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Memorial Day weekend we spent with my sister and kids in Surfside, Texas. It's actually the best beach I've ever been to in Texas, and it's only four hours from San Antonio. I would totally go again except my co-worker just told me today that a girl was bit by a shark in less than five feet of water within a half mile from where we played this weekend. Then she said her brother loves Surfside, and goes there all the time. And sees sharks all the time. Sand sharks who like shallow water. And he just bops them on the head and they go away. This is the part where I literally THANK GOD that the worst thing that happened to us was Sebastian almost getting hit by a car driving on the sand totally not paying attention. Almost. Everyone is fine.
I couldn't have asked for a more relaxing, beautiful, breezy, perfect weekend. The water was perfect - a bit cool, but not cold. The sun was warm and hot, but not miserable. The breeze kept you so cool you forgot your shoulders were totally frying.
Tabitha taught Piper "high five." She was busting up laughing. Piper that is. Then we were busting up too watching her giggle.
The first morning we were there,Sebastian walked into our bedroom. Everyone else was still asleep, and I wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to spend time with my nephew! We ate bananas, peaches, peanut butter, and a nutri-grain bar on the breezy porch. Then we headed down to the volleyball sand pit. Sebastian insisted on throwing the ball over the net to me, which required him to sit on my shoulders each time. Then we made tracks in the sand for his plane and spaceship.
These are from the following morning, but they show Sebastian's creativity and attention to detail. He carefully tied one end of the rope to the porch, and let the other end all the way down to the ground (the house was on stilts), so anyone down below could climb up if needed. Hopefully no one did, since I'm not sure his knot around the rope lights would hold much weight! Then he organized his Crocs in a straight line, alternating both color and facing direction..
Sand. Waves. Kite. Sun. Family. Crocs. So many favorite things. Taken with my waterproof point-n-shoot, Canon Powershot D10.
A highlight of the trip was making the kids laugh. I started saying "raaaaarrrr" at Sebastian, while making a super-expressive "rar" face. He laughed so hard I thought he would throw himself out of my arms. Then, "Do it again!" "Raraaarrrr!!!!!" "Laugh, and laugh, and laugh, and laugh," "Do it again!" For ten minutes.
The next day, he "rarred" at me at breakfast. I smiled gently, and said, "You make silly faces." "You make silly faces TOO!" came his quick retort. Awesome.
Matt has taught Piper how to clap when he sings, "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!" She will clap if you sing. She will also clap when she wants you to sing. Or when she's happy. Clearly, happiness ensues upon playing with my lens cap.
I also made Piper laugh by building Jenga block towers she instantly knocked over. I would build one as fast as I could, seven or more blocks high. She would take one swipe, and the instant the "crack" of the blocks hitting the ground was heard, she was in peals of laughter.
I LOVE hearing kids belly laugh like this. You can't help but laugh too. You just can't have enough laughter in life. Thanks to my nieces and nephews, and dear hubby, I'm never long without it.
