5 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack,

A few days into our family’s vacation last week to San Diego to see Uncle Jake get married, we caught up with more of Mommy’s family at a bonfire at the beach. There were some of the family members there who we haven’t seen in years.

One in particular was your cousin Zach. The last time I saw him was when Mommy and I got married back in 2008, which was 2 years before you were born.

He was a teenager the last time I saw him; now he’s in his mid-twenties.

Zach took a special interest in you. You had an agenda to “make a lake” by repeatedly filling up a liter-sized water bottle and taking it near the bonfire where you had dug a hole.

For about an hour and a half, Zach excitedly (and patiently) walked back and forth with you from the beach to the “lake” you were making, knowing full well that the water would never actually fill up; but instead, simply sink into the sand.

However, you were happy because “it made the sand thick enough to make a castle.”

This bonfire family reunion also was a special event for you because got to have s’mores. (We brought our own special vegan marshmallows.)

Your baby sister Holly slept through a good amount of it all. I don’t remember leaving until about 10:30 that night. No one was in a hurry to leave.

It’s a rare thing to be able to hang out on the beach, huddled around a bonfire.

But finally we made our way back to our hotel. Fortunately, because the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander we drove had 7 seats, we were able to take a few family members back to their hotel as well.

I have many more stories to tell you about our trip. Stay tuned for more adventures!

Love,

Daddy