One of the moments both my ten year old and I were looking forward to on our very first cruise was our formal dinner.
I’m either wearing workout clothes or business attire for work, and Quinn mainly wears casual and fun “tween” clothes, so this was a wonderful opportunity for us to both step out in high fashion!
Alas, the day’s arrived! My ten year old and I are going on our very first cruise! We’ve boarded the ship and are excited for our destinations on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas!
Quinn was so excited to attend her first Phillies game, tickets courtesy of my friend & trainer, Joe and his family! Thanks so much! ☺️What a wonderful way to not only have fun with family and friends but to celebrate the Spartan Race triumph together. Citizens Bank Park is where it all started with my first Spartan Race. 🤗🙌🏽⚾️
As we age, our firsts become few and far between. This certainly is the case in watching my ten year old daughter grow up. Today, Quinn not only experienced her first time playing miniature golf but her first time getting a hole in one.
I’m so glad that I caught her in action because the look of excitement on her face was reminiscent of how excited I was when she walked or talked for the first time.
With the 18 holes, I was barely on par and did get a little frustrated with myself and the ball at times, but none of that mattered because I witnessed the joy Quinn felt and had a great time with my family.
I used to love getting on rides, but since having my daughter, my tummy gets funny. 🥴🤢😩. Thank goodness for her dad who willingly gets on those daredevil rides. 🤗🙌🏽
“She looks. Just like Princess Ariel,” a girl wearing her Little Mermaid floaty came up to me me. To my amazement, she was talking about my daughter Quinn. In that moment, it occurred to me that she did favor the Little Mermaid” played by Halle Bailey quite a bit.
Unfortunately, even in 2023, there are some people who believe that the Little Mermaid shouldn’t have been played by an African American. So when this little girl, who was Caucasian, was absolutely in awe of Quinn and wanted to follow her around the pool and just be her friend, I thought it was the absolute best!
Their interaction together makes me feel like despite some prejudice and close-minded views, we are headed in the right direction.
We arrived about a half hour early for our Father’s Day reservation, and I anticipated having to wait a little while to be seated. But that wasn’t the case at all. A gentleman ahead of of didn’t even have reservations and was given the option of indoor or outdoor seating because there was plenty of seating available. This is the complete opposite of Mother’s Day where reservations must be done at least two months in advance, and if you arrive without one, the host just might laugh you out of the restaurant.
This instance reminds me of how much of a rare gem my husband is to me and our daughter. Though he’s not much of a picture taker and isn’t on social media, I’m grateful for his presence and happy that I’m not taking these “baby steps” as a parent alone, as many mothers sadly do.
Happy Father’s Day to all of the fathers, fathers-to-be, like a father, uncles, pop-pops, etc. This is your special day!
Straight A’s 🤗 academic achievement award, Myers Student News Network, Girls Who Code, Cheer Club and Violin recognition on top of having a wonderful experience with some amazing teachers and friends! I’m so proud of Quinn and blessed to be her mom. Let’s get this fun-filled summer break started! definitely earned it! 🎉👩🏽🎓
Today not only marks the last day of fourth grade for my daughter but the last day of her time at Myers elementary. It seems like yesterday when Quinn entered kindergarten. She was so excited and ready!
Now, five years later, she’s closing a chapter and eager to start a new one. While I’m certainly excited for Quinn, I’m a little nervous too. Time is flying by so quickly, but I’m so happy that I’ve been chronicling these moments and can hold them near and near to my heart. Next stop, fifth grade!
It’s hard to believe that my daughter is ten, let alone that she formed a friendship as a baby and had the opportunity to celebrate her friend’s tenth birthday party today.
Ten Years of Friendship
Of course, Quinn’s bond with Arya was formed as a result of the friendship I formed a few years prior, but I’m so glad they (along with Arya’s younger sisters) all enjoy each other.
Though we live in different towns, watching the both of them grow up into beautiful, bright young ladies makes me so proud. Before we know it, they’ll officially be teens. 😅