Memphis in May

Oh, heyyyy, blog. I missed you. Here’s what we’ve been up to. (Besides ending sentences with prepositions, ahhhhh!) An addendum: this post was originally going to be about the whole summer, but then I went a little crazy with the pictures, soooo…a bunch of separate posts there shall be. We happened to be in Memphis in May, but it’s also the name of one of the biggest events of the year, a cultural festival featuring a barbecue cooking contest and a music festival on the river (which was, of course, the highlight of my teenage existence). It’s a good time to visit!

I spent two and a half weeks at home in Memphis with Micah while Eric ping-ponged his way across the eastern seaboard for work, ending with a big family reunion (Eric included!) for my dad’s 60th birthday. Since I flew by myself with Micah, I totally got him a backpack with a little leash (lifesaver!) and baby headphones so he could watch Thomas the Tank Engine on the plane. Eh, he wasn’t really into it, but mommy tried!

My sweet dad picked us up and whisked us away to see…

Mimi and Miss Lily! Look at those precious babies. Micah and Lily are exactly six months apart, and they remind me so much of my brother and I–we are thirteen months apart, and our hair was (respectively) the same baby shades of blonde and golden. This picture could almost have been taken thirty-some years ago.

Here we are, my brother and I, for reference. I am not sure there has ever been a more natural mother than my mom. She is so endlessly loving and patient with little ones (and grown ones!), and she makes it look like so much fun. My deepest memory of this trip is this one: being completely bowled over by the hurricane of kindness and love that is my mother, hoping that someday I may turn out to be even half the mother that she is and has always been.

Sweet Mimi with Micah at the children’s museum.

I already fear the number of pictures this post will heft, but…look how sweet! My parents are just about the most fun people I know to hang out with, and I always love going home to see them. Also, they know how to party. In the summer, that equals a lot of delicious microbrew beer. Ahh, the taste of summer! (No beer for babies, ha, only for mommy and her compatriots).

I love my mom! I do not love it, however, when I buy red lipstick, and it turns out pink like this. Can somebody tell me where to get REAL red lipstick?!

Lunch with my Besfrinn and her baby (sob, big girl).

My loves at Hog & Hominy. So many new places to try! It’s a singular pleasure to see the city where you grew up experience such a beautiful renaissance. I am deeply grateful to every person who has worked so hard to bring new life and new opportunities to our community.

Uh, yes, I *did* just dump out this huge bag of goldfish. Is that a problem, mom?

Pecan pie for daddy’s 60th! A sweeter man has never lived. It was so special to be there for his birthday.

We call this Micah’s grandaddy outfit, so, of course, we had to get a picture of them twinning!

We met Emily and her family for Family Day at the Dixon Gardens, and I had completely forgotten how gorgeous it is there. Look at my baby in all that green.

Hard at work in the backyard! It appears that there has been a small vehicular mishap.

Memphis Made! I would go there every day if I could.

The cutest.

The world’s most optimal dump truck conditions!

Ahhhhhhhh, what is this oasis?! My parent’s condo, where Eric and I spent a night away from our little tiger. My parents are the bessssssst.

It was so good to catch up after Eric had been away for a week. And it was good to sleep in too! We got caught in a crazy downpour on the way to dinner and then struck out at about four restaurants before landing somewhere a bit lackluster, but at least there was beer! Hammer & Ale saved the day. I do forget this sometimes, since there is not a ton of opportunity for deep conversation in a toddler-parenting life, but talking to Eric is one of my favorite things in the world. Always such a treat.

This is my kind of place! City and State on Broad. The bike trail runs right past it, and it was fun to watch people trek in for breakfast in their helmets. If I had biked all the way down there, I would have eaten everything in the pastry case, but these people mysteriously showed some restraint.

The weekend brought more family and fun. And adorable babies in swimsuits. Trucks can go in the pool, right?

And then this happened on the way home. Ha! Still well worth it, even with a three-hour flight delay!