Fun with Grandparents

We've been spending lots of time with the grandparents. We've mostly been staying at Grandpa Dave's house, and making day trips over to see Grandma Gini. It's a little tricky to balance time with divorced grandparents who live on opposite sides of the same town. Sleeping in one place seems to help Julia feel a little more stable. She's started throwing a tantrum now and then, and I don't know if it is because of the instability of moving or just because she is at the age when that sort of thing starts. I have also noticed that the general public likes to offer advice that doesn't really apply while she's flipping out. We were out to lunch today and Julia was melting down because she was hungry and a little tired. The woman behind me kept pointedly suggesting that she just wanted to run about a bit. I took her outside to let her fuss where I didn't feel so scrutinized, and put her down to see if indeed she did want to run about. She really flipped out, and cried to be held. When we came back in, the woman continued to suggest that she just needed to run about, and I finally just had to blatantly ignore the woman and her advice. (Julia eventually settled down with some crayons and food.) 

Julia was really fighting me on the car seat too, crying and fussing and wailing. I tried turning the car seat to face forward and like magic, the fussing stopped.  Not sure why, but we're sure happy to have a better passenger. (She's well within the age and weight limits for forward facing, but new data suggests that rear facing up to age two is a good idea. I can't imagine cramming her long legs into a rear facing seat for another year!)

We spent Memorial Day weekend at Gini's boyfriend's beach cabin on Samish Island. Julia LOVED the beach. She spent hours playing in the sand and rocks, and she was really curious about all the bikes and trikes and baby-4-wheelers that lived next door. She also LOVED all the dogs that came and went up and down the beach. We took lots of walks in the stroller and ate lots of steamed oysters. It was a lovely couple days. 

Gardening at Grandma Gini's

playing piano with Grandma Gini

Red rainboots at Grandpa Dave's

Fun in the car seat

Julia loved the beach!

itty bitty crab shell

Examining shells

Julia coveted the neighbor kid's trike

glorious sunset

On day two I realized the necessity for sun hats and sunscreen!

relaxing

Julia mastered climbing into chairs

With lots of Dave's family

Checking out the rocks

Visiting with Great Grandma Olive. Julia was a terror. 

Fun with a rocking horse