Monday, September 20, 2010

Vacation to the South: Part I - The Beach

Devin and I haven't been on a vacation in two years...I know crazy. But we've been in school and honestly haven't had the means or opportunity to go. But thankfully August provided us with one! Patrick (Devin's older brother), Whitney(wife) and Alden(son) went to South Carolina for an internship over the summer. We decided it would be fun to go out and spend a little over a week with them, before they moved back and then help with the moving. I think it was a pretty good deal! We left a couple of days after school got out. We thought that taking a midnight flight would be a good idea because Lucy could sleep the whole time and it would make the trip a little easier. Well, needless to say that didn't happen, Lucy woke up right as we pulled up to the airport. She was so excited by all the people and new things she didn't sleep much on the plane. We got there early in the morning and took a long nap while Patrick and Whitney played with Lucy. We spent that day relaxing and catching up, while the little ones played.
Sunday we went to church and drove to Charleston, SC that afternoon. Whitney has Aunts who live 30 mins from the beach and they let us stay with them! They were wonderful, gotta love southern hospitality :) The beach was beautiful and wonderful! The Atlantic has great beaches, they're warm, have great sand, mmmm. It was fun :) I've been to california beaches but they just aren't the same, they're cold and rocky, and the sand just burns your feet! :) Okay maybe they aren't that bad but the Atlantic is MUCH better. It was Devin's first time to a beach and he was very impressed. He and patrick spent the first hour or so boogy boarding. They had a blast and actually caught some good waves.
It was Lucy's first time at the beach as well (obviously) and she LOVED it! We played in the shallow water for a little while so she could get used to the waves, and then we went in a little farther and ran away from them. Lucy really liked this games, she thought it was hilarious. Then we took a little break while the boys tried some skin boarding (this is on a really skinny board and you try to "surf" where the water hits the shore....it's really hard). Lucy and I found a fun little shell and she just sucked on it for about a half an hour while we sat in the water and watched.
After a couple of hours the little ones were beat....
Whitney's aunt has this tent thingy that is really only half a tent. It was perfect for putting the babies in to block the sun and wind!
They slept for almost two hours like this
Can't beat the heat, wind and constant sound of waves hitting the shore...
While the kids slept Whitney and I took our chance to go play in the waves! Boogy boarding is lots of fun! I really liked it.
But if you try to catch wave after wave it can really make you tired.
This is a skin board
After a day of fun and sun we headed back to Charleston to wash up and head home.
Aren't these two SO cute?

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Help with Sleep!!

Yes I need sleep, but this post is more to ask for advice or suggestions on what you do to help your children/babies sleep at night. Lucy will be nine months old next week (crazy I know!) but she still wakes up multiple times in the night. We've tried the crying thing....it doesn't work, she just gets more and more worked up and will cry for hours if we let her. So we don't :). We've tried picking her up and putting her back to sleep then laying her down in her crib. But by the time I'm back in bed she's awake and crying again. So after about an hour and a half of this I give in and she comes to bed with us. She sleeps great, but I don't. I'm selfish about my bed, I'll admit it, I like to sleep with only one person, that is Devin. I really want to help Lucy self-soothe and put herself to sleep at night without nursing or sleeping with us, before the baby comes. So if any of you have tried something other than these two things I am ALL EARS! :) Thanks!

P.S. I know its been forever since I've posted and I have a lot to update on, no worries it's coming...I don't know when but it will come soon :)