Beach Vacation

Oh my gosh, how the time flies. I meant to post this right when we got back from vacation. . . . . . oh well:-) A few weeks ago we went out to Oceanside for a week. We rented a timeshare from one of Eric's colleagues right on the Beach. We had a blast, once again we picked up and drove out to So Cal:-) This time we took so much stuff. . . . who knows for sure what you will need when you go away for a week with a baby!

Every morning we would wake up and eat breakfast outside to the sounds of the waves. While we were there we went to 2 farmer's markets and so the whole week we ate the freshest organic fruits and veggies. . . . it was awesome! We ran outside (can't do that in Phoenix in this heat with a baby right now), we laid at the beach, and we spent time with family and friends. My parents came down with my niece Torii and my sister Lisa and rented a place less than a quarter mile from ours, which was awesome because we got to spend the entire week with them. The first day at the beach was a little windy, and Owen was NOT enjoying it. . . . I was worried that we had made a BIG mistake, but by the afternoon he was more like himself. We set up his beach tent and he enjoyed being in there since it was in the shade, but blocked from the wind and much warmer. After that, every day was PERFECT, sunny, no marine layer or even clouds and warm with a nice breeze. You couldn't ask for better San Diego weather.

We even visted the zoo, which I had never been to, and some of Eric's family was able to come down and join us as well which was great. That zoo is really cool, we will definitley be back when Owen can enjoy the sites even more! It was hot though, even for us desert folk! The BOB was a must at the zoo because of all the hills. Mostly I just pushed an empty stroller around, because Auntie Lisa wanted to hold Owen the whole time, which was great because then I didn't have to worry if he was okay or not . . . he was in great hands.

I can't say thank you enough to my parents for driving down and spending the vacation with us. I love to see Owen with his extended family, and he loved spending time with everyone. Especially Torii, who learned she has to speak up to get to hold him (ha ha. . . . but no really!).

On our last day at the beach we took Owen down to the water and put his toes in the wet sand which he liked, but then the water came up and covered his feet and he started screaming because it was so cold. But we did take him for his first swim at my parents heated pool, which he liked. You would think he was allergic to the sun the way he is covered up . . . but considering his father's skin, I think we better be safe than sorry. Speaking of Eric, like almost every vacation he got a really bad sunburn on the FIRST day, and then had to hibernate for the rest of the vacation:-) He claims it was my fault because I told him to put his sunscreen on once we got down there, and then he forgot to do it, and stood out in the sun, on the beach, for the whole day!

We also were lucky enough to spend some time with some of our very good friends. My Matron of Honor who now has a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old who are SOOOOOOOO cute, the way they play together is THE BEST, and we also saw one of my BEST friends from college Jaymie who also now has a 4 yr old, a 2 yr old, and a baby baking in her oven!!!!! How times change, right? Getting to see them was icing on a very very good cake. I love my life in Phoenix, but I MISS those girls.

We also were able to connect with one of Eric's best friends from high school Angie and her family. They have two beautiful daughters. I don't know her very well, but through her newsletters at Christmas time, but they really are an amazing family. Our stories are very different, and also tragically similar in that we both lost a baby, and have the aftermath of taking care of our other children with varying degrees of medical conditions based on prematurity or other circumstances. It was very refreshing to talk to someone who knows what its like to have been down that road. Angie and Tim's story is very different from ours, but I think when you go through something like what we have been through you join an unfortunate sorority of very strong women and it can be very comforting to have sisters like that.

Okay, this has become a book:-)  Here are some pictures to go along with the stories: