charlotte | real quick.

i don't love the quick trips, but you know what i do love? A SOLAR ECLIPSE. so this weekend was another quick one, even though i didn't have a job to come back for, because the eclipse was happening on monday and nashville fell in the line of totality, while charlotte (sadly) did not.

i got to see both my nephews and the total eclipse, so yes it was worth it to make that long drive for a short weekend one more time.

it was a pretty casual weekend, as luca had a birthday party and jack still naps a lot. and, you know, i was only there for 40-ish hours. we did celebrate my dad's birthday on saturday night, so there was that. but otherwise, lots of hanging out. not lots of photo ops.

my mom recently bought this book, the day the crayons quit, for luca and i was excited to read it to him because i love that book. i made a few comments about that and laughed out loud at some pages as i read. when we were finished, luca said, "let's read it again. i know you really like it."

i questioned him on it. don't you like it? "yes." why aren't you laughing? "because i'm ...normal."

it's what he said, but not exactly what he meant. but, at the same time, entirely appropriate within the context.

oh, okay. i see you.

jack is in a phase where he couldn't be more into the selfie, which is so refreshing because luca is very much not into them.

also refreshing because it meant he sat still for a minute and a half.

on the flip side, luca still reaches for my hand in the car, even if it does throw off his car ride vibe that i sit where his cup holder and water bottle usually sits.

there is nowhere else i'd rather be than sandwiched between these two, holding both their hands.

my dad's birthday was the first big thing i missed after moving to nashville five years ago. as much as i knew life would inevitably look different and take on a new shape when i moved a thousand miles away from home, it was still not an easy adjustment for me. crying about it on facetime with him probably didn't make it any easier for him either.

things have shifted and settled since then and, every year, i feel extra thankful when i get to celebrate with him without a screen between us.

(also extra thankful for that homemade chocolate cake and vanilla icing.)

backseat hangs.

i rounded out this trip by googling rescue bots characters and drawing them on the back of old coloring sheets, at luca's request––and encouragement. i cannot draw well at all, but out of the three people pictured here, who do you think cares about that the most? (hint: it's not the person who asked me to draw them. or jack.) that's what i thought about each time he named another character and i googled it and thought, "i can't draw that."

luca is forever teaching me i can.

which is maybe why jack is so confident that he can do all the things, like walk on his own and take control of the apple tv.