Beach Babes, 2010

What are your plans for the weekend? Ours are pretty boring. Tomorrow we might each take a baby and run errands with assigned baby. We normally stay banded together as a foursome with outings but we've learned that its fun to divide and conquer from time to time. We feel like we notice much more about each kid when we get a little one on one time, and when the one baby who is with you is happy....well, then there's not another baby to worry about keeping happy. It's easy, and fun. I like my Saturdays to have both those qualities. So whatever lucky baby gets to go with me will be picking out fabric and visiting the craft store. Whomever stays with Dada will likely visit the hardware store or learn the nuances of laying pinestraw. 

And, we might also go see the shish at the Aquarium. Or the animals at the Zoo. Our membership at the latter is about to expire, so we might as well go give it another look-see. It was fun to have the membership when the boys loved their stroller, but until we outgrow the bolt-away stage, or until a humane kiddie choke collar is invented, we will be waiting to renew.

Mostly this weekend will be spent wishing we were still here. On the beach. The beautiful, calm and rejuvenating beach. 

The boys went to the beach last July 4th, read about it here. That was in my pre-embedding pictures in the posts phase, you'll have to click to see pics on the other site from that link. Sorry, try not to get lost getting back to finish the rest of this. 

The boys liked the beach before, but really enjoyed playing with the sand this time. Grammie had a good pile of sand type toys to play with, and the stand-out favorite were the shovels. We dug, and scooped, and dumped sand. 

And Grady talked about digging and scooping and dumping sand. 

Here Cole is contemplating hitting him with the big shovel to get a few moments of silence. There was actually an exchange of blows with the shovels,  and you'd think that since Cole had the bigger shovel he'd made Grady cry, but the G just acted like nothing happened. That's the beauty of the Bothma head. 

Grammie jumped in to play from time to time. These water wheels were a bigger hit this year than last. 

And Grampie played, too. Here Cole is channeling his inner teenager. Hahaha.

I love this next picture. We didn't take the super camera with to the beach, just the older one,  and as you can see, all of the beach pictures were a little overexposed. I think it adds to the beachy feel, no? All sunwashed and such. Below Grampie is leading the shell searching expedition.

Cole came back to tell me about the shells. And to show his loot.

Grady tired of the shell searching and came to rest. And because I had him to hide any of those fat rolls that show up when you sit down, I allowed my picture to be taken. 

So. Potty training. We're sort of starting, but have fallen off the wagon the last few weeks. Grady will tell you when he's about to do some business, and at one point he wanted to peepee. Or poopoo. He couldn't decide, but he definitely wanted his diaper and pants off. We've learned that what Momma Grady wants, Grady gets, so we stripped him naked, waist down. He eventually peepeed in the sand, we cheered. And then he wanted to sit in the bucket of water. Not sure what he was thinking-an immersion bidet? A cool hot-tub? If only we could tap into the two year old mind. 

This picture might be out of order, I can't remember, but Grampie tried to convince the boys they should wear hats.

Keith calls this Cole's Johnny Utah stare. 

Grady did some staring too, but he's always looking away. 

Then it was Grammie's turn to lead a shell hunting expedition. 

This particular day was July 3rd, and it just happens to be the same day Keith proposed! And he proposed on this very same beach, near where our umbrella and chairs were. We can't find the exact spot since the hurricanes that blew through the Florida panhandle in the last few weeks have really changed the landscape. While the boys were entertained, we took a little self-portrait. Amazing how much has happened in six years! 

Now. Back to reality, time to go get sippy cups washed and breakfast prepped. And then to bed, 'cause no one is letting me sleep in tomorrow.

At Grammie & Grampie's

Have you been worried that we're all vomiting and that's why I'm not blogging? Fear not, friends, I was MIA for a few days because Blogspot and I were having disagreements. I thought it was being dumb, and it likely knew that I was too dumb to figure out the technical issue. We're back on speaking terms and have worked through our issues so I can share with you, bit by bit, some of the fun we had in Florida.

I've not been shy about my love for visiting grandparents since it usually means Keith and I can sleep in, or nap, or both. And this last weekend was heaven since we did both. Every single day. Heaven, pure heaven. I am, and always have been, an excellent napper, and while Keith likes to pretend he's "not a nap-type person", his actions proved otherwise.

So, one morning I awoke wondering 1) what time it was, 2) why Elvis the dog cannot just for once try to sleep in and not jump next to the bed to wake me up, 3) why I didn't take his collar off the night before so I couldn't hear him jumping, and 4) where the kids are, and what they're doing. So I set off to the room the boys sleep in in search of activity.

As I entered the room, I heard voices, but couldn't place them right away. If you're wondering what that is, it's a bed tent. The bottom is like a fitted sheet that goes over the bed, and then there's a tent above. Get it-bed sheet + tent on top=bed tent. Great fun for kids. And this tent is not just any ole tent, this was Keith's bed tent from when he was little. Yes, Grammie is a "keeper". You know, people are either keepers, purgers or hoarders. Since we can walk through Grammie's house without being blockaded by stuff, she's not a hoarder, but she's definitely a keeper. I for one am a purger, I get that from Nana, and Karen is the same. So I'd like to apologize to any future grandchildren for not having fun toys of their dads'. I do have tons of pictures of the toys, if that's any consolation. But back to Grammie. She kept all sorts of things. Some fun, some sentimental, and some....ahhh...hmmm. Anyways, she kept lots of things and this morning the boys enjoyed the tent.

Once I was in the room I noticed a bit of rustling in the tent, and a puppydog peeking out.

And then, a voice that can best be described as joyful telling me to come look. Ok, Grady, I'm coming. And the zipper started opening.
I stood there waiting for Cole to jump out, too, but it turns out two other big kids were in the tent!

Out comes Grammie and Grampie! I wondered two things right away: 1) how are they not claustrophobic (I was when I got in the tent the night before), and 2) did they keep the tent to play in it themselves? I think that is highly likely.As you can see, Grady, along with Be-ah, was narrating events as they unfolded. That kid is a talker. And Cole, even at 7AM-ish, was already clutching one of Keith's old matchbook cars. That kid loves him anything wheeled. And so our weekend was off to a good start!