Jersey Shore

We had a wonderful week visiting the ocean, despite the adventures I mentioned in last week's blog post.  Our daily routine was to get up and have breakfast, then head to the beach until lunch time.  We'd go back to the house for lunch and Evie would have her nap while we read and checked email, then we'd go back for another hour at the beach after nap time or in the evening to fly kites.  There was a part of me that missed lounging, reading, swimming and napping at the beach without any responsibilities, but I was so happy to see Evie experience the ocean for the first time and enjoy it!

Here's a video of her first experience dipping her toes in the ocean:

Evie loved playing in the sand, splashing in the surf and collecting seashells, and she even enjoyed having an outdoor shower every day when we got back from the beach!  Considering she had a cold for most of the week, she was a real trooper and didn't let it slow her down at all.

Here are a few things that we found made our travels easier:

1. Travel Tray for the car seat - it held the snacks, legos, coloring, DVD player.  Definitely a good purchase!

2. Spare outfits, lots of wipes, and trash bags.  I won't even try to explain...just trust me.

3. Avoiding the windy roads in Vermont by taking the ferry on our way home (and Children's Dramamine!)

4. Children's books on CD from the library to help pass the long car ride

5. Keep Mommy and Daddy happy...ha ha!

After a week away, there really is no place like home.  Evie was thrilled to see Grandma and Grandpa, have a bath in her own tub, and play with all her toys.

She has been VERY into painting since we got back!