand. It’s a dirty little hand full of toddler germs. But it’s soft and squishy and his little touch is full of love.
The day will come when we go to the beach and he just bounds into the waves without looking back. He’ll stop needing us to tuck him in for bed. He’ll go to kindergarten. He’ll drive himself to school. He’ll go on his first date. And he’ll leave us for college.
And with each new major milestone, we’ll have to let go a little bit more and just know that there’s only so much we can do to protect him.
But to have a sweet son who, right now, doesn’t want to walk anywhere without holding one of our hands, is fine by me. These sweet little times are fleeting. There will be bumps, bruises and scabby knees. There will be broken hearts. There will be failed exams and disappointment. He may not make the football, baseball or basketball team. He is a little fish in a big pond.
One of the afternoons we were there, while the boys were napping, I went down to the beach by myself with my book. I sat there for a while just thinking. There’s nothing quite like a trip to the beach to get a good reality check of how small we actually are. You think about the bajillion grains of sand and just how much water separates us from the next continent. And how many people on that continent are looking at the same ocean. It’s truly remarkable how God created this perfect Earth for us to enjoy while we’re here.
But what I’ve always found amazing is that even though there are so many of us here on this Earth, God loves us all just as much as I love Hudson and Hayes. To God, my sweet Hudson is a big fish in a big pond. We all are.
beautiful post, erin.
Such a sweet post! You often say some of the exact things I’m thinking about my kids! 🙂 I enjoyed the pics too! Hudson is such a cutie pie! Both of your babies are adorable.
This is just lovely! What a perfect reminder of God’s love on this Monday morning. Thanks!!
Wonderful post! I love your perspective one the beach and the boys growing up! Since I actually LIVE at the beach, my perspective on going is a bit different – loading up the car, carrying huge loads of stuff, and then staying for only a few hours before someone gets tired or starts throwing sand! I hope I can see it from your perspective on my next visit!
Connor now holds out his hand to go down the stairs standing up. Each time it melts my heart!
So sweet and so true! We are blessed beyond measure with these sweet squishy boys!
What a wonderful vacation, Erin! I am glad you had an opportunity to take some time off with your family. I wish my vacation with my 15 month old went as smoothly – let’s just say it was more work than fun 🙂 Perhaps when she is a little older – Hudson’s age seems like a good one for vacations.
Perfectly worded!
What a great post! It is hard to imagine that we each fill God’s heart with the love that fills MY heart each time I think of each of my three kids — it is such a powerful love — but, yet, it is TRUE!
You made me smile! No matter how difficult the days can be, holding our sweet little ones hands melts all the frustrations away.
I was just telling my husband last night how much my sweet daughter has changed my perspective on EVERYTHING. It’s amazing.
Aw what a beautiful post! And the pictures are adorable
I love this!
Love this reminder, as always!! Chills…
We vacationed in that same spot last summer and LOVED it, BTW. It is pretty much PERFECT. Glad you enjoyed.
Such a sweet post. So glad to hear you and your family had a great time at IOP. We certainly enjoyed it when we were there at the end of July. It has to be my favorite beach so far. Next summer we’ll be taking our baby boy out there and even though he’ll only be 8 months old, I’m already excited for his first beach trip.
This was so sweet Erin! i totally started crying 🙂 I have a 15 month old little boy and he is completely obsessed with holding our hands when he wants to do anything. And, it can honestly get a little annoying when we don’t necessarily WANT to get up and walk all over with him, but I always remind myself that it is SO sweet that he wants nothing more than to hold our hand while we walk around the backyard. For the 50000th time 🙂
What a sweet post! H & H are so lucky to have such a beautiful, sentimental mommy!
Such a sweet post. And such a sweet little boy! I’m so anxious for our little one to arrive, but I also know how fast they grow up!
I was just telling H last night that I don’t let an opportunity pass when D asks me to hold his hand. 🙂 I love it and know there will come a day when he will stop asking “Mommy, hold your hand?” we are blessed with the sweetness of boys, my friend!
so sweet!! i wish libbi would hold my hand – ha! i have to practically break her wrist just to get a grip on her when we’re in the street or walking across a parking lot, etc. that girl is some kind of independent. she constantly says, “no hand, momma! i hold ‘bibbi’s’ hand” (as she clasps her own hand…) sweet hudson. glad y’all enjoyed your vacay. i can’t wait for ours next week!!!
beautiful beautiful words. i have a 1 year old, and one on the way, and was just lying in bed this morning thinking about how fast it’s going, how i want to hold on to her and slow it down.
Sweet, sweet post Erin. Enjoy holding their hands as often as you can! I was at the beach with Baby Girl this summer (she is a new freshman at USC!) and just grabbed her sweet hand while we were walking into the ocean. She let me hold on because she knew that I needed that touch of having my “baby” just one more time.
You are such a gifted writer. I love reading your posts, even though I’m much older than you. It just brings back wonderful memories of my boys when they were toddlers.
What a precious, touching, and so-true post! Thank you for this wonderful perspective as we tackle a new week! 🙂
Such a beautiful post, Erin. Brought the sweetest of tears to my eyes. Savor each precious moment with those precious babies.
What a sweet post. It definitely made me teary-eyed.
I’m sitting here sobbing. Erin…you have such a way with words when you speak of your children. Only a mother knows what this feeling is like, and I pray everyone woman gets the chance to experience motherhood. xo
I just got all teared up reading this. Your sweet heart, and your sweet soul as a wonderful Mama is beautiful!! Your boys are lucky ones! Glad you enjoyed your vacation!
Baby Charlie has a book called “Momma will you hold my hand”
Such a wonderful message Erin! It made me tear up a little bit, and I completely agree about the feeling of just relaxing and looking out into the ocean and having that time to think and reflect. Thanks so much for an incredible reminder of His enormous love for us. Have a great week!
Such a sweet post…I’m not a mom yet, but this post makes me want to be one! Your family is adorable and I’m a big fan of your blog 🙂