Beach girl.

If you have followed this little blog for a while then you know that the women in my family take a beach trip every year.  I have been going with my mom, Jenni, Casey, and Grand forever.  A few years ago we switched it up and took a few more people...my cousin Jan and her mom (my Grand's sister).  Last year was the first year we took Lonnie.  What a trooper going to the beach with 7 women and a baby!  He had such a good time and couldn't wait to go again this year.  

We drive and it is a 12 hour trip.  I drove while Lonnie was in the front seat and my mom was in the back with B.  I packed a car bag full of activities for her if she got bored.  Would you believe that we only got ONE thing out of that bag?  She was so good!  

This was when we first got to the condo and she ran onto the balcony and kept saying OH!  

The first 2 days were overcast and cold!  Which really doesn't bother me because we just hang out in the condo and play cards.  

Wrapped up on the balcony.  

Sharing coffee...  This all started a few weeks back when she wanted his coffee so bad and would not give up.  He finally gave her a taste thinking she would hate it and move on.  No.  She loved it.  So now she gets to dip her finger in his coffee a few times on the weekends...and on vacation :)

Blakely entertaining everyone.  

Learning how to play UNO with Jenni.  

Finally it was warm enough to go to the beach.  And let me tell you it was absolutely perfect.  Not too hot and the perfect breeze.  I really didn't know how B would like the sand.  I was prepared for her to hate it, just in case.  

Long story short...she loved the sand.  And the water.  And the sea gulls.  And the beach chairs.  All of it.  This girl is a beach baby.  She would have stayed out there all day if we let her.  She even loved having sunscreen put on her every 43 seconds.  

Lots of sand play with daddy.  

She's a people watcher just like her mama!

such a climber...

It was actually so amazing because she would sit (or squat) and play at our feet and we could sit back and read or just watch her.  She was perfectly happy entertaining herself.  

The water was still pretty cold so I didn't think she would like it but oh she did.  Every time a wave hit her legs she would say MORE!  She spent a loooong time with her legs in the water with daddy.  

Taking a little walk with Jenni.  

The only family picture we have from the whole trip.  I know....I'm so mad about that!  

Here is a little video of B on the beach.  Her favorite thing to do was to have her bucket full of water and she would add sand a little at a time and then stir.  We called it sand soup!  I love this video...

I did get a couple of pictures of me and B.  That never happens since I am the one with the camera usually.  

Such a silly girl!

We went to dinner every night.  You just never know how a toddler is going to do at a long sit down dinner.  I was so impressed with her and her eating.  Her favorite thing?  Fried crawfish tails.  She ate them at multiple places and loved them.  There was only one night we had to get her out of her seat and take her for a little walk.  

Daddy was teaching her how to make a wish!  

Even those few times when she was "over it" she was still good sitting at the table and coloring or playing peek a boo with someone.  

I feel like this is the look of a teenager!  

me and my guy....

It was a great trip with many memories.  I have to say the best part about it was my family getting to spend so much time with Blakely.  Especially my grandmother who I call Grand and B calls Grandmama (which sounds eerily close to mammy!)  She was in our condo so she was able to see B a lot.  She enjoyed watching B put on her shoes, attempt to put on my shoes, play with a billion stickers, run around like a crazy girl, play with daddy, and just generally make a mess.  You know...the normal stuff.  B lights everyone up.  She makes them all smile but none smile bigger than my Grand.  Yesterday Blakely got a letter in the mail from Grand.  I cried while reading it to her.  She wrote to her all about the trip and all the things she enjoyed seeing B do.  It means so much to me that she did that.  I will keep that letter forever.  

And just in case you are interested...
Florida 2012
Florida 2011