Dewey Beach Trip 2008

This year marks the eighth year Todd and I have been going to Dewey Beach, DE with the Aston-Reese bunch. We always have a great time, but this year was different, not because it wasn't fun, but because we had Jocelyn to share the experience with.

In planning the trip with a baby, a husband, and a very small vehicle to make the trip in, I thought it was hopeless that we would be able to take everything we needed. Todd and I filled the car with our stuff the past 7 years. I wondered how we would fit all the extras a baby requires...the pack-n-play, the travel highchair, the stroller, the extra suitcase with baby clothes, the family beach cabana, among other things. Luckily I inherited my dad's ability to see these items like a puzzle and pack them tightly into the trunk and car. We did it. We fit everything we needed. We did not have a spare inch for anything extra, but we had the things that were necessary.

After a trip that seemed to take forever, we finally arrived last Saturday night...or was it early Sunday morning...I can't remember. All I remember was that everyone was tired and just wanted to go to bed. Seems simple, but the darn pack-n-play was effectively packed into the best spot for it...the very back of the trunk, behind ALL the other things. So everything had to be unpacked first, but it got done with help from Grampee and soon all the beds were ready for some very heavy sleeping. And that's just what we did...

Sunday...Let the vacation begin! OH POOP! It's raining! Our first beach day wasn't a beach day at all. So we sat around visiting, spending time with each other, and waiting for my parents to arrive. That was another thing that made this year different...my mom and dad decided to make the 10-hour-trek north to go to the beach with us. They have been invited for years, but decided to accept the invitation this year. Todd and I have a hunch that Jocelyn had something to do with that. She must be something special because they can drive about 3 hours and get to a beach much closer to them! Days 2-4 were much better beach days, although the first two of them, in my opinion, were a bit too cold to be labeled the perfect beach temperature. Jocelyn didn't mind the beach at all. I think she actually enjoyed it. She didn't like the ocean much. We tried dipping her feet in it but she cried. I don't blame her. I don't go into the ocean either. It's WAY too cold! So Todd made about 20 trips back and forth from the ocean with two little buckets, filling a little pool for Jocelyn to play in. Jocelyn enjoyed the pool! She used buckets and shovels to scoop and splash in the water. Jocelyn got her first little beach tan. Her tan lines could be seen in the little white creases of her wrists. So cute! We did everything on the beach. The family beach cabana was our best purchase of the year. It zipped for nursing privacy, it opened for cross ventilation while Jocelyn was taking naps, it aided in protection from the sun. Maybe a little too much protection seeing as how you can't even tell I was at the beach. I'm still the whitest person of anyone I know. Oh well, no sun-induced wrinkles for me! Another thing I should mention is how Todd and I (and everyone else on the vacation) get spoiled for a week with my father-in-law's amazing grilling expertise. All I can say is WOW. Everything is always amazing. Steak night, rib night, hamburger and hot dog night. YUM!

Jocelyn had some new eating experiences too. She enjoyed garlic mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, and most of all, Planet Ice (see picture below for Planet Ice lips). YUM again! Oh yeah, and Jocelyn cut two more teeth while we were there. It's really funny how she gets more teeth every time we go on a trip! That's three trips and 6 teeth. Two teeth for each trip! So, all-in-all, we all had a great time once again. There's never a bad time in Dewey Beach. Thanks Will and Carolyn for making it possible for us to vacation and have such great times and great memories. We really appreciate it!

I wanted to put a picture slideshow here, but I am having technical difficulties. I will have to make another post with the sideshow...