Beach Trip, 2012

The Stewart Clan took their annual beach vacation - really just a long weekend this year.  BUT!!  We have almost arrived to the time in our lives where our children are able to spend the WHOLE DAY on the beach - no naps, no specific schedules, no pacis, no sippies, no diapers & wipes, no baby "equipment" - and, we cannot tell a lie, we are more than ready for our kids to be kids instead of babies.  We are looking forward to the day when our babies are just a wee bit older to beach it the whole day.  Our trip this year was fun even with a meltdown or two from the little one!

We sunscreen early, naked, and in enough time for the proper amount of "soaking in" time before heading out to the actual sunshine.  Unfortunately, I have THREE sets of very white skin to tend to before we hit the beach, so it's a process.

All smiles at breakfast on our first morning of vacation.  Madeline loved our condo, "You mean we get to live here in this house until Sunday!!!!"

This sweet girl loves to play in the sand.

This sweet girl loves to throw sand. 



And, she loved relocating our chairs.  Who doesn't love musical chairs on the beach?



Daddy built a trench!  Trench = water, mushy sand, & a shallow hole to play in and around, & imaginations go wild 

This child, last year, would.NOT.nap. on the beach!  This year, I took her for a stroll at nap time, and she was out like a light.  I certainly got my exercise because I walked for TWO hours straight while she snoozed.  I was so thankful she napped, I didn't want to stop the stroller.  Plus, the exercise, albeit very SLOW exercise, and quiet time did this Mama good.  I was like a new women when she woke up.

This little cutie enjoyed her beach time alone with her Daddy.

Friday was even more fun because Daddy built a giant hole with steps, a handle for the steps, and continuously refilled buckets of water.  Mama supervised and reapplied sunscreen.  :)

I was loving watching my girls just make laps through the hole, play, and make me "cupcakes."  Every now and again, I jumped up to provide snacks and a drink. 

Eric and I enjoying our beach time...

Madeline is a beach baby for sure.  She loves it.

And, this one LOVES.IT.  The sandier the better.  The bigger the waves, the better.  The more freedom to roam, the better.  Amelia adores the beach and navigating the hole.  She's THAT kid that gets nasty sandy and then sits on your lap.  Love her.

Loving the birds

"One second!"

Our first two beach days were perfect - sandy, sunny, wet, and covered in sticky sunscreen!