Last Sunset, a photo by here we wander on Flickr.
Our week at the beach is quickly winding down. Today was our last full day, and tomorrow we will wake up, finish packing and begin the fifteen hour drive back home.
Today we did a little bit of everything. I got to take two different walks along the beach all by myself - one this morning and one again late this afternoon. Grandma and Grandpa took Connor on their usual walk and swim along the beach. The twins and I walked down to join them at the end, so they had another visit to the ocean. The waves are a bit too big and the boys are a bit too annoyed by being constrained to really enjoy the beach. There were lots of tears and tantrums on their part. We did manage one group photo (see here), all except Grandma who does not do photos.
After our beach adventure, we made the requisite stop at the swimming pool. The boys spent a few hours jumping, splashing and floating. They were not ready to leave. But then again, they never are.
Grandma fixed us our favorite dinner - fried pork chops and fried potatoes - and then we watched the sun disappear in the inlet behind us. I wandered back down to the beach for a few more photos of the water since all my visits to the water had seemingly included three needy children. It's hard to take pictures and keep three fearless children from drowning.
A long week of sun and sand and water. A good vacation with family before a big change. School starts next week, and I'm still not sure any of us are ready for it. Guess we'll find out soon enough.
Water Boy, a photo by here we wander on Flickr.
With three brothers close in age (only 14 months separates the three of them), most people would assume Connor would never be without a play mate. They would assume wrong.
I often feel for Connor, who tries so hard to engage his brothers in typical games of kids their age. Whether its hide and seek or chase or even just made up games, Connor doesn't have much luck. Xander will occasionally join in a game of chase or run around being silly with him. But it's always short-lived and usually ends in someone's tears of either anger, frustration, or even hurt. Sawyer never joins in these games. About the only time he will chase anyone is if they have managed to get his iPad without his knowledge, and he will track them down in seconds.
Sometimes I wonder how much of Connor's personality is shaped by his relationship (or lack thereof) with his brothers. He is outgoing, social and always ready with words or actions to make a new friend. It's both fun and sad to watch. He wants so much to play with his brothers, but eventually turns to complete strangers, children and adults alike.
This week at the pool Connor has been forced to find play mates. His brothers, while happy to jump and splash and swim, cannot be talked into swim races or diving under water for things. They simply like to do their own thing, quite removed from anyone or anything else going on around them, their own brother included.
Connor has found many willing friends. I'm sure it seems odd to those on the outside, that when we bring three boys down to the pool to play, one of them always looks elsewhere for entertainment. It would seem odd to me, if I didn't have to watch it every single day.
One group in particular is always appealing to Connor. They are older kids, who play games that he is not quite able to do, but he always scoots in close and finds his way into the action. Whether they are tossing a football the length of the pool (and letting him sit nearby to take a few close passes in between the long ones) or whether they are holding swim races and letting him referee, he is allowed to play with others, something he desperately seeks.
I am grateful for the kindness of others, especially these older kids, who let him play. They have been gracious and inclusive all week long, without knowing how much it means to him and to us. I have thanked them for letting him play. I know how hard it would be to admit a younger player to some of their games, and also how tightly he can latch on to others at times (to the point of being quite obnoxious really). Those older kids have no idea how rarely he gets to play with other kids, to enjoy moments when his brothers needs and limitations are not taking precedence over his own. In the pool, playing football with some older boys, he gets to simply play and be.
And I am thankful. For his personality that is never afraid to reach out and take what he needs (and so rarely ever gets from his brothers). For the kindness of others that welcome him with open arms, even when he is out of his league. And for the parents who have raised these kids, who could have easily excluded him and went on their own way, but instead adapted their games to let him play.
Beach Buddies, a photo by here we wander on Flickr.
Routines and rituals are important for our boys, especially the twins. After several days at the beach, we have settled into a pretty predictable routine.
In the mornings, Connor and I sleep in, while Grandma and Grandpa have taken responsibility for if not getting up early with the twins, at least getting them up early to go to the bathroom and then putting them back to bed to either rest or fall back asleep. Grandma has a way with the twins that does not allow for disagreement.
Everyone manages their own breakfast, and watches with some disbelief as all of our neighbors start hitting the beach by 10 o'clock. We're still waking up and eating at that point, at least Connor and I are anyway. After breakfast, I usually take my solitary walk for a little peace.
After lunch, Grandma and Grandpa have been taking their walk. And as it usually includes Connor, it also includes several stops to play in the ocean. Connor is always quick to ask which building they have to walk to, since his primary concern is where he will get to stop and play in the ocean. He gets to swim at the turning around point, and then again when they get back to our condo. Grandpa joins him on the second swim, so that he can go out further into the water and enjoy the bigger waves that have been crashing on our beach.
After a few hours of walking and splashing, his next stop is always the pool. One must follow the other, at least in Connor's eyes. Some days I walk down with the twins to join them, either at the beach or perhaps just at the pool, and some days I let Connor enjoy his time on his own.
Then it's time to either grill or cook dinner (hence our big grocery trip on our first day after arrival). We prefer the convenience (and taste) of cooking our own meals on our own schedule, and not having to worry about cutting activities short to shower and change and make ourselves presentable. If you eat in your room, you can come in your swimsuit if you want. Connor and I like that.
And so we've spent nearly a week doing roughly the same thing every day. The boys know what to expect, and have seemed to enjoy their vacation at the beach, despite the heat. It's hard to believe that in exactly one week school will start back, and the beach will be a distant memory. Guess we better enjoy tomorrow - our last full day - for all that it's worth!
Riding the Wave, a photo by here we wander on Flickr.
Today we ventured out on the beach during the day time. Three little boys screamed all the way across the hot sand before they touched their toes in the edge of the surf. It got better from there.
Sawyer and Connor were all about the water and waves, wading out as far as they could touch and beyond. Xander came out from time to time, but after about 30 minutes today, he was done. As in, he literally kept telling me "all done" and walking back toward the gate. He was ready for the pool. After letting the other two splash a little longer, he eventually got his wish. We took all of the boys back up to the pool for a few more hours of splashing.
Another good day at the beach (and the pool) ...
Three Brothers, a photo by here we wander on Flickr.
Our beach vacations have predominantly been in the winter, usually around Christmas time, which makes this beach trip a little bit different. In the winter, you can be out on the beach all day long and never once get hot. You're lucky if it's warm enough to wear swimwear and catch some sun. But in the summer, it's really, really hot during the day.
After the long drive and the early bedtime, we all slept in on our first full day at the beach. The twins slept until nearly 10 o'clock, which is quite unheard of in our world. Clearly they had missed some sleep on the drive, too.
Our first day was kind of a lazy one. Three little boys kept staring out the balcony doors, longing to get out onto the sand and into the water. The rest of us were a little more hesitant. We spent our first full day lounging in the room. We also went ahead and planned our meals for the week so we could make our grocery list and get that trip out of the way (we had brought basic essentials from home, so we could skip it on arrival day).
After our grocery run, it was time for dinner. And finally, after that when the sun was already sinking low in the inlet behind our condo, and when most of the heat of the day was already gone, we took all three boys down for their first adventure on the beach. They all LOVED it. The twins were not terribly excited about those first toes going into the dry sand, but they overcame it. We just started walking them down toward the water, and they were all eager to get there.
Grandpa and I had our hands full keeping eyes and arms on all of them. Sawyer, with his new found fearlessness in the water (even water above his head), was the most dangerous. He wanted to swim in the ocean, and instead of standing in the surf like most of us do, he kept letting the waves take his feet out from under him so he could try to float. Xander would run in and out, sometimes getting knocked over and not very happy about it. Connor was the one we kept having to call back, because he wanted to drift further and further out with the big waves. And while he can swim, it's quite different to swim in a calm pool versus as constantly moving and crashing ocean.
We spent quite a while on the beach. The boys didn't even seem to mind the sand or the salt, which sometimes assaults their senses. Xander sat in the wet sand, letting waves crash over him and sand and salt cover him. He also picked up wet handfuls and tossed them everywhere (until Grandma got after him for it). Sawyer was happiest in the water, but didn't seem to mind the sand. Connor was all over, sometimes letting waves carry him into the sand and other times splashing in the waves.
It took quite a while to shower off, but after the beach we made another stop at the pool. We spent another few hours there. Xander enjoyed jumping off the side - over and over and over. Sawyer used his new found swimming skills to move all over the pool without any help. Connor was jumping and swimming and all over the place, as usual.
So while the room and grocery shopping were low on the boys' priorities, the beach and the pool more than made up for it. Unfortunately for them, we'll probably be doing a lot more of the late evening beach and pool trips. It's just too hot in the middle of the day, and I don't think it would be fun for any of us!
