Destin 2014

We are driving back from Destin after a week there with GG and Bubby. The Nolans were unable to come since Aven is only 5 weeks old today.  We kept seeing little one-year-olds and can’t wait for Aven to come next year!

It was a great trip.  There is a dramatic drop in the parenting requirements from the age of 4/6 to 5/7.  Last year was work and Pat says he never sat down. We both sat down A LOT on this trip.  Much of this is due to Ryan and Charley’s friends they met on Monday. We spent every day the rest of the week with them. They had two little girls who were also 5 (Taylor) and 7 (Kayla) and their birthdays were in October so they were just a month apart.  The mom (Stacey) and dad (Ray) and both of their girls were born at the same hospital as me in St. Louis (St. John’s). They live in Waterloo, IL.  Basically we’d all meet on the beach around 10 and stay until about 1 and go back in for lunch and then meet at the pool at 2 or 2:30 until 4 or 4:30.  Ryan had no need for us if Taylor was there.  Charley was still a little more needing of us. 

We said Ryan got the swimming in the ocean award and Charley got the swimming in the pool award. Ryan wore her life jacket on days where the red flag was up and would ride the waves on her body or the boogie board. On Thursday and Friday it was a yellow flag and she didn’t have a life jacket. It was crazy. She and Taylor just rode the waves all morning long talking and laughing. What could they have to say to each other each day? Ryan would get thrown under and for the most part didn’t cry and just kept on.  They were inseparable. 

Charley has never been comfortable in the water.  She learned to float around in the pool in the life jacket.  Kayla was the same way so she wore Ryan’s life jacket. That was a big accomplishment for both of them.  Charley was excited and said to Kayla “Kayla, isn’t this exciting that we are floating around?” On the beach on one of the first days she said “This is AMAZING.” Charley and Kayla both practiced gliding to Pat off the steps without life jackets. They didn’t put their faces under water but it’s a step. Charley got really good and putting her head under water and holding her breath.

At the beach, Charley would hold our hands and jump in the waves. She built “hotels” with pillows made of sand. She made sand castles. She was slightly obsessed with finding clams because she wanted a pearl (“powl.”) About 30 minutes were spent trying to convince her that we probably wouldn’t find a pearl.  Then, she worked on digging a hole and had a goal of it being really big. So, she was focused on that.  She was a little worker-bee just like at home. No relaxation for that girl! She and Kayla would spend most of the time with their parents and then right before it was time to go in they would start playing great with each other. 

At the pool, Taylor and Ryan swam and floated on an inner tube. They played “mommy” and asked to use our phones because Mommys are on their phones—oops. The used shoes instead.  At the end of each day they would ask if we could meet the next day. 

Another big accomplishment was the girls slept in THEIR OWN ROOM. NEVER in the last 7 years when we have traveled have they slept without us.  Went well!

We got to see Kay and Tony the first two nights and that was fun. We ate in once with them and met them out the first night. Then, I cooked once and Mommy cooked once. We ate at The Back Porch twice and Louisiana Lagniappe once. Yum, LL was our favorite and there is one in Orange Beach so hopefully next year we will go. 

Another accomplishment was riding the car. Charley did a GREAT JOB!!!  She was wonderful driving home and didn't complain at all. She complained less than me (I whispered my complaints to Pat so I wouldn't influence them). 

They both wanted to go to the water park but we are waiting until Charley can swim. Hopefully we can go next year.  

OK, that's my summary. I have more cute things to say about the girls but will wait.  Everyone else please add any things you remember from the trip in the comments!!