Spring break at the beach

Summer is enjoying her vacation with her cousins. We left out early Monday morning having picked them up on Sunday afternoon after her 4th, and last, egg hunt with Willow & Mason. We stopped at Waffle House for breakfast and the kids all had biscuits, Summer's with chicken. Then we hopped back in the car and drove the other half of the drive. I must have heard the questions how much longer and how many more miles 20 times if I heard them once. I also heard the following things a few too many times: 1. "Look!" "Monkeys always look, you're a dirty crook, stole your momma's pocketbook." 2. "Guess what?" "What?" "Fell for it." Unfortunately it has not stopped since we got here. I can't say I'm looking forward to Summer entering school and learning these type of annoying tricks.

We were all so excited when we finally got to Panama City Beach and checked into our condo. The kids wanted to go to the lazy river first thing so we put on our bathing suits and headed down. Unfortunately, it was not heated so the water was too cold for some in our party, but not Leah and Jonathan.

Later we headed to the beach. Summer just wanted to get her feet wet and kept moving her chair closer to the oncoming waves.

The next day we headed to the beach where my Granny, aunts and cousins were. Of course, I ran off and left the camera. It was fun though and we spent a few hours with them. I was heavily applying sunscreen to everyone but myself. Ouch!!! :) The following day, Summer enjoyed playing with her dad in the kiddie portion of our resort.Although trips to the beach are usually short, the kids do manage to give the camera a few good poses. They just have too much fun on the water park we have here to spend too much time away from it. I can't believe I don't have any pics of it yet.

There are a lot of jelly fish washing up on shore this week, so we are not spending too much time in the ocean. Summer did let me hold her and jump some waves one day. She really enjoyed it which surprised me because the ocean has not been her thing so far in her almost 4 years of life. And, we have had our fair share of beach vacations. The pool is definitely where it is at with her. She is swimming like a little fish too either in her float suit (there is a top that connects the the skirt in the pic below) and floaties or a ring float and floaties. Sometimes she will even just let me sit on the side and watch which is good because it is kind of cool with the wind blowing and the pool not being in the direct sunlight most of the time. She is becoming much more independent, but still likes to have me in there with her some. There is no way she would just jump in the pool without her floats though so I don't have to worry about that.
Today the kids rode some rides after lunch at Summer's favorite place, Olive Garden. Even Clint got to ride a ride because he found one that didn't go round and round...in the dizzying way that is. Tonight after dinner, we met up with my relatives again and rode go-carts. Summer loved doubling with me in the big go-carts which surprised me a little. I thought she might be afraid, but with all the hooting and hollering I was doing, she was all smiles steering her own wheel (which didn't really steer). It was awesome to see her enjoy it so much. She is really getting bigger and enjoying more grown up rides. She even wanted to ride the little roller coaster they had, but she was about 2 inches too short. On our way back into the condo tonight, she made a wish at the wishing well. She wished she would stop getting bigger. LOL I guess she hears me saying how I want her to get smaller not bigger and is just trying to help me out. She wanted to make another wish, but we were out of pennies. She wouldn't tell me what it was. She said she couldn't until she made it. The logic that girl has.....always makes me smile.

P.S. I found out the next morning, on our way to the beach, that her second wish was that she wouldn't grow anymore so I could carry her. I guess she still loves to be in my arms. It won't be too much longer, and it will be just plain awkward for me to carry her around. But for now, I'll grin and bear it.