Baptism Birthday

Happy happy happy day...

was the day you were baptized, Lydia Marie!

Shower Surprise

I have to tell you a little about last week so we can better appreciate the surprise I got in the shower this morning. Well, everyone in the household was sick. One morning Dad got Abigail when she woke up and let me keep sleeping, but then he had to shower and get ready, so Abigail ended up screaming, and I mean SCREAMING bedside into my ear to go downstairs. I was so exhausted I was willing to pay damage to my hearing for five more minutes of lying in bed. This is just a taste of what last week was like. Okay.
This morning was a stark contrast:
I was up out of bed, had my coffee and cereal, and even read the newspaper. Through it all, the girls were both still snug in their beds, well when I say snug, Abigail's legs were actually hanging off her bed, but they were both wonderfully asleep nonetheless. So I decided to take a peaceful shower. In the middle of washing my face though, the bathroom door creaked open, I think I see a little hand, and it's Abigail. But she's not here to insist, "hold me, hold me" or "downstairs, downstairs" or "I want yogurt." Instead she breaks into an incomprehensible HAPPY rant. It was a relief; it made me laugh. She continued with this happy babble till I was ready to go downstairs. It was my pleasant shower surprise that I find symbolic of the fresh break into Spring. Winter is so last week. ;)

Abigail's Birthday Celebration

 

After some birthday cake

and presents

(Lydia couldn't be excluded)

 Abigail was a happy camper

and a happy two year old!

A Beachy Influence

Lydia's teacher said writing has just "clicked" with Lydia.

 She's writing her name in the sand in Florida.

 And back at preschool she's writing her name on paper beautifully, along with stick figures.

And for the first time smiling stick figures! 

"This is a picture of me at the beach. I'm standing in the water."
I'm sure this type art will pile up quickly, but these first drawings are like treasures to me.

Sea Shells

 One of Lydia's favorite things to do was go on a shell hunt.

When we went at low tide, there were a lot of critters.

 Lydia would find a shell and have to ask me, "Is somebody using this one?"

 "Yes, someone's living in that one. Set it back down."

 But then I let one hermit crab crawl on my hand. I told her it felt like a ladybug crawling on my hand. Lydia warmed up to letting it crawl on her hand, with mine underneath.

Then Lydia got brave and let one crawl on her hand by herself.

 Never fear, there were plenty of unoccupied shells to gather in her bucket.

We took them back to the campsite to wash and dry them.

Her favorite are the purple spiral shells.

Fun in the Sun

At the Beach...

view of Atlantic Ocean from picnic area

 The park had a nice big shoreline ocean side, but for our beach time we hung out at the kayak port in somewhat of a lagoon. It had a shady spot for our things and shallow waters.

testing the waters while holding Grandma's hand

splashing

playing with sand

Daddy and Lydia on the paddle board

all of us in the water

 Back at the campsite...

 going in and out of the tent became a full activity for Abigail.

hanging out in the tent

Mealtime

 Bubbles

The campground had family music at sunset one night. Lydia proudly helped by holding up her kitty for a cute cat song.

Out and About...

Park ranger guided nature hike

Studying turtle eggs at the world's only Turtle Hospital in Marathon 

Key West...

Mile Marker 0

 dancing to live music at Blue Heaven after lunch. A whole family of chickens was dancing around too.

Views from Mallory Square

Ready for Take Off and Landing

 Mitchell Airport has a nice play area for 2-5 year olds! We spent some extra time there when we got delayed.

 The girls loved having their lunch in their own Frozen lunch bags. A tasty meal always helps the flight along.

 2 1/2 hour drive from Fort Lauderdale to Marathon required one potty stop at a Visitor's Center. We're here, in the Keys! 

Grandma and Grandpa had our tent all set up here at Curry Hammock State Park in Marathon, FL, "The heart of the Florida Keys."

Winding down from our day of travels in the RV.

Abigail is 2!

Happy Birthday to my dear Abigail Kipp,

It's hard to believe it's been two years since you leapt into our lives. At two, you're a force to be reckoned with. You're growing braver, bigger and stronger every day, and the funny thing is, you know it! Nothing is too far from reach when a chair can be dragged across the room. No pair of pants is too hard to don...until those two little legs get jammed and stuck in one pant leg; it's too cute and funny to see. You are an endless source of JOY and we love you to bits!