Screech Week 2012

We're back! We spent the last week relaxing at the beach down in the Outer Banks, NC. (Which I deemed Screech Week 2012. Seemed appropriate.) Well...those of you with kids know that one does not relax on vacation with three small children. You simply carry on your routine insanity at another location, and often with less sleep even than usual since children use any excuse possible to not sleep. Missing blankies, stubbed toes, different surroundings, phases of the moon, weather in other countries, weird noises (often made by their own siblings), etc. It was fun, in that now I really need a vacation sort of way. But really, I love the beach so it was good to get away.

There was this momentary lapse in judgement, where I (the photographer who should know better) tried to do a session on the beach with my  three hooligans. It was about like you are imagining, but worse. I think the only thing that would have made it more stressful was if Jaws himself was involved. It's a good thing the kids are cute no matter what face they are making or I'd probably just be out of luck. ;)

The kids did fairly well on the beach. Merrick was the sand-wallower, which was totally surprising considering he cannot handle when his socks are crooked much less when he is dirty. Tirzah loved it once she discovered peeing in the ocean (particularly on random unsuspecting cousins) was pretty much acceptable. She was not a fan of sand, but ocean-peeing? New favorite hobby. Jericho pretty much sat on the beach and was cute...or napped in the cottage and was cute. His routine doesn't change much when you move him from one place to another. He eats, sleeps, squeals like a beluga whale, looks cute, repeats pattern. He's awesome.

I love taking the hooligans to experience new things. I know trips like these will be more fun as they get a little older, and a little more capable of not peeing all over the van while we drive home through the tunnel, and a little more interested in sleeping past 6:30 am, and possible a little more interested in walking to the beach on their own legs (instead of making me carry 3 people, two towels, two cups, a bumbo, an umbrella, a chair, a ninja turtle and a shovel). But until then, at least I can call it a good workout.

 

The last shot is for Project 366, Sweet Shot, and Communal Global.