coast trip 2011

Well- since it seems I only update the ole blog after the annual trip to the coast, I'll continue with tradition.

This time our party of 3 had a new member: Miss Mia Ruth, who was the best 6 month old you could ask for at the beach. She did a lot of sleeping and got a peek of sunburn on her baby cheeks (I did my very best!!!) and seemed to enjoy the beach. And Henley LOVED the sand and playing in the water and chasing seagulls. She would have burned up because she wanted to be in the sun sooo much. At least we had plenty of food to keep her under the canopy.

Right as we were packing up, a gust of wind lifted the huge canopy up, and hooked under Hen's chair and picked her and the chair up. David ran to grab them before they were airborne and the canopy unhooked from them and whopped him in the ear as it made it's mad dash toward the truck. Luckily I grabbed a pole as it flew by and it stopped 3 inches from the truck. Unfortunately, it ripped half of David's earlobe off. What a lot of blood. No, that's not true. Not even a scratch. Would have been quite a story though, huh?


Highlights of the trip:
*whenever we saw a mermaid in shops or signs, Hen would point to it and call it a Naked Susan * we ate delicious meals at Beach and Station Street, again. Mine: crab stuffed shrimp (twice), David: Grouper Pontchartrain and Stuffed Flounder
*forgot a pack-n-play so Henley slept in a big bed for the first time!
*Sleeping choices were (1) sleep with Mia and wake up at 3 for a bottle, at 6 for a bottle and then up for good at 7 or (2) sleep with Henley and get kicked in the head and calves and knees all night, have her feet in your face as she sleeps perpendicular to you and save her from sliding out of bed but not actually "waking up". David and I traded off.
*Mamie and Pop were a huge help- Pop took Henley swimming at the local pool in regular clothes and Mamie was the only one who could get Mia to sleep sometimes. We got to go on 2 dates sans kiddos- breakfast and dinner!!
*All at once: watching my husband fish, a girl chasing shadows with her grandma, my dad reading a magazine, and me holding a sleeping girl soaking in the blue sky and aqua waves. God is good.

It was a wonderful trip. Usually, I'm worrying and soaking in every second since August at the coast signifies the end of summer and back to school. I'm so excited to begin this year of being with the girls. Routines will help; with sleep schedules, WEIGHT LOSS and happy girls (yours truly included). Excited. Grateful. Blessed.