Beach Trip 2010

Begging to go out on the balcony!

He was such a big boy in the pool!

Ready for the pool

Headed out the door

Colby on his 3rd beach trip!

We just got home from Destin, FL. This was actually Colby's 3rd trip there but by far the most fun! I can only imagine though how much more fun its gonna get as he gets older. Its amazing how he has changed from those other 2 trips. The first trip we took when he was only 3 months old. He basically stayed in the condo the whole time with my mom. The 2nd trip he made it down to the beach and pool a couple times but he was still only 9 months old. He did learn to crawl there though! This year he is 1 1/2 and had a blast! Let me start at the beginning!

We left Friday morning. Colby did really well in the car the whole way up. We only had to stop twice. We stopped at Ruby Tuesday's for lunch. Colby was such a big boy and sat in a booster seat at the table with Austin and I. He did really well for the first time. We haven't completely taken him out of the highchair it just worked out well since it was just Austin and I and we had a whole booth. He loved it too I think. I had a chicken quesadilla and Colby helped me eat some of that. He only slept for about an hour of the trip up. I couldn't believe he stayed awake the whole time! I think he was so excited about going somewhere! He loved seeing jeeps, flags, and the water from the car. He would go "ooooh" everytime he saw something he liked!

Once we got to the condo we got settled then decided to go ahead and take Colby down the beach. He was not fond of the sand/beach experience at all. This is how it was last year too. I hoped it would be different since he was older and could splash in the waves. I don't think he was scared of it as much as he just didn't like the way the sand felt on his feet. I am hoping he outgrows this! Needless to say we didn't stay on the beach long. We took him to the pool instead. I bought floaties for him for this trip...he had never used them before but since he is now too big for an infant float and I didn't want to hold him the whole time in the pool we invested in floaties. I really wasn't sure how he would do with them. Suprisingly he loved them and had no problem at all putting them on. He was a little skittish in the pool at first he wanted to be held up close to us but he still did well for the first time. He loved playing on the stairs though. After the swimming experience we thought it best to take him to the room and let him relax. Since he only had slept for an hour that day and all the stimulation and excitement he needed some down time. I am not sure if he really slept or not. We left him in his bed for about an hour. We didn't hear him but when I went in there he was standing up wide awake. We soon ate dinner then pretty much bathed him and put him to bed. Austin and I stayed up watching the movie "W" about George W. Bush.

Saturday we woke up and headed to my parent's condo for breakfast. After breakfast Austin and I got Colby ready and brought him down to the beach and pool. Once again he cared nothing about the beach but loved the pool. This time he was braver in the pool. He even let go of us a couple times and floated/swam to the steps or one of us. I can tell by the end of the summer he will be a little fish. He had the best time playing in the pool. After swimming we went upstairs and just chilled out in the condo. It was nice to not have anywhere to go. At lunchtime we went to my parent's condo again and ate. Colby was starving and ate so well the whole trip I guess from all the swimming we did! After lunch we went back to our condo so he could nap. He took a good nap well we all did. Once again it was nice just to relax. That afternoon though we got dressed and ready so we could go out to eat. This was only "eat out" night as a family so we went to Popano Joe's. As always I enjoyed the food and scenery here. I got a bowl of gumbo! It was soo good! Colby also did really well. After we ate we went to the Destin Commons which is an outdoor mall area and walked dinner down. After we got back to the condo and put Colby to bed Austin and I stayed up and watched "Blind Side". I really enjoyed our time together at night watching movies. That movie was sooo good though I can't wait to see it again!

Sunday we slept in a little more then Saturday. We then went and ate breakfast with my mom and dad. A cold front came through overnight so it was wayy too cold to swim at the beach or pool that morning. We knew we couldn't just hang out at the condo either with Colby. He had fun in the condo but he would get bored after awhile. So we took him out to SanDestin to this cool playground we had heard about. I think he enjoyed it. The play equipment was hot though so he didn't want to do much other then swing and walk around. It was still nice. We will definitely go back there now that we know where it is. We headed back to the condo b/c my aunt and uncle were coming for lunch. They were really anxious to see Colby. So we hung out with them in my parent's condo for lunchtime. Colby was hungry then cranky and tired. I finally had to take him back to our condo for his nap. He was definitely ready b/c I didn't hear a peep out of him! So we visited with my aunt and uncle a little while longer while my dad stayed in the condo with Colby then Austin and I went and took naps too! I swear I took the best naps while we were there. It was so refreshing to get to relax like that! After our naps we got dressed in our swimsuits and headed down to the pool. It was a little chilly but not bad. Colby had a blast. This time he really wanted to be out in the middle of the pool and even let go a few times and went on his back and tummy. He will probably be a fish by the time he gets in swim lessons.

After we swam for about an hour we brought him back up and got changed because Austin and I were going to hang out while my parent's babysat. We ended up going to O'Charley's. I got chicken it was really yummy. We then went and played puttputt. It was nice to have a date night. We always play putt putt when we are in FL so it was fun to keep that tradition and just have time to ourselves. We got back right in time though to get Colby to bed. It was good that we got to see him before he went to sleep. Then Austin and I stayed up and watched movies.

Today we got up and got packed and headed home. We only stopped twice. We stopped to eat at Panera Bread. I got some of their yummy soup! We stopped one other time to change Colby so he wouldn't spring a leak. I swear that little boy drinks so much he can fill up diapers quickly!

All in all it was a wonderful trip! I really feel like it was the most fun we have had since going there with Colby. I loved watching him swim and spending mother's day relaxing with my family! I had a great time and am so thankful we got to get away like that! The weather was gorgeous and it wasn't crowded at all!