Footprints in the Sand

We returned today from two days at the beach.  We are not a family to head to the beach during the summer; the last time we were here, it was March.  We enjoy missing the crowds, and having the sand and all its treasures for ourselves alone.  The Little Badgers were all very excited, and Little Brother Badger really wanted to see a shark jumping out of the water and a humpback whale, despite our arguments to the contrary.  This trip was Baby Badger's first real beach adventure, as before she was only 7 months old, and slept most of the time we were near the water.  Grandma Badger in particular was very excited to know Baby's reaction to seeing the ocean for the first time.

Well, Baby glanced up at the water once, briefly, before going back to eating sand.

Despite the brevity of the trip, there are several moments that I remember, and things I learned.  I learned that children instinctively know to jump in elevators, and have a great time doing so.  I learned that $50 in lobby Halloween decorations will provide at least 50 minutes of entertainment to a 4-year-old.  I learned that my daughter fearlessly loves the pool.  I remember spending a long, glorious time with her painstakingly picking out pebbles on the beach.  I learned that our children can all sleep in one room, and that the Boy Badgers L.O.V.E. chocolate ice cream cones after dinner (and Daddy, too), even if said dinner is the definition of chaos.  I remember Little Brother Badger insisting on making, not a sand angel, but a sand orca (they look the same).  And I remember Big Brother Badger being firmly in River Badger character in the sand, in the hotel room, and in a patch of long grass (look out, seagulls!).

We suffered through one bloody nose, some initial fear of the ocean, two dinners out, and several mini-meltdowns.  We enjoyed wine-to-go in little plastic cups, beautiful weather, accommodating restaurant patrons, and chocolate chip cookies in the lobby at 8PM.  We discovered that some people put cheese on fish tacos (!?), that Baby has an independent streak, and that the best lunches are eaten standing on the picnic table.  Daddy River Badger and I watched the Little Badgers enjoy playing together, all three, really, for the first time.

So, my advice would be to go on an adventure, even if it seems like a small one, with people you love.  As for our trip, the image I'm left with is my Baby, her face lit up with a smile, and her arms wide open, running towards me across the sand, her little feet making small footprints all the way to me.