Beach Bums

So the last entry was Don's contribution, and now it is my turn to expand upon our Outer Banks trip. Of course I am the type to provide lots more words and pictures, so I apologize ahead of time for the long entry. So the picture below is how Lucy spent most of the trip. We would try to get her to put her feet on the sand and she would just cry. I was initially a little worried about her fear of sand because our home was not just near the beach but the entire area is surrounded by sand. In fact it was pretty remote and it was quite an adventure getting there. You actually had to drive on the beach to get to your house which was pretty fun.

Lucy enjoyed playing with her daddy on the beach. We spent the days either swimming in the hot tub and pool at the house or lounging on the beach. We would drive to our beach spot and then could keep all our gear in the car, which was very convenient.
Grammy and Lucy had lots of quality playtime!. Grammy tried to get Lucy to help her make a sandcastle, but Lucy wasn't that into it.
My Grandpa, my Aunt Nancy, and my Uncle Gregg, joined us for three days. It was great to have them there. And I know it meant a lot to my dad to have them a part of his 60th b-day celebration.
Here is the crew swimming in the pool at the beach house. Milo was a trooper and was actually really calm in the water even though it was pretty chilly at times.
Lucy going for a ride in her floaty.
Don got a kite for his birthday, which was a great gift idea for him! Don and Eric had fun flying the kite.
Lucy's walking abilities really took off when we were in the Outer Banks. Probably because she was so intrigued by the new atmosphere and unfamiliar surroundings. She was exploring everything and sometimes would get stuck in spots and would need help getting out.
Aunt Kristin with Lucy and my Uncle Gregg, Grandpa, and Aunt Nancy.
Don and I had a master bathroom with a jacuzzi tub that made lots of bubbles for Lucy's bath. Although these days she spends more time trying to get out of the tub rather than staying in.
What a good looking group!!
Milo loves to take naps in his Bjorn.
We had a lot of fun using the ocean kayak that we rented. I ventured out really far and braved some of the toughest waves before I wiped out (and I have the bruises to prove it). There was no more room in the truck, so one of us would ride in the kayak on the short ride from the beach back to our house.
One of the highlights of the week for me was hearing all the little sounds that Milo makes. He is so noisy (in a good way). He sounds like a little cat with all his squeaks. It is so precious and totally melts my heart every time.
Milo was always decked out in the cutest outfits. And of course he always has some adorable socks or hat to match.
Thanks to my dad's 60th we had a excuse for this awesome vacation. We made lots of great meals, and spent a lot of the week cooking up a storm. Kristin came up with a great ahi tuna recipe for my dad's b-day meal. And we made him some strawberry shortcake for dessert.
What a little munchkin!!
Since where we stayed was so remote, it was rare that we actually left the beach house. However one day we did go on an excursion to take my dad and mom parasailing as part of my dad's birthday present.

Acting silly with daddy!

This girl is such a water baby. She just lights up when she is in the water.

And finally on the last day...

She walked on the sand!!