Best decision I made on Saturday? I took the boys to the beach after an afternoon of shopping. Ryan started asking me to take him to the beach about two or three weeks ago (before it got windy and cold), but our schedule didn't permit. Then I got sick last week and wasn't up to going, and I knew that I had been neglecting my housework.
I have not taken the boys to the beach since summer. I know they love going, so I wanted to make a point to take them. I didn't have anything scheduled on Saturday, and I was in the mood to get out of the house and take my time running my errands. I told the boys that I would try to take them to the beach for a short time after we were done with the shopping. So, I was moderately prepared--I had the beach chair, camera, sand toys, extra outfits--but somehow we left the beach towels at home and had to make do with hand towels that were (fortunately) in my beach bag.
From the pictures you can not tell how
cold and windy it really was. Although I did change into shorts when we got to the beach, and left my flip flops at the stairs, at no time did I remove my fleece sweatshirt. In fact, I had to angle my beach chair slightly away from the water so I wasn't facing the wind. As you can tell, the boys did not mind
at all. They were just so excited to be there. I made them pose for me when we first got there. After the obligatory photo was taken, they were off and having fun.
Ryan immediately started digging and building in the sand. He continued to do that the majority of the time we were there. Todd, on the other hand, did not stop moving. There is only one word to describe Todd at the beach this day . . .
F R E E !
Todd chased after birds, including the seagulls who were accosting some fellow beachgoers (who were innocent and
not offering the gulls food). He jumped and slid off the one-and-a-half -foot dropoff to the water. He found shells. He ran up and down the shore. He tried playing catch (we had to give up after three tosses--the wind was way too strong for the light ball we had with us). He watched the waves.
Todd jumped and dove into the pit that Ryan found and was digging in (Ryan: "Mom, this is off-limits because we are working in here right now. You can't come in."--building/safety codes, I guess).
Todd found and examined a "tide pool." (That's funny! A tide pool on the Gulf Coast?!? I think they are examining some green slime and a Starburst candy wrapper. No sea anemone, urchins, starfish, or barnacles here. [Check out Ryan's hesitation--shorts hiked up so high you can see his underwear!]
Todd takes off his shirt (brrrrr!) and after wading through the puddle...I mean "tide pool"...he starts splashing in it, then starts walking from one end to the other, then backing up a ways to get going fast enough so he can run all the way through it. He gets his brother Ryan to do the same.
Before I know it, both boys are in water. They go back and forth between the puddle and the Gulf.
Finally, I decide that although they are still having fun, it would be wiser for me to get them out now before they get too cold. I had already gathered our things, and as soon as the boys got out of the water we ran to the bath house. I asked the boys to at least rinse off the sand from their hands and feet. Todd was scared to touch the water coming from the spigot. He thought it would be freezing. After about three minutes of protesting we both notice that not only is Ryan rinsing off his hands and his feet, but he has stuck his head under the spigot to rinse his hair and is now sitting under the spigot letting the water run over his back. I put my hand in the water and am surprised to find that it is almost warm. It takes me another minute to convince Todd, but finally he feels the water. Next thing you know, both my boys are sitting until their own spigot warming up (wish I had a photo). I took this opportunity to run to my car, which was just down the stairs, and grab their dry clothes. They quickly got changed, and as soon as we were settled in the car they asked me to crank up the heat. I was sweating, but I was glad my boys were able to warm up easily.
It made me feel so good seeing the boys, especially Todd, 100% happy. We were only on the beach for a little over an hour, but it was the best hour of the day.
