Myrtle Beach in Retrospect

Here are a few photos from our camera from our trip. This photo was taken while we were stopped in traffic for 2 hours en route. Cade was fascinated by the “big rig” parked next to us - here is where he met “Steve”, the UPS driver.  

Lyla had no desire to leave Fancy Nancy to get out of the car to explore the parked cars, and she wanted me to get back in the car to read to her: 

We took this photo not long after we arrived as we think Cade is starting to look funny in a diaper - he is absolutely not interested in potty training. He says he is “too little” to wear underwear and refuses to even sit on the potty. 

Our first evening in the ocean - Cade loved the feeling of the sand beneath his feet and was completely uninhibited by the water. 

Lyla is fascinated by the ocean for probably the first time - she’s usually completely disinterested. This year, she wants to meet a mermaid and is pointing out to me where they may live beneath the water: 

Cade’s run really is hilarious these days - I need to include video that Daddy is taking in the background: 

Digging in the sand in the evenings is a favorite past time on vacation: 

Lyla was insistent that this lime was a “clue” to buried treasure: 

Fervently digging - she ultimately found a shell under the sand: 

Daddy body surfing: 

Mermaid Lyla: 

These photos were taken at the Sea Captain’s House, a restaurant we visited on our first trip to Myrtle Beach, when Lyla was only 8 months old. It is a special place for us because in the restaurant’s beautiful backyard, which is situated on the ocean, Lyla decided she wanted to walk. It was there that she began reaching both hands up in the air, requesting us to “walk” her around the yard. We were glad to come back to this place now that she’s all grown up and take updated family photos with Cade. They both loved this special place: 

Our last night on the Beach consisted of a walk down through the sand…more for Lyla than Cade. She wanted to spend time looking for shells. 

And, Cade wanted to revisit the Pirate Ship Playground, behind our condo building.

They both got their last night of vacation wish. 

Special night to end a fantastic vacation. 

Sweet Girl

I wanted to post these photos Lance took with our camera on the first day of school - I think he captured so much of my ambivalence, and more importantly, he caught our sweet, sensitive girl in the act of comforting Mommy.

She can be impatient, demanding and, well, just 4. But, anyone who knows Lyla also knows that there’s just something about her that you can’t quite pinpoint, something that is special and so unique. It’s a sensitive effervescence that I love so much that sometimes I think my heart just might break. 

I know her so well that I can often guess exactly what she’s going to say or what she’s going to feel before it even happens. I attribute that, of course, to the fact that I’ve been with her 95 percent of every single day of her short life. The knowledge we have of each other is reciprocal, though. She can read me almost like a book, and I love how sensitive she was to my ambivalence on the first day of school. 

These photos really need no words. They’re beautiful and amazing just as they are: 

I am so blessed to be her Mommy. 

Our amazing little girl is just that - amazing. 

She is more than worth every single day that I waited for her. 

First Day of School

It was a big day! The first day of school is here, and Lyla and Cade jumped out of bed, so excited about the day.

Things started so smoothly - Cade couldn't wait to leave, and he couldn't wait to meet his new teacher, Ms. Jennifer.


Lyla is so excited to show Cade the ropes. Here, they are distracted as the big kid bus was picking up the neighbor kids.


Lyla bounded right into her class this morning. She's so excited to have 4 girls and 3 boys in the class...a first. There are usually so many boys!!

Cade was excited to go too...until Mommy & Daddy announced that we were leaving. He wasn't too thrilled about that! In fact, he and most of his class had full fledged break downs about being left by their parents.


Three hours ticked by quickly (sort of), and here he is coming to the car with his teacher:


He was so happy to be back with Mommy & Daddy:


Lyla's teacher said that Cade saw Lyla midway through the day and announced to everyone that he would be going home now. Apparently, he did have one mid-morning break down, but he bounced back.

When he got home, here is how he spent quiet time - he made this bed himself and turned the iPad to Pearl Jam:


He needed some wind-down time later in the afternoon:


Nothing like summer days and bubbles.

Also, today he announced that he was "arting" with Lyla's sketching pencils - he then tried to put the pencil behind his ear "like Ms. Marion" (Lyla's teacher ). Apparently, school made quite an impression on him today.

It was an eventful day - these 2 are getting so big!!

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Are we there yet?

We left Myrtle Beach this morning at 5:30. We packed up, picked up the kids, carried them to the car in hopes that they would sleep the first few hours of the drive.

Ummmm....nope.

They were so excited by driving in the dark that it became a contest to see who could see what sights first:

Pointing to a radio tower:
Lyla: "Cade, I see the North Star! Do you?!"

We finally gave up, served up Pirate Booty and turned on the DVDs.

Cade has finally fallen asleep - before giving in, he started covering himself with his covie:












Finally, Miss Q. is asleep too:






Overheard:
Lyla: "Cade, we're halfway home!"
Cade: "Can we get out now?"

Lyla: "Daddy, we're half of a pizza home."

And, Daddy, by the way, is driving with a determination resembling a bat out of hell. He doesn't want to stop, and he keeps talking about making it another hour and a half before we can get out of the car.

4 more hours...

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Location:The Road

Our Last Day

The last day of vacation is always so bittersweet. The sweetness of home looms ahead, but it's sad to leave the beach behind. There will never be another time at Myrtle Beach with our 2 and 4 year olds.

And... our babies are both headed to preschool this week - Lyla 4 mornings a week and Cade 2. School mornings are officially upon us, which is hard to fathom.

The last day of vacation had it's own set of bucket list items. Lyla: the waterpark, slides, Sea Captain's House and the Beach. Cade: the Pirate Ship.

We accomplished all of these. As we were headed upstairs from our last moments on the Beach, I was overwhelmed with emotion - I have so loved taking a much needed break to be with my family.

The day could begin after Cade announced that he had pooped...exactly what we were waiting for so we didn't have another pool incident:



We made it down to the big slide and we all took a turn, except Cade.







Lyla:












Daddy:






And even me - I didn't want to, but couldn't say no to Lyla's "plleaeaeassse, Mommy!":






That slide was forever long!!!

Cade wasn't really into the Lazy River at first - he just wanted to play with his trucks:






We ultimately all had a great morning in the pool - it was so much fun being together.

After the pool, Lyla played a little mini golf:












Then we went upstairs to eat lunch and relax for awhile before a trip to the souvenir shop, Sea Captain's House, the Beach and Pirate Ship playground.

Lyla loves to draw and color:








Lyla's tie dye shirt from earlier this week :







More photos forthcoming - I switched to the big camera and haven't downloaded yet.

It didn't rain one drop on our whole trip.

Perfection.


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Location:Myrtle Beach

Today at Myrtle...

Vacation is bringing about what Lyla calls "mixed up feelings". She says one part of her brain really wants to stay at the Beach, but the other part is ready to return home.

I think this is such a testament to how happy she is at home, our sweet girl. And, as always, I'm so astonished at her ability to express her feelings...for a 4 year old, I think it's pretty amazing.

Today was a good day, but everyone is wearing down a bit. We started our day with a horrible trip to the outlet mall - huge mistake. Remind me to never set foot in any place called Tanger on a national holiday. The people there are all insane...outlet shoppers mean serious business. They're rude...kind of like people on a cruise ship with their buffets.

Suffice to say, the only things purchased today were (more)toys for the kids basically to reward them for their time. After that, all we wanted to do was retreat.

The outlet mall is no place for us on Labor Day, especially in 94 degree heat.

So, when we returned to the condo, Lance got on the huge slide he has wanted to do all week:



"That thing is FAST!"

We went back to the Lazy River, and Lyla loves practicing her jumps - she directs Daddy how far to stand back:



And, then she jumps!




Cade enjoyed the Lazy River for awhile, but then decided he wanted to go back to the Pirate Ship playground from yesterday. Here, he's happy to get his "little juice" and his dollar bill that the clerk gave him in change:







Also noteworthy about Sweet Bug today - Mommy was tearful when I discovered I left Lyla's white sundress I had hoped to have her wear for beach pics.

Cade: "Why are you crying, Mommy?"
Me: "Oh, Mommy is just sad that I left Lyla's dress at home that I wanted her to wear tomorrow."
Cade: "Well, maybe you can just bring it next year, Mommy."

Wow. He is 2 and utterly amazing.

Miss Q. was happy to get her face painted today, although we believe that the staff here could learn a thing or 2 from Uncle Kip. Lyla was initially worried about it washing away in the water, but said, "It's not good for your skin, and Nan hates face painting and tatoos anyway.."




Our day ended with Lyla insisting on a number of photos of her hair in different styles - she's really learning to love being a little girl:

Curly:




Straight:







I love having a little girl and a little boy. I'm the luckiest Mommy in the whole, wide world.


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Location:Myrtle Beach