Then and Now - Beach Series

Lee and I have been making yearly trips to Gulf Shores, Alabama since we were small children (obviously not always together). Below is a picture of our first trip together. This picture was taken one year after we had been dating. I was 18 yrs old and Lee was 17.

We have made several trips to the beach together in dating life with our families and a few trips in married life. Last week we made our first vacation to Gulf Shores as a family of 3! We knew this trip would be different having Miller in tow, but we were excited to see him on the beach.

One night on vacation, I was picking up toys out of the tub and placing them all around the edges of the tub when suddenly I stepped back... looked at the tub all lined with toys and began to chuckle. I thought to myself "my how things have changed."

To many of you moms, the following statements will be a trip down memory lane. For Lee and I - they are comical and sweet all wrapped together.

Beach Trips THEN and NOW:

• FROM a tub lined with candles TO a tub lined with toys.
• FROM sand in my toes TO sand in my..... bathing suit.
• FROM choosing a swimsuit that Lee would think was cute TO choosing a swimsuit with the best coverage for holding, swimming and running after a baby.
• FROM relaxing strolls along the beach TO literally pulling a wagon with a baby in it along the beach.
• FROM choosing a nice restaurant TO "oh we can't go there, it has white table cloths -- look for somewhere that has an outdoor sandbox and a good kids menu."
• FROM laying out on the beach ALL day TO up and down from the condo for nap times.
• FROM only dipping in the water to cool off TO sitting where the waves crash for hours because that's where the baby wants to be.
• FROM just getting the night started at 9 pm TO retiring for the day.
• FROM wiping sweat TO wiping snot.
• FROM looking through clean, glass balcony doors TO looking through face/finger smudged balcony doors.
• FROM complaining about have to pay a security deposit TO Lee saying "yeah, we probably won't get that deposit back" as Miller breaks the remote, slams into the glass doors (with the helmet on) and throws his toys on the glass coffee table - all within 10 minutes.

We wouldn't trade it for the world! Our trip was definitely different, but it was also RICHER with our little man in tow. No doubt... there were several  some "I really think I am going to scream" moments! Some of my selfishness was revealed, as always. And there are things that Lee and I missed about being on vacation just the two of us. But the truth is.... we know that our children will only be little for a little while and oh too soon we will reverse to vacations where it is only Lee and I. :(

We cannot wait to take Malachi to the beach. We discussed him often while we were there! We imagined him and Miller playing together. I hope Malachi is a better "beach napper" than Miller (who just plain refused to sleep on the beach). Below are some pictures of us doing everything in our power to get that child to sleep so we could enjoy the sun!

Yes... that is Lee pulling Miller along the beach :) We actually took a really long stroll pulling him. We all enjoyed it! The wagon was easy to pull on the packed sand.

A back view. The float was actually VERY great at keeping Miller in the shade... we had just almost finished riding in this pic so no more shade!

Don't hate! We did what we had to do!! Yes... we pulled him like this TOO!

Boo Yaaa!! Baby is asleep. The ENTIRE beach now thinks we are crazy but we don't care because it was a success.... He slept for 15 WHOLE MINUTES!! :)

#notworththeenergy!


Like I said.... life is different  :)) but RICHER!