We're Back!

After being away for awhile, we are back and serious - let's keep this thing up!

May 24th 2014

A historic event occurred on May 24, 2014 - we took Lizzie to the beach for the first time.

The beach holds a special place in our hearts, as it does for many families. Will grew up at Half Moon Bay resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, so he could literally come home from school and go straight to the beach. As a kid I would have been green with envy for that life - I loved nothing more than to jump the waves and feel the sand between my toes, but I had to settle for yearly family trips to Bethany Beach, DE and the Outer Banks in North Carolina.

We've both always had a special sense of calm when we're near the ocean, or water in general - I joked once that I never got seasick because "the ocean would never betray me in that way." We have similar childhood stories of the first time we each saw the sea - we both broke away from our fathers and ran at top speeds (well, top speeds for a toddler) towards the water. Every vacation we've taken together, we always start with a diverse list of possible locations (Morocco, Alaska, Spain) and we always come back to the tropical - Belize, Hawaii, the Mayan Riviera in Mexico. I've often thought that I feel the most like myself when I'm staring out into the ocean, and I think Will feels the same way, because I've never seen him happier and lighter than when he's in the water.

So, of course, we wanted to bring our daughter to the beach. We were both curious to see if she had a similar reaction - would she love it as much as we do?

Well, folks, here is your answer.

She loves it. She tried to eat all the shells. She tried to eat the sand. She screamed happily at passersby who smiled at her. She was transfixed when we tried to bury her, and she smiled that "I'm trouble" smile as she pulled her legs free of the sand time and again. She wasn't as emphatic as either of her parents about her love for the water, but then again she can't really run yet, either. She sure can crawl, and crawl she did, right to the tide pool.

Unfortunately, the Atlantic Ocean in May was just too cold for her, but we wanted to see how she'd do swimming, so we took her to the hotel swimming pool. The first time, in the outdoor pool, she was happy but a little unsure of herself - and maybe a little chilly. The second time, in the heated indoor pool, I thought she was going to die of happiness. She kept trying to push off each of us and swim to the others, kicking her chubby little feet in a way that was impressive but still totally uncoordinated. We alternated holding her and entertaining her with tricks - somersaults, diving to the bottom of the pool and then coming up again, etc - like trained dolphins, and she rewarded us with her biggest smile and excited babbling. 

The best part? When we took her back to the hotel, she fell asleep as soon as she hit the bed. Slept for hours. Gave her parents a good long afternoon of (responsibly) enjoying Cuba Libres and adult conversation on the balcony while she dozed peacefully.