Connor loves the beach - for 30 minutes!
My husband and I look forward to spending time at the beach with our children and grandchildren every summer. It’s a tradition we hope to continue for as long as we are able. Unfortunately, our youngest daughter and her husband could not vacation with us this year since they recently spent almost a week off preparing for their wedding and another two weeks in Spain.
But that didn’t keep the rest of us from heading to the Outer Banks and Duck, NC where we enjoy sun, water, great food, and plenty of fun. And this year was especially interesting!
Our first day preparing to head down to the beach was exciting. Once the kids heard, “Let’s go down to the beach and play in the ocean,” the fun began. They scrambled down the stairs to find their swimsuits and get ready. I headed to my room where I took my time applying sunscreen, putting my hair up, putting on my swimsuit, and choosing the perfect pair of matching earrings. Donning my sunglasses, I grabbed a towel, a bottle of ice water and a good book.
I was ready!
And then, I saw what was happening around me. Emma (8), Connor (6) and Lily (2) were busy getting ready, but the scene wasn’t quite as calm. Dana was scrambling to keep Lily still as she applied sunscreen on her. Connor’s crinkled nose was obviously a sign that he was not happy with his daddy applying sunscreen to his face. They were finally all protected with sunscreen in a variety of types and SPFs to protect their delicate skin.
Next, Chris began packing the insulated beach bag with water, ice, crackers, protein bars, special treats and more. Simultaneously, Dana was filling an over-sized beach bag with shovels, buckets, floating toys, cups, spoons, and lots of other fun things to dig in the sand. Then she grabbed 5 or 6 beach towels, all folded neatly together. As Chris reached for the beach umbrella, he also pulled out beach chairs in varying sizes for each child, him and Dana.
Children were scattered in every direction as Dana instructed them to find their beach shoes and help carry the load to the beach. Of course, they were only able to carry a single towel from what I could surmise. I watched as Chris threw the chairs and umbrella on his back, grabbed the cooler and beach bag and headed out. Dana, with Lily in hand, picked up the remaining towels, toys, books, sunscreen and other items left behind. They all headed out the back door to the beach and across the warm sand.
Ahhhhh………finally, we were there. Cool wind drifted across the sand as the sun shone brightly. The umbrella cast just enough of a shadow to make a cool haven for watching the surf roll onto shore. The children played in the sand and raced the waves as they crashed on the shore. Now it was time to relax.
Just as I sat back, closing my eyes to enjoy the smells and sounds of the beach, it happened.
“Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom.”
“Mommy, I’m hot – can I have some water.”
“Mommy, can we go to the pool.”
“Daddy, I’ve got sand in my swimsuit.”
“Daddy, hold me – I’m tired.”
And after 30 minutes, they were packing it all back up again, heading across the sand — which by now was getting hot — and up the stairs to the house. Almost before we left, we were back at our beach house again – all 3 kids in tow, as Dana and Chris patiently and methodically unloaded everything by the pool and began the next 30-minute adventure.
Some things are just better handled by parents I decided.
Ahhhhh……the beauties of being a grandparent. And I wouldn’t trade a second of it for anything else!
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