Beach bound

Posted by Inga June 16, 2011

Beach bound

Vising my family in Virginia is always fun. But this year was even better. Gabe and I flew to Virginia on Saturday before Memorial Day. The flights were on time and as pleasant as can be expected. Gabe did great. Grandpa Mark and Nana Rhonda welcomed us at the Norfolk airport. Jakub and Kain were at the house waiting for us.

Sunday and Monday:

We spent a couple of days relaxing at home at the pool. Grandpa was teaching Gabe how to clean the pool, swim, and blow bubbles under water. Gabe wasn't sure of any of it at first, but by the third day, he was walking by himself in the shallow end of the pool.

Grandpa and Gabe "swimming"

Gabe with Grandpa (enjoying a break from swimming with sodas :)

Walking in the pool with no help :)

Tuesday:

Dave arrived in Norfolk on Monday. On Tuesday, we packed up and took Grandpa's and Nana's jet skis to Lesner Bridge to enjoy the water and the beach. Kain didn't have to work and went with us. It was a great day. The weather was perfect, the water was warm, and the beach was almost empty. Gabe loves jet skiing at a slow speed (about 5 miles an hour) and we took turns taking him skiing. When not on a jet ski, Gabe played in the sand.

Jet skiing with Mama

Look mom ... uncle (candy) Kain buried me

Nana and Gabe

Wednesday - Friday

On Wednesday, Dave, Gabe, and I drove down to Salvo, NC, to join Patrycja, Eric, Bennett, and their friends at a beach house. The house was "full" earlier in the week, but everyone except P, E, and B, and their friends Patti, Joe, and their daughter, Addison (Addi), left that morning, so we had plenty of room. Patti and Joe rented the house and graciously let us joint for a couple of days. Gabe had a great time playing with new toys (Bennett's and Addi's) and enjoyed the beach. Patti, Joe, and Eric did most of the cooking - which I greatly appreciated and enjoyed. We relaxed at the house, on the decks, at the pool at the house, and on the beach. On Thursday, Dave got kites for each of the kiddos (Gabe, Bennett, and Addie) and on Friday, they got to fly them (well, the adults flew the kites FOR the kids). Also, Gabe and I looked for "treasure" on the beach (mostly rocks and shells), which we collected in buckets and played with. We made sand "castles" that Gabe promptly destroyed. We run up and down and made footprints in the sand. And we splashed in the waves.

Gabe flying his kite

Papa at the pool

Gabe and Wujek Eric

Bennett in his pool on the beach

Gabe and Papa flying our "Pirate"

Gabe's footprints on the Beach

Gabe and Addi

Friday afternoon came took quickly and it was time for us to head back to Virginia. We hoped to stop and enjoy some fresh seafood on the way back but Gabe fell asleep as soon as we left the beach house and slept all the way back to Nana's (the sun and the excitement of the beach and new friends wore him out).

Saturday:

Dave, Gabe, and I drove to Hampton to visit Sebastian, Kathleen, Marissa, Tom, and Abbie. Again, the day was perfect and we were able to sit outside and enjoy the sounds of the surf. Sebastian took Gabe on his tractor and let him scoop dirt. Then Marissa, Kathleen, and Gabe played with Marissa's laser tag guns. I think it was Gabe's favorite activity the whole week. Kathleen and Gabe were the "good guys" and Marissa was the "bad guy." They chased each other and had a great old time. Sebastian took amazing photos of Gabe and the rest of the crew.

Later, we went to the beach. Gabe insisted on going "swimming" and Marissa was nice enough to take him over and over again.

Gabe and Abbie in Hampton

Gabe and Tom testing the water

Gabe and the girls (Kathleen, Marissa, and Abbie :)

Gabe, Marissa, and Abbie having fun splashing in the waves

Sunday:

This was our last day in Virginia. P, E, and B came, and so did Kain and Jakub. Since it was our last (and only) opportunity to take pictures, we snapped quite a few. Bennett was perfect, but Gabe cooperated only for the first few minutes and then he was done.