Beach Big Girl!

This past weekend, we went to Virginia Beach to visit Mimi and Fran. I was really thinking C was going to LOVE the beach this year so I was excited to watch. And I was right! She had an absolute BLAST! Again we opted to leave Hayes home (with my parents) because the 2 naps and the bottles, etc. make it harder for travel days. I am glad we did it this way because we were able to be on the beach all day except for Carrie's naps so we really maximized our time!! Mimi and Fran had everything ready for us when we arrived! There were new toys and books and even a full set of tennis gear! Carrie thought it was Christmas when she walked in! She even got a Mermaid Barbie that went EVERYWHERE with us! We got in Friday evening and went back to Mimi and Fran's where she got to see all her new stuff. Then she wanted to get her tennis gear on and walk down to the tennis courts so we did. Doesn't she look the part??

She is definitely competitive and kept getting frustrated that she wasn't good right off the bat. Here is Fran trying to show her how to swing.

She tried some, but said it was really hard. Maybe in a year or so we can try again! She really wanted to know how to play!

The next morning, we went right on down to the beach. It took C an hour or so to warm up to the sand and ocean, but once she did, she was hooked!!! She did it all...built sand castles, looked for shells (there weren't many, but Mimi had some good ones she brought down in a bag and placed around for Carrie to find. Carrie had no clue so she got so excited when she 'found' them), she used the boogie board, played in the waves, had a picnic on the beach, took walks...you name it. She loved it all.

Here she is working on a sand castle.

Fran and Graham out in the ocean with Carrie. She was not even scared when huge waves would break right on her head.

Attempt at a family pic...pretty typical. We really did not do any posed pics this trip because we never wore anything but bathing suits and pajamas basically!

Daddy made a mermaid. It was a hit on the beach. I am not sure that he didn't have the most fun in the ocean and in the sand ;)

She had a ball rolling the waves with Fran.

She liked riding in on the boogie board.

Her and Fran.

Hopscotch on the beach.

Daddy built her a 'lagoon' for her an her mermaid. We placed our chairs all around so she could play right in the middle and she loved it.

Sifting for shells.

Sweet daddy/daughter moment.

Playing in the waves with Mimi.

Some of Mimi and Fran's friend's grandkids were there...they were older, but so sweet to Carrie and she loved them, especially the 8 year old girl, Sally. She said "Sally is my best friend" haha.

She never wanted to leave and kept saying "Mom, can we come back soon?" We will definitely need to make a longer trip next year!!

It was so fun for her and also nice for Graham and I. It is always nice to have extra hands around so we can relax a little more and Mimi is a really good cook so we had some delicious fresh seafood cooked for us each night. It was definitely a treat. It was a great weekend and went by too fast. But Carrie is EXHAUSTED still so we are catching up on sleep around here after a fun-filled weekend!