We had lots of fun with some of the cousins (who are getting SO big!)
And smiles reached from ear to ear...
Ava spent some time with Grama (who looks SOooo good!)
I was not at ALL intimidated (sporting my preggo body) by Shaun's gorgeous sister (who's stomach incidentally looks like it couldn't possibly have held babies) ...nope! Not. intimidated. one. bit.
The ocean beckoned to the young ones who bonded through the crashing waves...
(SO glad I brought my camera)
Because I LOVE This picture!
After a hug from Mom the (second) youngest headed out adventurously...
Wheeeeee!
The beach rats strolled the grounds showing that everyone in New England seems to
"Run on Dunkin"...
Shaun had some time to rest in the sun...
I tried to get some food into the babe...
Who kept eying the waves...
After "Embracing the Camera" we headed out...
This kid had NO fear of the waves...
Lemme at em'
Oooh That was a big one!
That's ok... concentrate... hmmmmm
Lets go deeper Mom...
I am QUEEN of the beach!
C'mon Mom.. .I don't have time for pictures... Let's get OUT there!
Ack... if I could just walk by myself... (soon enough)
She's one brave little soul in all those waves! Shaun and I swam with her out where the waves crashed my shoulders and she was more courageous than anyone could have expected. Eventually we headed in to dry off and get a bite to eat.
I tucked the camera away for the rest of our time there and instead of capturing others memories, I sat building sandcastles with my daughter who will be turning 11 MONTHS tomorrow! I loved watching her utterly covered in sand and tearing each one apart with more concentration than I put into building them for her. She stood and danced with stones in her hands squealing and telling stories in her baby talk with great enthusiasm. The waves would sometimes come up to where we played and make pools of water for her to sit and splash in. I watched her and fell more in love with her than ever.
We sat with her cousin Hillary who shared her excitement about starting Kindergarten for the first time! She told me all about the finger paints she got to buy with her Mom and her new lunchbox (tweety bird) and backpack and water bottle and how delighted she was.
She talked about how she wanted to hula hoop for the talent show she was going to try out for but she would probably do gymnastics instead because she could do a front handspring and cartwheel straighter than a skipping rock ...and did I want to see? And she did one right there. And she's right. She can do one awesome cartwheel!
Ahhh... the ocean... how blessed we are to live near you and feel the sand in our feet and smell the salt in our hair and make memories that will be impressed into each of our senses as we grow older. We may not remember everything we did or all we talked about as we played by you, but we will grow and everytime we are near you we will remember we love you because you remind us of times when we were young and with family and careless and free. I Love New England! Soon Shaun will be back to working days, and moments like this will not be possible (for a while), but today was certainly a summer memory to hold onto.
Enjoy the rest of your summer eveyone!
I'm totally beach jealous right now....you are so blessed to live close enough to be able to go to the ocean....we may have 10, 000 lakes in MN, but that's nothing compared to the ocean!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the chubs on Ava....just adorable!!!!
We are totally blessed, but honestly? Because I'm nearly as "white" as Ava, I'm scared to bring us unless it's cloudy or late in the day & we're slathered with sunscreen... repeatedly. When we do get there, we love it, though. I'm a bit scared to swim in a lake because if a fish comes by my leg, I'd completely freak out! (Funny considering we just had aNOther great white sighting off the coast of our cape beaches recently. I try not to think about that (or go down to the cape)
DeleteAva, I pinch those chubs all the time and seriously? She's crazy brave in those waves.
If ever you want to come visit, I'll put out a ton of air mattresses for the kids and we'll make it a beach day!
I love love love New England beaches. I grew up in Michigan, where there was always a lake within 5 miles of you, then moved to Mississippi, where there wasn't anything but the gross river. So here, with access to so many beautiful beaches, is hands down my favorite.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a beautiful day!
It was a beautiful day. I like it better that it was so impromptu (I'm a terrible "planner")
DeleteThat makes sense about Michigan and Mississippi as when I read the post where you visited Colleen and asked if she learned to scirmshaw or harpoon whales in school, I thought, "...isn't she from CT?"
I've moved a lot, but always found myself along the coast somehow, so was never far from the ocean, so I don't know what it's like to live away from it.
Next time you're in our neck we'll take you to the beach again and if we're ever in CT you'll have to show us that tree (though we have as of yet a shortage of arms to wrap around it... we're working on it, though)