10 Months and an Ocean

Late getting my memories jotted down this month because the day after Ben turned 10 months old we shuttled our little family off to the beach for a much needed vacation!  Chincoteague, Va was perfect!  Not too crowded, not built up like Ocean City, small and isolated.  We rented a 2 bedroom townhouse not far from the national park entrance.  Indoor heated pool, 2 bathrooms, and just enough room for us to sleep comfortably and have play room for the kids.  We didn't get to see any ponies close up, but we did see a herd or two grazing in the marshes far from the road.  I love that the boys got to experience seeing the ocean for the first time together.  They're too young to have any understanding of what an ocean is or how special it is to share an experience like that with your sibling, but some day they will.  Plus, at long last, I got to bury my toes in warm sand again.  I'm so glad we went!

Ben fell asleep in the pool!

Buried his butt in the sand and his toes wiggled free!

Our rental didn't have a bath tub.

Touch pool at Tom's Cove Visitors Center.

Wallops Island NASA Launch Site

This vacation was much needed, but also an experiment to see how well the kids would handle a trip like this.  They handle the trips we take to Cleveland to visit my friend just fine, but this is different.  Eating out every night, multiple things planned every day, some naps skipped, sleeping in a strange place where screaming all night would be not appreciated by those staying in the townhouse next to ours.  Thank goodness we lucked out with an end unit!  In the end, they did really well.  The first night was rough for both kids.  But after that we figured out a better sleeping arrangement and everyone slept through the night every night.  At times Sam's patience was stretched to the limit when in restaurants, but we pushed through and found ways to keep him entertained.  And so now we know that trips like this are a possibility for our young kids!  Next year there will be no question of if we should take a family vacation.  We're outta here.

Also, Ben is 10 months old now!  Time, please slow down.  I guess I better start planning his birthday party.

My 10 Monther:

~ Is ready to start tying table food.  So far he loves cheese and baked things like muffins and pancakes.

~ Can not only get up an all fours lightning quick, but has also started taking some shaky crawling steps.  Every day he gets a little better at it.  I predict by the end of the week he will be crawling more than army crawling.

~ Sleeps though the night almost every night!  And even if he does wake up he usually self settles and never takes a middle of the night feeding anymore.

~ Prior to our trip a week ago to Cowan's Gap and our vacation to Chincoteague Ben didn't like the water at all.  Turns out he loves the pool as long as it's heated.  And after a little encouragement he adores time at the beach!  He likes to splash in the tiny waves coming up to the shore and dig in the sand with his clumsy little toes and fingers.  There really is nothing cuter than a baby at the beach.

~ I think he keeps trying to say "kitty".  He crawls towards Lincoln and makes a "Kiiiii" sound.

~ At long last Sam has started calling the baby by name.  Finally.  That name is Bob, but at least it starts with the right letter.

Won't you take me to,

                                     SKUNKY TIME!

And thus ends a very picture heavy post.  Or, actually no it doesn't.  Here are some more.

Donkeys at Erin's family farm.

A very brave tiny Sam.

McGuyver sun shade for my gingersnap.

Cowan's Gap

Birthday party at Little Gym.

Growing too fast.