Now that the tourists are mostly gone and most local kids are back to school, we’ve been going to the beach again! I took the girls to Crystal Cove on a weekday to look for creatures in the tide pools and we had the entire place to ourselves.
This was definitely worth waiting until the end of summer for:
It’s a bit of a hike down to the beach, but so worth it. Going back up is a different story.
Even though we timed it perfectly for low tide, we were disappointed to not find very many creatures this time around. We saw urchins and crabs, but no starfish. The girls didn’t care and entertained themselves poking the poor, squishy anemones endlessly.
Jump!
As per the usual, Meredith just wanted snacks the entire time. “Nack! Nack” is her most consistent phrase. I just took her in for her 18 month appointment and she’s officially three feet tall, 110% percentile for height and 95% for weight. If it weren’t for her lack of language skills, she could pass for a 2.5 year old, not 1.5.
Meredith can be a handful, but whenever I start complaining, I look back at what it was like to corral two toddlers all day. I honestly don’t know how I ever made it out with both of them at this age. Maybe they had a lot less energy than Meredith? Those days are hazy in my memory, but somehow we made it work… I remember using leashes on both of them!
Put me doooooown!
Samantha found all sorts of cool rocks and shells, which we couldn’t take with us, but she loved to feel them anyways.
While Samantha explored the tide pools, Meredith snacked/chased seagulls, and Amelia mostly hung out by herself building sandcastles. She was not a fan of the cold ocean water that day.
Fortunately for us, Jake played hooky for an hour and came to visit us. Everyone flocked to Daddy immediately and attached themselves to him like barnacles.
Searching for sea creatures.
The perfect spot to build their castle:
Amelia joined at the last minute and claimed Samantha’s castle as her own.
And that’s where the fun ended. Despite cheering them on and helping them think positive by likening them unto the Little Engine That Could, the girls complained, cried, and scowled as they dragged themselves all the way up the hill. I think I can… I think I can…
C’mon, guys! THIS IS NOT THE OREGON TRAIL.
Lots of love,
