Amelia Island

Last summer, Mama and I discovered Amelia Island, FL.  It is one of those little beaches where I would LOVE to retire.  They have the cutest downtown, good food, and pretty beaches.  It is more of a quiet beach than PCB or Daytona.  We went for the day last year but we went Monday and stayed for the night.

Monday the weather was perfect.  It was hot, but breezy, so it was tolerable.

Napping on the beach Monday afternoon

Norah Kate loved the beach and the tide pools.  The tide pools were perfect for her because I could sit in them and hold her up.  She could stand in the water and not have to worry about waves knocking into us.

We looked like we were going for a week the way we packed, but I learned that's how all trips are with a baby.  Umbrellas, beach chairs, pack and play, stroller, cooler, over night bags, towels, snacks....

She smiled like this to almost everyone that walked by her while we were downtown.  She already loves being the center of attention!

Tuesday was a different story.  It was crazy hot!  The beach was starting to get crowded too, and there was NO breeze!  I don't think I have ever been to the beach and there be no breeze.  Even under the umbrella was miserable hot.  The only way to be comfortable was to be submerged in the water.  It was way too hot for Norah Kate. She was pretty ill and we were constantly taking her down to the water to cool off.  We stayed out for about an hour and then packed up and headed home.  She was so wore out she slept the whole way home (over a 3 hour drive!).

Next year I will be chasing her down the beach! :)

 

 

Beach Bums

I know it has been a while since I have last posted, but I have been trying to spend as much time as possible with Little Girl and do lots around the house before I go back to work.  This past Monday though, I found the time to go to the beach.  My sister-in-law and I planned a spur of the moment trip Sunday afternoon.  We got up early Monday morning and took off to Jacksonville Beach, FL.  Norah Kate's first beach trip!  The Sunday before, I had taken her to Florida to see my dad's side of the family, so I knew she would do pretty good in the car. 

Even though I started packing late the night before, it seemed like I was never going to get out of the house Monday morning; I was running late as always.  I keep forgetting that it takes twice as long to get everything ready than before I had a baby.  I have to make sure the diaper bag is stocked, pack healthy snacks for me so my nursie don't dry up, change of clothes for me and her in case spit up incidences or explosive diapers occurs, and ensure that if we get stranded we have enough stuff to survive for a week (well not really, but almost, we really would be okay for a night or two).  I would get in the car and get ready to head down the drive way and "Oh, crap... I forgot...." and run back in the house.  This happened at least three times.



Anyway, we made it... it was a B-E-A-utiful day at the beach.  It was just breezy enough to keep you cool and not a cloud in the sky.  I actually had to keep her covered up under the umbrella because it was chilly.  Man, if you weren't careful you could have gotten blistered.  I put on sunscreen at least twice.  Because this was my first beach trip with Norah Kate,  I was really nervous about her precious baby skin getting sunburned.  I had bought Coppertone SPF 100 and made sure she was under the umbrella the whole time.  I was afraid that the sun would reflect off the water or something and still get to her under the umbrella... you know... the same way you can get sunburned if you have a shirt on.  I would have been in big trouble had I let her get sunburned!



Getting All Sunscreened Up

My sister in law probably looked like the Clampits on the way down to the beach because we were trying to carry everything in one trip...between the baby, umbrella, lawnchairs, towels, bags and coolers we were packed down...  That was only with ONE kid.  By the time we have more kids, and their toys, we will have to get a wagon, or Uhaul, or something.

Norah Kate loved the beach... not to brag or anything but I have an angel baby.  She slept the whole way to Jacksonville.  While we were on the beach she only took two little cat naps, but mostly just chilled and played.  Even the ride home she was good, she pitched a little fit for about 20 minutes, but then slept most of the way home.  I could not have imagined her behaving any better.  We even survived the five o'clock Jacksonville traffic!!



Mama's Beach Bum

 

Gettin' in some Tummy Time.  She loved the view!

It was such a relaxing trip, and I am already wanting to go back, especially now that I know she loves it and is a good car rider!!