Baby Beach Bum!

Last Wednesday morning all three of us were in the car at 7:30am headed to Galveston for an overnight trip!  I had asked Christian before he came what he most wanted to do while he was here, and he said he wanted to go to the beach.  We had gone before just the two of us and had a wonderful day hanging out, and as he's visiting from a place with temps still in the 40s the beach was someplace he desperately wanted to be.  Now this trip brought about alot of angst, tears, soul searching, yet love between Christian and I, but this post is about Tate for now and how very much of a great time he had!!


We stayed at a friend's beach house, and it's a gorgeous place complete with elevator!!  We got all of our stuff into the house and it's unbelievable how much STUFF one has with a toddler!  I lost count of how many trips we made up the stairs!  And this was for one night. One night.  Sadly, Christian was still feeling not so well :(  We hung out for a bit, then he went for a walk along the beach and I took Tate down to the water.  My intention was to walk along the beach as it was covered, absolutely covered, in seaweed.  (about 3 feet deep up and down the entire coastline).  No such luck with Tate in hand.  As soon as he saw the waves cresting in the distance, he made a beeline for the water.  Stepped right on through the seaweed, straight for the ocean.  His giggles, laughs and cries of joy made my heart melt!  He just stood in the sand loving the feel of the water as it circled his feet and tickled his legs.  When the strength of the water pitched him into the sand he was thrilled.  Christian joined us, and we just enjoyed watching Tate have a wonderful time.  For once, neither of us took a picture; we just simply stayed in the moments with Tate and enjoyed him.  Lunch and naptime followed for the boys.  We then headed to downtown Galveston.  We put Tate on Christian's back in my Beco Butterfly carrier and walked up and down the strand.  Tate even fed a horse on the side of the road.  As always, Tate was sure to point out all the cars and trucks going down the road.

We then ventured to the Rainforest Cafe for an early dinner.  This was to be Tate's first time eating restaurant food.  I've taken him out to eat several times, but I've always bought food from home for him due to his food allergies.  This was huge for me.  He found the restaurant with all its accouterments to be quite festive.  Christian walked him around the restaurant to see all the animals and foliage.  Tate did awesome...he ate his first french fries, not with gutso, but he ate a few.  But he devoured his backed chicken breast!!  As we sat there eating, he would throw his little arms around my neck and give me the most amazing hugs.  I was in heaven.  Such a sweet sweet boy.  

That night, Christian and I talked for hours as that sweet boy slept upstairs.  


Thursday morning, Tate and I were up at the crack of dawn per his usual.  After some breakfast, Christian headed out for another walk while Tate and I played outside in the yard.  All of a sudden Tate made a beeline for the water which was across the street and over the dunes!  How did he remember it was there?? :)  Bathing suits put back on and off to the water we went again!!


We made it home that afternoon and played outside for a while.  Tate and I spent some time just the two of us.  It was so very nice to get away.  Though it's never really a vacation when you take a child with you especially a very young child, it was so nice to not be thinking of the 100 million things I could be doing in the evening instead of just sitting and being.  And I thank Christian for the having the foresight to know how desperately I needed that.