Dear Elle,

19. The Beach House Part 1.

Elle POV

'Do you really think this is a good idea?', I asked as I bounced Nate on my hip. We were on the front porch, watching Noah try to pack practically our whole house into our car. It had been a game of Tetris for the last hour as the stroller, bags, toys, tent and everything else that Nate could possibly need was taken in and out of the car.

Noah's swearing was growing louder and louder as the clock ticked on. We were supposed to have been on the road two hours ago, but I guess with a baby you are never on time for anything?

Nate had changed so very much in the last couple of months and he had lost that newborn stage. I was a little devastated but loved to watch as his personality began to shine through. Noah had gone back to work and for a while it was hard to adjust to the new routine and only have one pair of hands. It took me a while to have the courage to venture out of the house by myself with Nate, but eventually I found my feet and I revelled in the moments where it was just to the two of us.

It definitely had it's days and there would be days where Noah would come home to a clean house, dinner on the table, a sleeping baby and a wife who had managed to take a quick shower and change. But there were other days where he would come home and find me in my pyjamas, with red bloodshot eyes after the day from hell and a baby that just wouldn't settle. Those were the days that were hard, but once Nate was down for the night I just focused on the prospect of tomorrow was a new day.

It had been Noah who had suggested a trip to the beach house. I think he realised that maybe a break would do us all some good and it was time to introduce Nate to a place we loved. The weather was just starting to heat up and wasn't too sweltering, so we thought that now would be the best time to go especially since Nate was a little bit older. He was a water baby, so hopefully he would love the beach just as much as we did.

With a final curse, Noah slammed the trunk of the car shut and clapped his hands together. 'All set!'

I tried not to laugh as I took in his sweaty figure and the proud expression on his face. 'Not one word, Elle'.

I held up my free hand as an offering of peace, 'I didn't say anything', I stated as I watched him walk over to me. Nate giggled as Noah placed a quick kiss on my cheek. 'Hopefully Mum and Dad can take him for the night, so WE can finally have a night to ourselves'

'Mmmmm', I sighed as he led me back into the house, taking Nate from me. My mind flashed back to the first summer that Noah and I were together and we stayed at the house. I don't think we slept at all – we caught ever sunrise and sunset. I smiled at the thought.

How things had changed.

The trunk was packed but there were still things that needed to be put in the car and Nate needed to be changed, fed and changed again before we even thought about putting him in the car.

I could hear Nate giggling as Noah lifted him over his head 'Beach time! Beach time! Beach time!'

We would get there eventually.

***

I don't know what we did, but Nate had been a dream the entire car ride. We decided to leave around naptime and he managed to fall asleep with little fuss, so Noah and I didn't chance it. We stopped for drive by coffee and then continued on, arriving at the beach house around dinnertime.

June and Mathew were already there and Lee and Rachel were planning on arriving over the weekend. Marco and Chloe were also planning on doing a day trip up over the weekend, as the weather was looking good. It was going to be so good to see everyone, it had been a while!