Friday, 5/29....Beach Day
Again, as with our entire vacation, we awoke this morning to clouds and drizzle. :( Not very conducive to running in the waves and digging in the sand, but did we let that stop us? Nooooo!
We had some breakfast and lounged around while to see what the weather would do. The kids played and Ellie tried to be a big girl in mama's running shoes. (Side note: This was the day that she started with her fever and looking back now at the pictures, I can see that her face looked different to me and that she was starting to look sick, though we didn't know it at the time).
After awhile, we dressed the kids in their swimsuits (and...ahem....tried to get a picture)...
Luke cooperated! :)
We made sure to grab their sweatshirts, hopped in the car and drove the short 5 minutes to the ocean. Luke was sooo excited, he could hardly stand it! We had gone to the beach the evening we had arrived, just to let them wiggle their toes in the sand and whet their appetite for the big beach day, and it had worked wonders! Despite the short car ride, Luke still kept asking "Are we there yet, Mom? Almost there? I see the ocean! Can we get out soon?" It was endearing, though I was thankful the trip was short, 'cause I can see how it would've gotten old pretty quickly! :)
The beach was pretty much deserted, save one or two other crazy souls who, like us, looked to be trying to make the most of it! :) The air was so chilly and the wind swirled around our bodies, carrying with it a salty drizzle that I will admit dampened my spirits just a smidge. But, no sooner did Luke's toes hit the sand, and he was off and running! Ellie took a little longer to warm up to the idea, but after a little shell-searching at my hip, she was willing to try out the feeling of sand between her toes too!
The tide was low and we hung out near the rocks for awhile, exploring the millions of barnacles and sea life clinging to them. We saw several sea stars in an array of reds, purples and oranges; a handful of urchins and a few crabs! Luke chased the waves in and out and, despite my urgings not to get too wet, found himself quickly drenched! :) Oh well! The water actually felt warmer than the air did, so being wet didn't seem all that terrible at that point!
We headed back to our little spot for some sand and water play next.
Don't you just love those pigtails?! Man, she's cute!!!
Luke was having a BLAST! He ran in and out of the waves...peeling off wet layers of clothing one by one until he was just in his t-shirt and board shorts. He was covered in sand and surf and he delighted in it! The cold didn't bother him! He was in 4-year-old heaven! :) Ellie, on the other hand, was much more timid when it came to the water. Unlike her previous visits to the beach, she was afraid and tearful (surprise, surprise!) when the waves approached her. But on a few occasions, she let her guard down and ventured a little farther out. Unfortunately, it was then that, with a camera in hand, I was unable to grab her when a small wave threatened her legs. It swirled around her ankles, bringing a shocked look to her face and, once it began to recede, made her loose her balance. Before I could catch her, she fell backwards into the water! Oops! Water drenched her up to the waist and the tears began flowin'! I felt terrible and she was NOT happy! Off we went to the car to dry off a little.
She recovered her confidence a short while later and again followed me into the water. This time I had the video camera in hand (which I soon came to regret!) and, having not learned my lesson previously, allowed the same thing to happen again! :( Only this time, it wasn't just her little bum and legs that got wet....it was ALL of her...head to toe! What an awful mama I am! Ty scolded me, between our giggles and Ellie's wailing! Seriously...it was a stupid mistake on my part...I was just too wrapped up in capturing the moment on film! So off we trapsed, BACK to the car, to peel off the last of her soaked bathing suit and to dry her sand-filled, VERY COLD little body! Poor child! Ellie didn't venture back near the surf again that day. :(
But Luke did! He and I played more than a few games of chase in and out of the water, and he exhausted himself chasing after all the seagulls and roaring at them like a lion! :) Good times! Good memories! I do have video of it all.... :) but my man is at the desktop as I type and I am not able to upload them for your viewing pleasure. Maybe tomorrow. :)
After all the excitement at the beach, we grabbed some food, headed back to the condo for naps (and a load of laundry to get rid of all those sandy clothes!) and hit the pool in the late afternoon. It was really my only opportunity during the whole trip to have Ellie Belle wear my favorite bikini that I bought her.....so naturally, I had to take a photo!
:)
The day wound down after that. The kids were tired and went off to bed early, I believe. But that was the night that poor Belle came down with that terrible fever and was up with us, eating popsicles and drinking gatorade long about 10pm. We were up again with her at 3am, with her fever obviously spiking. :( Ty got sent out then for Motrin and a thermometer, (in the rain no less...poor guy!), and we spent the rest of the wee hours of the morning with her sleeping between us. I guess if we were looking at the bright side of it all, it gave me LOTS of time to snuggle and cuddle her, which seems rare these days.
Before we knew it, it was day 3. And that, my friends, is a post for another day!
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