ethan goes to the everglades

59th Street Bridge Song - Harper's Bizarre

Just one of the (many) perks of living in South Florida would be our easy access to the Everglades. Ever since I was little, my dad would take me on drives out to the Everglades to watch the animals and bond with nature. We'd read My Big Backyard or Ranger Rick magazines and then go see how many species of plants, birds and animals we could recognize. This was a tradition that never ended, only evolved a bit. These days, my dad and I grab Starbucks in the early morning and then go for a drive through the Everglades and see what creatures we can see as the animals begin their day.

Although he's still too little to be exposed to crowds and venture into Starbucks just yet, we took him on his first drive through the Everglades this morning. It was a perfect, breezy 74 degrees so we were able to get out of the car, breathe in the fresh air and let Ethan enjoy nature. While I know he'll appreciate the turkey buzzards, alligators and the all-around complacency of nature much more when he's a bit older, it was still a memorable outing and one to be written down in his baby book. I've been admittedly (extremely) eager to bring Ethan in on this tradition since the moment I found out I was pregnant. There's no feeling more special than watching your child share your most beloved childhood memories as their own, especially when it means seeing my own parents as grandparents. I know it's only a matter of time before he's begging his grandpa to make one more lap around the gravel roads so he can count the gators in the brush or surprising us all with his knowledge of herons and waterbirds.

Here's to making memories on wonderful and relaxing lazy Sundays!