Colby's First Time at the Beach

Over the weekend, we went on our annual trip to Daytona Beach. My family and their friends have been vacationing there since I was 7 years old. Now, Daytona is only an hour away from us in Orlando, but growing up in Port Charlotte it seemed so far away. The common thread is that my parents and their friends are all teachers and the beach trip was always the last hoo-rah before returning to work. Now, many of them have retired and some of us have continued on the teaching path. Our group has evolved and many of the kids I grew up with now have kids of their own.

This group shot of the last night is always a tradition. Not all of the group is here. Some had already come and gone earlier in the week.

We especially enjoyed spending time on the beach during the early evening when it wasn't so hot and we didn't have to worry about sunscreen. This is Colby's very first time to put his toes in the sand!

He looked just like a crab scurrying across the hard sand. I would jog backwards and he would try to catch me.

My sister, Colby's Auntie Em, was able to come for a long weekend from Oklahoma. We enjoyed hanging out with her at the beach too.

I was surprised, Colby absolutely loved the sand! He knew just what to do with the shovel. He dug, and played in the sand until the sun set on the Atlantic Ocean.

He only tried to taste the sand twice which caused him to blow raspberries. He also used his sand hand to wipe the sand off of his tongue!

While at the beach, I discovered that apples make for great teethers. Colby is cutting tooth # 5, next to his top right teeth. He really liked biting on an apple. He did not like the peel, which he would fish out of his mouth and throw on the ground.

It was neat to see Colby play with my friends' children. Here Colby plays with my friend Adam's daughter, Hannah in a blow up pool outside our hotel room.

You can still drive cars on the beach in Daytona. Here, Colby is cruising the beach on Derek's truck.

Colby also liked sitting at the edge of the beach, right where the water met the sand. He giggled every time the cool water rushed over his lap. Of course this created a diaper full of sand!

After dinner we walked down the street. They were having a block party. Colby enjoyed the loud music from the band. Top: My parents and sister.