Beach: Day 3

We wanted to make the most of our morning since it was the last of our weekend getaway.  The plan was to walk on the beach briefly, then go to the pool at 8 a.m.  Apparently the pool didn't open 'til 9, so our brief walk turned into an hour long saga.  The goal was to make it to this pier (which we did). 

Ordinarily, walking along the ocean where the tide comes in is my favorite thing to do at the beach.  I just roll up my pants and let the cool waves crash against my bare feet.  I didn't have the same joy this year.  Let me just tell you what a pain in the ass it is to maneuver a stroller along the sand, especially in the gullies.  The only alternative would have been for Jesse and I to each carry two children.  Jesse kept getting the stroller stuck but I quickly learned the best approach was to turn the stroller around and pull rather than push the wheels further into the sand.  The trick was to go as fast as possible in the gullies so the wheels didn't have time to sink into the sand.

 

 Maddie and Amelia kept each other warm and ended up falling asleep in one another's arms.  LOVE!

Jesse and I literally raced back to the hotel to take family pictures before my brother and sister left.  Here are the cousins (minus two who didn't get to go this year).

After saying "goodbyes" to some of my siblings and their kids, our family headed back to the pool.  James was much more interested in sleeping,

but the girls and I were perfectly content floating around.

Of course, Jesse loved on the babies and Jack, too.

After showers, changing, and packing, it was time for us to say our own farewells. Jackson was so cute.  He kept waving at the workers who were mowing the lawn, then saying, "Bye beach".

We stopped halfway at a McDonald's.  We didn't need to eat; it was just an easy way for Jackson to get some of his energy out and let the babies stretch a bit while we fed and changed them.



We had to go by Jesse's school to pick up his car, then rush home to unpack and cook dinner for company that was coming over that night.  Taking three infants and a toddler to the beach was fun but challenging.  I'm so thankful we had Veteran's Day to recover!

Beach: Day 2

Everyone slept well and awoke in great moods.  Jackson was eager to start his day, so our morning began with an early morning walk along the beach.     

The view from our balcony

My brother and his three kids just so happened to be walking out of their hotel room at the same time, so we were all able to play together. I was relieved because it always helps when there is a 1:1 infant/adult ratio. The babies were indifferent to the ocean since they were getting hungry.  As it turns out, Jackson hates sand in his shoes and on his toes.  This was the last time he walked on the beach barefoot the rest of the trip.

We had planned to enjoy breakfast at our beloved K&W.  (Yes, we are really 80 year olds at heart.)  I was so disappointed to see that our annual tradition was not going to happen as the K&W no longer serves breakfast!  At least we had another 50 breakfast restaurants to select from.  We ended up at the House of Pancakes where all six of us enjoyed eating.  Our amazing waitress was always one step ahead of us and anticipated our needs and wants.

Jackson chowed down on a full size waffle.  He isn't always the best behaved in restaurants, particularly when he has to stay seated for extended periods of time.  Thankfully, he stayed occupied by figuring out how to work the syrup container.

After breakfast, we all got ready for the pool.  The girls' bathing suits were size 12 months, but they still worked. 

I brought the bumbos since they're so compact and lightweight.  I knew the pool could be challenging without help, considering we have four children that can't swim.  The babies were perfectly content waiting their turns before getting into the pool.

Jackson was his typical playful self in the pool.

Swimming wore the kids out.  Jesse and the kids napped while I pumped and uploaded pictures.  We ate sandwiches for lunch, then met up with my siblings at Broadway at the Beach.  Jackson's MiMi had given him $10, which he spent entirely on gummy bears.  Jackson was a "kid in a candy store" in every sense of the phrase, carefully reviewing each sugary option with pure elation.  He proudly handed the cashier his $10 bill and wanted me to take a picture of his candy to send to his MiMi. 

I am always more relaxed around my siblings.  I love the shared responsibility of watching one another's children.  Strangers would have no clue which child belonged to which adult since nieces and nephews flow among the adults within our close-knit family.

I also appreciate the eagerness and maturity of the older kids wanting to help feed the babies and push strollers.

Other highlights of our shopping excursions included time to climb and slide on a playground, watching workers make fudge, and feeding the fish and ducks.

Thankfully I had the foresight to bring my pump in the van because I needed some relief on the way back to the hotel.  Rather than going back up to our room, we headed straight to the beach.

A stranger captured a family photo for us,

then we watched the sunset.

We all piled in my sister's hotel suite for our annual spaghetti dinner.  Seven adults and fifteen children fill a space with constant commotion and endless entertainment.  It was at the same meal last year when Jesse and I announced we were expecting triplets.  What a difference a year makes!

Another annual beach tradition is to get a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts, but only when the "Hot Now" sign is lit.  We concluded our evening with hats, pajamas, TV, and doughnuts.  YUM!

Beach: Day 1

The plan was to meet Jesse at work at 3, feed the babies, leave by 3:30, and be at the beach by 7:30 p.m.  No part of that happened.  Our setbacks included fighting with strollers while trying to pack up the van by myself, missing the turn to Jesse's school in the middle of cotton fields, and having to take longer than expected pit stops to feed/change babies. 

We stopped at a Wendy's for dinner.  While Jesse and Jackson went to the restroom, I got everything ready for feeding the babies (bottles, burp cloths, etc).  As I began to feed the girls, an elderly woman walked across the restaurant, picked up James' bottle, and began feeding him.  Her hands were trembling so much that the bottle was bobbing in and out of his mouth.  I was so shocked and continued to anxiously scan the room looking for Jesse.  I repeated, "Ma'am, he's okay.  Oh, no thank you."  Not only would she not leave, she never said a word or even made eye contact.  It was the most bizarre experience to date. 

The kid's meal toy was little Shrek ears and a face mask.  I'm seriously contemplating stopping at Wendy's to get three more kid's meals.  How cute (and cheap!) would three little Shrek's be for Halloween next year?

At last, we arrived at the beach around 9:30.  Maneuvering a twin stroller along with a fully loaded bell cart  in elevators, hallways, and doorways is no easy task!  I got the girls and luggage up to our room on the 14th floor while Jesse parked the van and brought the boys up.  Even though Jackson had been sleeping hard in the van, he was so excited when we got to our hotel room.  He immediately asked if he could go swimming.  I had just enough time to take Jackson to the indoor pool for a few minutes before it closed while my sisters helped Jesse feed and swaddle the babies. 

A few days before the beach, my sister enlightened me to the fact that I could simply request a crib in our hotel room.  I had been struggling to make room for a pack-in-play amidst all our other cargo.  I was so grateful to open the door to our hotel room and find a crib in the corner.  James and Amelia shared the crib while Jackson slept in one bed with Jesse and Maddie and I shared the other bed.

Despite being on a weekend getaway, my night still revolved around my alarm clock and pump.  Thankfully, everyone slept peacefully while I opened the door to the balcony and listened to the waves crash along the sand.