Many years ago... BC (before children)... we spent a lot of time at the beach. As a matter of a fact, if it was summer and we didn't have other engagements already, that is usually where you would find us. Once we had Kenzie (and even the summer that I was pregnant with Kenzie) we ceased going quite as often. It wasn't that we didn't want to. It was more about the fact that what used to be an easy thing for which we took a few towels, a beach bag, chairs, and just our own change of clothes (because we like to make a day of it) turned in to an all day deal. One in which we had to start packing up the car and planning the night before. Last year we went to the beach once. Once. It was a sad year, apparently. We went to the West Coast and Kenzie was "eh" about the entire ordeal. Sand wasn't really her thing at the time. She played a bit, but it wasn't very memorable. This year we have been one other time but we went to a beach in St. Augustine. It was nice, but the water was still fairly chilly and although Kenzie was in a suit, Steven and I never even really got in the water with her other than to stand in the waves.
This weekend though we finally had a free weekend and we decided to suck it up... and make it out to the beach. Might as well get Kenzie used to it since we plan to start going back on as regular a basis as possible. Next year we will do it with 2 kids. I'm not sure how that will work, but we will make it.
Anyway, we got up bright and early this morning. We like to get an early start because it is about an hour and a half drive and we like to beat the crowds. Plus, with as fair of skin as Kenzie and I have, we don't want to hit the heat of the day or the sun bearing down on us as bad as it would at mid-day. This was also our first longish trip in the car since potty training. Kenzie did great! We stopped as we neared the beach to let her potty and she didn't have any issues at all. Kenzie was super excited. Last night I told her that when she woke up we would go to the beach. So, all morning until we got there she would chant "Beach! Beach! Beach!" Once we arrived we hit the sand. Kenzie wasn't so sure about that. It was a bit tough to walk in and it took us quite a while to make it to the area where Steven set us up, but we made it.
As soon as we were settled, off she went. Right to the water. Always being Little Miss Independent. Doesn't seem to need any of us.
Years ago Steven and I would go out past where the waves break and just sit. Forever. Now, we spend a lot of our time hanging out right at the shoreline exploring with Kenzie. She isn't so excited with waves hitting her or knocking her down, but she is getting the hang of it. The highlight of my morning... needing to spend an extra 15 minutes walking back to the bathroom and then back to the beach with Kenzie because only my child wouldn't just pee in the ocean. At least she tells me and didn't want to go in her suit. My big belly and difficulty breathing at times won't allow me to carry her though so we made her work those little legs to get there and back.
After we played in the water for a while we went back and chilled in our chairs. Again, we had to dump sand over Kenzie's legs and repeatedly fill that bucket. Crazy kid. She didn't want to build a sand castle. She just liked the sand being dumped on her legs. Fun but it makes for a crazy clean up later.
We also went for a walk on the beach and ran in to this guy. Now, he looked like he had been there for a while and he definitely wasn't alive but it struck us as interesting because in all the years we have been coming to Cocoa Beach, we have NEVER seen a jellyfish. I know they are there but we just haven't run in to one. Steven almost stepped on him... twice.
Again, as usual, Kenzie took off on her own. Crazy kid.
I knew that getting to the beach and how we handled it would be different now with Kenzie but holy cow! I didn't see the clean up issues coming. Years ago we would always bring a change of clothes, shower off, change, and head over to the pier for lunch. We planned to do the same this year. Doing it with a toddler though... Whew! It took double the amount of time. It took three or four times the amount of effort. Especially with a potty training toddler. Kenzie loved the pier. She watched the fishermen out the window while we ate lunch and continually asked to go to the beach again.
What did I tell you?!? Miss Independent!
I think it was a pretty successful day. We did well. Kenzie did great! We didn't have any accidents (that's how I judge my days) and made it back in one piece. Our only issue.... someone wouldn't nap in the car on the way home until we were 5 minutes from the house. She is now napping and will have to get up in 5 minutes so we don't ruin bedtime. We wore her out but she was so excited she just couldn't stop talking or singing on the way home and she was still asking to go back to the beach as we pulled off the toll road near our house. Guess we will have to not wait as long next time. I see plenty of beach going in our future.
This weekend though we finally had a free weekend and we decided to suck it up... and make it out to the beach. Might as well get Kenzie used to it since we plan to start going back on as regular a basis as possible. Next year we will do it with 2 kids. I'm not sure how that will work, but we will make it.
Anyway, we got up bright and early this morning. We like to get an early start because it is about an hour and a half drive and we like to beat the crowds. Plus, with as fair of skin as Kenzie and I have, we don't want to hit the heat of the day or the sun bearing down on us as bad as it would at mid-day. This was also our first longish trip in the car since potty training. Kenzie did great! We stopped as we neared the beach to let her potty and she didn't have any issues at all. Kenzie was super excited. Last night I told her that when she woke up we would go to the beach. So, all morning until we got there she would chant "Beach! Beach! Beach!" Once we arrived we hit the sand. Kenzie wasn't so sure about that. It was a bit tough to walk in and it took us quite a while to make it to the area where Steven set us up, but we made it.
As soon as we were settled, off she went. Right to the water. Always being Little Miss Independent. Doesn't seem to need any of us.
Eventually I caught her and we got right to digging in the sand. One of her favorite past times apparently. You wouldn't know that last year around this time she was not really in to the sand... at all. This year, we filled the bucket over and over again dumping it out over her legs each time it got full. She laughed hysterically every time.
Years ago Steven and I would go out past where the waves break and just sit. Forever. Now, we spend a lot of our time hanging out right at the shoreline exploring with Kenzie. She isn't so excited with waves hitting her or knocking her down, but she is getting the hang of it. The highlight of my morning... needing to spend an extra 15 minutes walking back to the bathroom and then back to the beach with Kenzie because only my child wouldn't just pee in the ocean. At least she tells me and didn't want to go in her suit. My big belly and difficulty breathing at times won't allow me to carry her though so we made her work those little legs to get there and back.
After we played in the water for a while we went back and chilled in our chairs. Again, we had to dump sand over Kenzie's legs and repeatedly fill that bucket. Crazy kid. She didn't want to build a sand castle. She just liked the sand being dumped on her legs. Fun but it makes for a crazy clean up later.
We also went for a walk on the beach and ran in to this guy. Now, he looked like he had been there for a while and he definitely wasn't alive but it struck us as interesting because in all the years we have been coming to Cocoa Beach, we have NEVER seen a jellyfish. I know they are there but we just haven't run in to one. Steven almost stepped on him... twice.
Again, as usual, Kenzie took off on her own. Crazy kid.
I knew that getting to the beach and how we handled it would be different now with Kenzie but holy cow! I didn't see the clean up issues coming. Years ago we would always bring a change of clothes, shower off, change, and head over to the pier for lunch. We planned to do the same this year. Doing it with a toddler though... Whew! It took double the amount of time. It took three or four times the amount of effort. Especially with a potty training toddler. Kenzie loved the pier. She watched the fishermen out the window while we ate lunch and continually asked to go to the beach again.
What did I tell you?!? Miss Independent!
I think it was a pretty successful day. We did well. Kenzie did great! We didn't have any accidents (that's how I judge my days) and made it back in one piece. Our only issue.... someone wouldn't nap in the car on the way home until we were 5 minutes from the house. She is now napping and will have to get up in 5 minutes so we don't ruin bedtime. We wore her out but she was so excited she just couldn't stop talking or singing on the way home and she was still asking to go back to the beach as we pulled off the toll road near our house. Guess we will have to not wait as long next time. I see plenty of beach going in our future.
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