OBX

Vacation number two this spring was our family vacation in the Outerbanks. The past 6 weeks have been such a blessed season for us that we hardly felt like we "needed" a vacation. Nori has been in a wonderfully content and fun stage and we have been fully enjoying all of springs wonders: the garden, swimming, and longer days.
Our trip to the beach was an extension of that joy and we loved spending time together. Instead of feeling the need to pull away for our own rest, we wanted to spend all the time we could with her.
She loved it all!
Here's what she had to say. . .
I stayed in a PINK beach house for a whole week. At first I called it "Hannah's beach house" because I thought it was where she lived, but then Mama told me it was mine too!
I got to ride on my tricycle everyday down to the beach. I still don't want to let them know I can pedal, so I place my feet up high and enjoy the ride. I liked carrying my bookbag and my beach chair on my shoulders. I looked SO grown up.
I also got to take trips on the back of Mama's bike-fun!
Everyday I was more brave with the ocean. At first I just liked to get my feet wet, but by Friday I loved being held up to my chin as the waves took me up and down, "up and down" I would say and scream with delight.
One day I had a BAD ear infection and had to go to the hospital. When we came back, Mama took me down to the beach just to say hi to everyone and then go back to the house to rest. But it ended up being the therapy I needed. I cozied between Mama's legs as she sat in the surf and for the first time all day was not crying or thinking about my ear!Mama said she was so happy to see my smile again. I think the surf was therapy for her to after hearing me scream for so long.
But even more than the ocean, I loved the sand. At times, I just layed on my belly and felt its goodness all over me. I loved building, and using water to make masterpieces. Daddy helped me make  A LOT of sandcastles, mouts and animals, my favorite was the crocodile.
Nana taught me how to look for shells. Sometimes I would go for a walk and collect them in a bucket and other times I would go in the surf and see what the sifter would pull up.
I liked putting the shells on my necklace.
Daddy helped me fly my kite!! twice! It was so fun to hold it and make the fish move through the sky.
I had tons of fun with my cousins. I played well with Hannah and Emma but Molly and I kept fighting over the same toys. She doesn't talk yet, but surely knows how to push my buttons!
We went fishing at the nature center but didn't catch any fish.
I had so much fun, that when it was time to leave, I cried, "I don't wanna go home." Mama cried a little too because she said it broke her heart to see how sad I was. But then she told me we get to go back next year- can't wait!!