Summer 2012 Begins!

We spent Memorial Day weekend at the beach, which has become a yearly tradition.  Natalie's reaction to the sand and water is different every time we go so we really didn't know what to expect.  Our little water baby loved it.  The water was a bit too cold for me, but Natalie couldn't get enough.  The weather was absolutely perfect as was our timing to get out of town (DC was hit with a 90degree+ heatwave, yuck!).  We were busy, busy.  Activities included a long bicycle ride to Cape May (with ice cream, of course), beach time, pool time, a trip to the zoo, rides at the boardwalk piers, cooking out and some dinner outings.  Despite missing a few naps, our happy girl loved every second.

Ice cream in Cape May... hey, it's tough relaxing in the bike seat while Mama pedals hard for 9 miles.  

Someone found Nana's stash of beads.

Pretty girls ready for the pool

Smores on the patio

I think she liked it.

Movie night in Nana and Pop's room

No words needed.

Nana teaching Julia how to stand like a flamingo at the zoo.  There is a background story here - we always used to find mom standing like this while doing something in the kitchen, typically at the sink.  The resemblance to a flamingo is uncanny.

Someone LOVED the zebras

A little hot at this point, almost ready to hit the beach

But not before we go for a ride on Daddy's shoulders.  We're trying to teach her to hold his ears, which Dave isn't thrilled about but at least he'd be able to see.

Riley's ready for the beach!

Julia was all business 

Ke-ke came up from Atlanta!

Beach baby with her "golfin"*

*Really it's an orka whale, but she kept calling it a dolphin

Headed to the sandbar with Nana and Pop

Dave and Julia trying their hardest to build a sandcastle.  It seems that Riley and Natalie had other plans, of the bulldozing variety.

Stuffed full of BBQ

Me and my happy girl

Dave and I

The whole group, except me since I'm taking the picture :)

Checking out the boats and pretty sunset

Family photo attempt FAIL

Watch out world!

She has a need for speed.... the carousel and fast car was by far her favorite rides.  I, however, was not too keen on the fast car, but we'll keep those photos private.