May 08 Beach Trip!

So back in May we had the great pleasure of joining Nanny and Papa at their beach house in Bonita Springs, FL. Many many thanks to N & P for having such patience with us and sharing their beach house with us for a much needed vacation. After a very busy and taxing year, Natalie and I were able to get some rest, and we were able to spend time together as a family with Anna Brooks on vacation for the first time. And we very much enjoyed the time with Nanny and Papa who vacation just like we do: without an agenda!

And many thanks to Papa for taking Carter and I on a great, though fishless, fishing trip. Carter even got to touch a "scrimp".



Here are Carter and Papa getting ready to jump in the pool. Nanny and Henry are just out of frame left. The photo of Natalie and the kids was the best out of the 40 similar shots that we took. Maybe the Olympic committee should adopt "Taking a successful photograph with two children" for the 2012 games.

Carter fell in love with the pool, and we could hardly keep him out of there! He enjoyed playing torpedo, yelling into the pool noodles, and checking out the "bug craps" (that's "traps").



Anna B really took to the hammock well. I'm convinced there will be a sea of swinging hammocks in heaven. Laying in that hammock at the beach is about my favorite place on the planet, and I am so glad AB loved it!

It's so exciting to begin to see new and different aspects of little Brooksy's personality: sweet, determined, observant, hungry, fun-loving... This is just a great time to see such changes, and I was so thankful for the amount of quality time that we got to be together as a family.

Carter is showing off his huge muscles. He's starting to grow out of his cute toddler stage, and in many ways, it breaks my heart. He's still just as cute and sweet and loving as ever, it's just that life's lessons are starting to creep in. He's such a special little boy, and I love every little second with him.