mom's $28 mistake

the temps have been cooler here. i didn't pack garrett a single long-sleeved item! no jacket, no shirt, no pants! lesson learned...it DOES still get cool @ the beach on occassion. of course, brian didn't pack one for himself, either, so...garrett & brian both scored new t-shirts this week. how is that garrett's only costs $2 less than brian's??? they get away with crazy prices around here, for sure.

but...our day was still lovely...this AM, garrett slept in until 8:30 (which is 9:30 eastern!). the nicest part? brian & i did too (do you sense the recurring sleep theme in my blog posts about this vacation?)!!! we hit the beach after breakfast & little guy was like a maniac trying to dive into the cool water. we were out on a sandbar where he could walk around w/ minimal waves & he wanted to just go face forward into the water. we were fighting to keep our hands on him!

after lunch the dude slept for a 3.5 hour nap...meanwhile, brian biked up to the local gas station for a can of *fix a flat*!!! when we returned from the beach, we realized that the truck has a flat tire. argh! real life - even on vacation. so it goes, right? just a little reminder that tomorrow we'll be heading out of here & back to reality.

btw, top shot...@ dinner tonight, garrett kept mashing banana into his hair. brian wiped it off w/ a warm rag & then shaped it into a faux-hawk. hahahaha! garrett thought it was pretty funny too.

@ the beach today, this was garrett's favorite thing to do! we were sitting in our seats & he snagged the set next to us.

family shot for today...garrett doesn't quite grasp the concept of smiling @ the camera when no one's behind it!

little man is seriously YELLING down @ the people on the balcony below. the funniest part? they just started talking back to him. i think he's talked to, waved @ or blown kisses to everyone staying in RB this week!

hhhmmm...daddy looks pretty cool sitting up there...

...so i have to climb into the chair & be like daddy.

a slow, quiet day

the day started out with cool temps...so we went for a walk after breakfast. after the AM nap (once again family nap!) we headed to the indoor pool...garrett played IN the pool for an hour & a half! he mostly loved watching the bigger kids being thrown into the water/around the pool by their dads, blowing kisses to older women (ages 6ish-40ish) & squirting a little plastic frog!

after lunch, garrett hit the hay (we managed not to go to sleep once again, though) & brian went for a bike ride around rosemary & i spent some time relaxing with a book (it's 'twilight' & i've started it for the third time...despite the hype, i'm still not totally convinced it's a *good* book...we'll see).

the weather finally cleared & we made it onto the beach & to one of the other pools in the community. they were both short lived little trips as it was getting late in the day. but we had so much fun today...seeing all sorts of fun things about garrett's personality; listening to the little man jabber on to everyone he sees, talking to them just like he does to us...enjoying a leisurely dinner of takeout, just me & brian...it's so nice to be in such a beautiful place...enjoying my boys...

garrett's ALWAYS on patrol...checking out everyone & everything...from other kid's sand castles to their moms laying on the beach to the giant poodles on the boardwalk.

garrett & mommy in the pool @ day's end...can you tell? mommy's tired...once again, baby girl is on the MOVE in my belly...tiring me out.

this is one tired & hungry little baby! but still...so freakin' sweet!

on the move...always...all boy

our morning started around 6:45...which is about 45 minutes past G's usual start time if we were on EST. after breakfast, we walked around rosemary & down to the beach - garrett's first view of the ocean.

after his AM nap, we went to play on the beach...and play we did - for 2.5 solid hours! brian & i were playing zone defense b/w garrett & the ocean...that kid ran around, wanted to dive into the water, no fear, splashed in waves - either in our arms or running into them himself, ate some sand, played in a little tidal pool, made a friend...he was exhausted by the time we left & headed back for a nap.

this afternoon after nap (yes, we ALL napped! so freakin' wonderful!), we took garrett down to the fountain...it shoots water up out of the ground. little man's favorite part was that he could press the button himself to start the fountain! he LOVED it & was sooooo proud of himself that he would press it & magically the water would shoot up.

i can't tell you how much time we spent chasing this kid today, though. he is so, so, so on the move. such a boy...that's what you'll see in so many of our pics...he will just not sit still. :-) every time he gets up & we get ready, he starts getting so excited & ready to go out the door (in addition, being outside is his favorite thing in the world right now).

checking out the water with daddy...see how even then he was so ready to jump in that water?

playing in the tidal pool with his new friend, parker.

those are my boys! we had taken a break for lunch & garrett showered daddy w/ some love. i can't tell you how many times today we've said, "i love him so much!" in reference to something garrett's done or just in talking about him in general...that boy has our hearts!

family photo...check out the BELLY (on mommy!). this baby girl is being WILD in my belly - not just when i'm resting; ALL the time!

pressing the button to start the fountain up! when you're 17 months old, this is some serious fun.

our baby sweetness running through the fountain.

running through the fountain & again, away from us!

we were intending to play in the grass park in front of our condo...garrett intended to run away from us. again. :-)

we're on our way

headed off on our first family vacation this morning...we've made *trips* before with garrett, but not a fun vaca, just the three of us. wanted to make it happen for us b/f baby girl arrives. the photo of garrett in his car seat is so sweet...he loves when we count 1, 2, 3 & then raise our arms & yell "wheeeee"!!! we were on our way!!!

little man only slept about 45 minutes today...but was an amazing trooper on our 7 hour drive! plus, he was a little angel until his bedtime tonight...an hour past the usual time. sweet boy! love him!

"momma, let's go to the pool!!! get a move on...wait, can you get this banana off my face first?"

"this elevator's holding up my pool time. let's get this show on the road, people!"

i'm the lucky one

i feel so lucky. to be garrett's mom, mom to Baby Girl growing in my belly. i'm also lucky because i'm sharing the incredible journey of parenthood with brian. he & garrett made today so special for me...it's been a wonderful mother's day! i am so thankful for my mom, becky, & brian's mom, martha. we're blessed to have them be such an active part of our lives & garrett's. we love you, mommas! :-)

below are some pictures of garrett late this afternoon. recently @ my friend christy's house, garrett found the water bottle that she uses to flatten her boy's *bedhair* every morning - he loved it & had sufficiently sprayed himself & her carpet pretty well by the time we left. i picked up a bottle for garrett @ the dollar store this week & let him take it outside today...as you can see, he can't quite grasp the concept of doing anything beyond spraying it directly in his face!