Sometimes, you just have to laugh...

So this weekend we went down to Cody's parents in NC.  And that inevitably meant that on Friday around 4pm I was rushing to get everything packed.  For every one article of clothing I carefully tucked into the suitcase, Emma would rip two out of it and squeal in delight of her pure mischievousness.  Needless to say, wills were battling.  Then I turn around and saw this:

Mommy's shoes & a butterfly hat.  Priceless.

Beach Trip

So we took our annual Beach Trip to Emerald Isle, NC last week.  We go every year during the week of July 4th.

 Side Note:
We did miss the year Emma was born b/c she was exactly two weeks old.  However I was so hormonally off balance I do remember begging, pleading, just down right kicking & screaming for Cody to let us go  (to the point I was in tears).  Luckily he realized taking a newborn on a 6+ hour road trip and staying an entire week with my entire family under one roof was a bad idea.  Thank goodness he stood his ground...

Anywho, so this was our second year having a youngin' on the beach.  That first year was a bit of a doozy.  Before kids, vacation used to be about one thing, and one thing only:

After kids, it's all about this:

And this:

And some beach toys, and towels, and baby sunglasses and sun hats, and, oh yeah, all plans must revolve around naptime, so you can forget about all-day trips to the waterpark.  And don't forget to bring the stroller.  Did we bring the pack 'n play?  What about her sippy cups and kiddy utensils???

Needless to say, it's not quite the relaxing vacation of my younger days.  So that first year (especially after taking the newborn hiatus) was a bit of an adjustment.

So this year I mentally prepared myself before departing.  Now that Emma is an exploring two year old, I knew she'd enjoy all the new adventures of the beach.  So I tried to look forward to this and not reminisce over the carefree, worry-free beach trips of the past.  And to my surprise we did have a really nice time.  Emma was so stinkin' adorable, kicking up sand and running out in the water as deep as she could until someone came & rescued her (or she got plowed over by an incoming wave - opps!).  Fearless this one.

We were even able to do some "multi-tasking".

 

So until next year dear sweet Beach Trip.  I'm learning to love the new you and look forward to what kid-friendly adventures await us in the years to come.