Beach Musings

We go to the beach often, at least twice a year and more if we can manage it. This year, due to some unexpected but very much enjoyed company, we ended up delaying our trip by a day and resorted to staying in a hotel rather than camping.

We stayed right on the boardwalk which made for a very different trip than camping on the dunes out in the wild. We were right in the center of everything which meant lots of excitement and lots of people and lots of opportunities.

Every day we went for a morning bike ride on the boardwalk. Froggy rode a little training wheel bike for at least part of each ride after the first. She rode longer and longer each day until she did probably close to two miles the last day. This from the kid who would not even ride five feet at home. We decided that her success at the beach earned her a bike back home that really fits her.

After the bike ride we made our trek down to the waters edge. Despite having a room just a short walk away we looked like pack mules as we trudged down to the water with the umbrella, cooler, blanket, chair and toys. But we made it worth it. We stayed and played for hours. We went for shell walks. For the first time ever Froggy was willing to walk in the surf even when the waves tugged at her ankles.

Froggy played in the sand digging and making sand angels and driving her trucks. She even went down to the waters edge on her own to fetch water for her mud pies. According to Froggy the best part of the whole trip was getting buried in the sand then making Froggy-quakes. An old favorite but apparently still very much enjoyed.

The best part for me was jumping with the waves with DH and Froggy. This is the first year she has been willing to come out and play in the waves with us. This is also the first year she had goggles which make all the difference to a little person. She taunted the waves when she made it over and took it like a trooper when she did not. She was even ok when Daddy warned her they were going to duck under rather than try to get over.

It was fun being on the boardwalk and riding bikes all over. It was fun to try something new. Personally though I will be glad to go back to camping and to the quiet and solitude and ability to commune with nature that Assateque offers us even if it means lots more work for me.