Curious Beach Critters

Partially as a reward for not dining out as much as we used to, and partially because Ben was off for fall break anyway, we packed up the fam o' five and trekked down to Destin for a few days last weekend.  How silly I was to think that Destin in October would be cool, breezy, and so unlike it was when we were there in June.  It was in the mid to upper 80's and sunny.  Barely a breeze.  But honestly, it was PERFECT beach weather.

We kicked things off with half a day at the beach on Saturday.  Despite the application of SPF 50 to the children, they all managed to get sunburned (Sarah not as much...).  Guess it wasn't so water-resistant after all.  (Mom fail.)  It is truly amazing to watch the kids play and enjoy the beach.  It is such a treat for us.  (For everyone probably, unless you're privileged enough to live there!)

The beach has afforded Ben the opportunity to become braver by orders of magnitude.  When he was just itty bitty he would stand with his toes barely touching the surf.

Each year, he's grown a little more comfortable with the water, progressing from splashing around up to his waist, to (this June) getting his eyes wet without tears, to (this past weekend) riding waves on the boogie board all by himself.

To our chagrin, Abby has never been afraid of the water.

Not even one tiny bit.

She's never been afraid of anything really, except for loud noises (thunder, motorcycles, and emergency vehicles) and random, tall men.  She's a strange bird.

Oh man, I didn't even mean for that to happen, but what a perfect segway.

Sandpipers have always been an object of my curiosity.  I can't help but watch them as they run back and forth in between waves, trying so hard not to get their feet wet.  I can't help but wonder why they run anyway.  They're birds.  I know they can fly.   Ben was quite taken by the jellyfish and crabs that had washed up on shore, but Abby followed in my footsteps and found the sandpipers to be most entertaining. 

We took a walk up the beach, and Ben stuck mostly by my side splashing in the waves and checking out various treasures in the surf.  Abby ran ahead, not surprisingly.  At one point, she spotted a sandpiper and began to chase it.  She followed that thing in circles for what felt like an eternity, but was surely no less than five minutes.  The sandpiper just ran, and so did Abby.  Curious little creatures.  I realized that Abby is our little sandpiper.  A little running creature with endless energy that almost doesn't realize she can fly.  (But, unlike the sandpiper...she does NOT fear the surf.)

And now we're home...it's back to business and life as usual in Central Georgia.  Next on the horizon...the fair (maybe) and Halloween!  (And a new cousin...sooner or later!)