Barnes Beach Vacay: Part 2
Shortly after we arrived in Indian Beach for our second long weekend of sand and sun, everyone loaded up for a trip to Beaufort and a dinner out on the town. After a long car ride to the coast, sitting still in a restaurant was far outside of the realm of possibility for Naomi, who, even in her calmest moments can't bear the confinement of a restaurant booth, much less a sticky wooden high chair. So, doing what they do, Drew and Naomi went for a stroll while we waited for dinner to arrive, and they happened upon an unusually safe boardwalk where Naomi could run around as fast as her little legs could move. After dinner, the whole crew walked to the water and spent some time running and twirling and laughing in the setting sun.
The next day, after morning naps, we headed to the beach. Upon arriving, as mothers are inclined to do, I did a visual survey for any hazards in our vicinity, paying particular attention to the metal shovel we brought to dig a hole for the beach umbrella. I was so busy keeping Naomi away from that particular sharp, rusty object, that I forgot to pay attention to my own toes and got quite the cut. I didn't develop lockjaw and I'm still alive, so I guess I didn't contract tetanus (or if I did, my immunizations were effective).
After some good hours at the beach, there were afternoon naps (for some) and reading (for me), and then a return to the beach in the evening, when it was cooler and quieter. Naomi found someone's forgotten plastic snack bag (with the characteristic "uh-oh!" with which she always points out trash on the ground), and she had so much fun putting sand and shells in it and dumping them out again. Needless to say, we've been packing a small plastic bag on all of our evening beach walks since.
Naomi doesn't always sleep very soundly at the beach - too much excitement, too much newness, to much travel, who knows - so we usually have pretty long nights. To compensate, when she wakes up, either Drew or I typically take her for an early morning stroll on the cool and mostly empty beach while the other parent catches a few extra z's. It's a great way to start the day (no matter which straw you draw).
^ Hair-do courtesy of Aunt Christie :) ^
The next day, after morning naps, we headed to the beach. Upon arriving, as mothers are inclined to do, I did a visual survey for any hazards in our vicinity, paying particular attention to the metal shovel we brought to dig a hole for the beach umbrella. I was so busy keeping Naomi away from that particular sharp, rusty object, that I forgot to pay attention to my own toes and got quite the cut. I didn't develop lockjaw and I'm still alive, so I guess I didn't contract tetanus (or if I did, my immunizations were effective).
^ Blood. ^
^ Blood in the water. ^
^ Papa pointing to critters on the horizon, hopefully not the kind drawn to blood. ^
^ Taking a time-out in safer waters, just in case. ^
^ This picture captures how a significant portion of my life is spent; feeding the baby. ^
^ Papa and Topher caught a cannonball jellyfish! ^
After some good hours at the beach, there were afternoon naps (for some) and reading (for me), and then a return to the beach in the evening, when it was cooler and quieter. Naomi found someone's forgotten plastic snack bag (with the characteristic "uh-oh!" with which she always points out trash on the ground), and she had so much fun putting sand and shells in it and dumping them out again. Needless to say, we've been packing a small plastic bag on all of our evening beach walks since.
Naomi doesn't always sleep very soundly at the beach - too much excitement, too much newness, to much travel, who knows - so we usually have pretty long nights. To compensate, when she wakes up, either Drew or I typically take her for an early morning stroll on the cool and mostly empty beach while the other parent catches a few extra z's. It's a great way to start the day (no matter which straw you draw).
The Barefoots, who live between Joe and Katie's two beach trailers, have frequently offered their kayaks to us in the evenings when the water is still and the sun is setting. Drew and I haven't been brave enough to try it with Naomi yet (although the Barefoots insist that she could ride between our legs with a lifejacket, just like their puppy does). Christie and Lisa took them up on the offer, though, and did some paddling around the sound, first alone, then with Maddie and Caroline as first mates.
On Sunday, we spent some time at Coral Bay Park in Atlantic Beach - a first for us. The splash pad apparently turns off at 5pm, so Naomi missed out on that part, but there were swings and see-saws and slides, oh my. It's nice and shady and a great space for playing when you've had enough sun and sand for the day.
It seems like the Barnes siblings keep geographically contracting and expanding, converging on one place for a time, only to move apart again to various corners of the country. We were lucky to be in Provo while Utah Valley was the center of gravity, and we're equally as lucky now to be in Raleigh, which also tends to be a place that pulls everyone in. Just a few weeks ago, four of six siblings were together in North Carolina, with one more on her way here, too. But now, they're dispersed between Minnesota, North Carolina, Iowa, New Jersey, Nevada, and Georgia. That's what the best of siblings do, I think; they align as often as possible as they move along on their own orbits through time and space, circling the same sun, but otherwise following their own paths through the universe. Who knows when they'll all be pulled together next, but I hope this summer was just one of many times that they (and all of the moons orbiting with them) align in Indian Beach, NC.
Comments
Post a Comment