Burl at the Beach, 2011

He was only 5 months old last year when we went to the beach, so I guess we can say that this was Burl's first experience with the beach?  Right?  As soon as we put the mini in park, John grabbed Burl and I grabbed my camera (with a lens that kept fogging up) and we introduced Burl to the beach.  

First up was the sand.  Watching him walk on sand was like watching him take his first steps.  Wobbly.  Unbalanced.  Completely new.  

Eventually, sitting and playing in it was the more enticing option.  

The next morning, we greased that baby up with Water Babies SPF 4,000 and hit the ocean.  The waves crashing on the beach were a huge hit.  More than the water, he loved the current that  pulled him straight into the ocean.  This is where things got a bit interesting.  The more he was tugged and the more he laughed, the whiter our knuckles got on our grasp around him.  He was a wild man in the waves.

For the most part, he liked sitting in the sand with us, under the umbrella-ella-ella, digging holes in the sand with John.  For the most part.

A few nights we went out for dinner.  I asked some locals, aka, the skim-boarders who hung out awkwardly close to us, where to eat.  He asked us what we were looking for, and I quote, "you lookin' for like a bar scene?"  Uh no, dude.  Not sure if people in my 6-month-gestation-stage are allowed in bars.   So we went with the rowdy restaurant instead.  He told us what to order-the pucker sandwich with fish-and we were rowdy, toddler style.



Two other nights we went to a restaurant floating in the bay during sunset.  Insert perfect beach scene.  Burl was mainly occupied by his new found love for small ice.  Whatever it takes to let me swallow my dinner whole.  Whatever it takes.

We went back to our condo for some pictures on the beach.  We forgot our matchy-matchy full blown khaki jumpers that I made for each of us, so we had to wing it.  The whale shirt was pretty fitting, I think.

Every time I squatted to take a level picture of Burl, he squatted with me.  Now that is just cute, but really, Burl, stand-up, I want that cool ocean-in-the-background shot.

The morning that we left, we took a little family stroll on the beach.  At first Burl wasn't into it, rubbing sand in his face.  

Then, John scooped him up and we went for a walk.  What did we find: a small sandbar stretching just enough into the ocean for Burl to have some fun.  Fun he did have.

We couldn't get enough of him.  Laughing and screaming.  Totally enjoying himself.  

Who cared if he was in full clothes, a regular diaper that absorbed 93 gallons of ocean water, Burl had fun.

And that was the perfect way to end our beach trip of 2,000 and 11.