Summer Vacation...Finally!

After 2 months of what was supposed to be summer vacation, we were finally able to leave work behind and head to the beach for a week of relaxation. Sorta. 2 grandparents and 2 toddlers basically equals 10 kids, so the week away wasn't exactly a cake walk. BUT it was definitely nice to get out of Allegheny Township and put our feet (and faces) in the sand.

Ella demonstrates how to eat the sand.

We left around 2:15 am on Saturday, and although I had a few reservations about Ella's the kids' travel etiquette, I have to say they both were amazing. On the way there and back, they were so well behaved, easily entertained, and generally very happy. We turned Miss Thang's carseat toward the front which I think helped. She doesn't like to be excluded.

We arrived at our destination in North Bethany Beach around 11am, after battling some traffic since we missed a turn. Still, not too shabby. We unpacked, did the grocery shopping, and began planning what would become the most important facet of the entire trip: meals. It's no secret that my family likes to eat, but Ella really took things to another level. While in Delaware, my very stubborn girl began using utensils (much to the dismay of her SHE'S MAKING A MESS father), and insisted on feeding herself. The trick was finding foods she could easily manage; it wasn't always possible:

Exhibit 1: Ella's Spaghetti Experience

We always had snacks at the beach, which Zach quickly turned into stations like you would find at a pre-school. There was a fruit station, a pretzel station, and then a sweets station. I quickly learned that if I were in charge of the pretzel station, kids wouldn't bother me. Score. Those of us who were of age indulged in adult beverages and all left with an extra 5-10 pounds. I'm not usually a beer drinker, but I certainly put a few away each day. I'm thinking if I get pregnant again right now, I can pass off my gut for a baby bump. We'll see.

Strategically placed the girl on my fat. Well done.

My brother came with us this year and was a huge help with the kids, and I know both Brady and Ella loved spending time with him. He took them to the water's edge, taught Brady how to build a sandcastle, and was exceptionally patient with Ella's daily meltdowns. It was really, really nice having Uncle Mike with us. Hopefully he joins us each year.

The only semi-picture we got of Uncle Mike ^ ^ ^

We dined out a few different times: Matt's Fish Camp, The Lobster Shanty, and a few spots on the Boardwalk were our restaurants of choice this year. The kids were actually pretty great while in public, and it helps that any time there's food, Ella is quiet and busy as she stuffs it in her face. The Lobster Shanty had outdoor seating and that was perfect for us. We didn't partake in The Grotto fun as we did last year because when we ordered take-out this year, it was less than stellar. There is an arcade attached to the restaurant, which Brady loved, so we made sure to take him to the arcade on the Boardwalk to make up for it. Uncle Mike won a trillion tickets playing basketball, and Brady got to reap the rewards: he picked out a special train and some army men with the winnings. When he wasn't playing with the train, the boy was very busy learning "ping pong" on the beach. It was very rare if the kid didn't have a paddle or a golf club in his hand while in the sand.

Like last year, Zach and I celebrated our wedding anniversary at the beach. My parents and Mike watched the kids while we ate at Mango's, and while it was lovely to have zero responsibility for a few hours, I admit that we mostly talked about the kids. And then I started missing them. It's a sick, unfair thing: finally some alone time, and the little ones consume our thoughts! I snapped out of it after a seagull made me the victim of a fly-by-pooping, though. I was grazed through the restaurant's open-air ceiling, and quickly reminded myself to ENJOY; there will be enough crap waiting for us when we got back to the house.

A few of the days were a bit overcast, one of the days it was rainy, but overall, the weather was glorious. It wasn't stifling hot like it has been back home this summer; it was just warm enough to enjoy the beach and not sweat uncomfortably. The guys golfed twice, and none of them came back complaining of the heat. This is unusual as my dad and brother's favorite hobby is complaining.

She loved pointing to and following the airplanes. She almost walked right into the waves...

We saw some familiar faces during our vacation, too: Sandy, Kevin, and Morgan were a few beaches up, so they came to our place for an afternoon. It was adorable watching and listening to the kids play! The next day, Zach's good friend Brian came up from Salisbury with his daughters Addison and Aubrey. They were incredibly shy until the kids bonded over episodes of Doc McStuffins on the iPad. I knew that thing would come in handy!

Bedtime reading with Pap

In short, the kids really loved the trip. Brady was still a bit hesitant around the water (he had to hold someone's hand when within 5 feet of it--our rule AND his!), but Ella really took to it. So much so that she was perfectly content to walk right into it. We really had to keep our eyes on her! She loved when it splashed her so she could lick the salt off of her lips...She is seriously so gross. With the exception of some whining from the girl child and a nasty cold on the last night for the boy child, we couldn't have asked for better travelers or vacationers. They kept to their schedules pretty well (aside from the whole waking up with the sun thing. Not cool, kids, not cool), and now that we're home, they've both made a new transition: Ella is finally in her big-girl room AND--are you ready for this--Brady has successfully given up his damn "bink." Never in one trillion years did we think it would be as easy as telling him, "You're done. No more," but it really was. We had been telling him after vacation he had to give it up, and we almost caved since he is sick, but we know how the colds work: he can't breathe out of his nose = lost bink = waking up throughout the night = calling for us (me) every few hours. So we went for it. And the child has done miraculously well. He woke once on Sunday night because he was coughing, and I heard him say, "Peeze give me my bink," but then he fell back to sleep. He's not mentioned again since. Brady never ceases to amaze us. SUCH a good kid.

Unfortunately, I didn't take as many pictures as I wanted to; most of these are from the same day. It was a vacation, sure, and I almost feel guilty admitting it, but I think I may need a vacation from my vacation. We got home to a disgustingly filthy house (no thanks to our house and dogsitter!), had to grocery shop, get the kids back into the swing of things, and, of course, jump back into work. Blah. I think next year Zach and I should get an entire day, not just a meal, to celebrate our anniversary. Not sure how the grandparents will feel about that, but it's worth a shot :)