Wild, Wild Week

Last week was nuts. I think Frank and Maddie felt like they were playing musical beds. Frank spent the week in three locations, and Maddie and I were in two locations.

Frank left for a virology conference last Saturday, leaving me, Maddie and the lump in my tummy to fend for ourselves. We made it through the day, and on Sunday, Grandmama and Grandaddy came to visit. Ever helpful, they whisked Maddie away to their house to have a fun week with her while I worked and rested at night. At first, I wasn't sure this was such a great idea for her....we were finally in a routine with big girl bed and potty training. But they had a great, although exhausting week together. Lots of fun on the farm, fresh veggies from the garden and golf cart rides to the pond! And Maddie didn't mess up a diaper ALL WEEK!! Thanks Grandmama for keeping her on track!!!

Late Wednesday night, Frank returned and we worked and packed and cleaned house until we left for a beach trip Friday night. We were planning to go to Topsail Beach like we have in the past, but we were offered my Aunt and Uncle's new place in Emerald Isle for the weekend so we made a last minute change of plans.

Friday night, we swooped in at my parents house, put Maddie to bed and hit the hay ourselves. After a clingy goodbye Saturday morning, we hit the road for the beach.

Grandmama and Grandaddy say goodbye to Maddie. She looks less than thrilled --
she was clingy, I promise!

Family photo -- the four of us

The whole day Saturday was spent checking out the house and nearby beach and eating good food and having lots of fun. Thanks Aunt Angie and Uncle Michael for having us down!! I don't have a single photo of our wild time at the beach with Angie and Michael. We only stayed for an hour before the rain sent us packing. Maddie was a bundle of energy and Frank and Michael took turns keeping up with her!! We had a quiet, restful night and Angie and Michael left for home.

Sunday, we woke up and hit the beach again. Maddie was afraid of the water all of a sudden. The day before, she couldn't get enough of it and wanted to wade out to the buoys!! What gives?? Maybe it was Michael and Angie's influence that had made her so happy. All we know is that she was pretty content to just play in the mud on Sunday.

Looking at a caught fish in a mud "pool" some kids made.

Making our own "pool."

We picnicked on the beach and headed back to the house for naps.

During naptime, someone apparently switched our child with another who was grumpy, angry and generally impossible to deal with. We made it to dinner and a promised ice cream treat (no melt downs in the restaurant).

Monday meant Maddie's first visit to an aquarium. Yay! She was in a great mood, too! The aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores was renovated a few years ago, and it was really family friendly. Little did we know that Noah had been there just a few days before!!!


Favorites at the aquarium included the stingray touch tank, the huge snapping turtle "Crunch," and the many, many sharks in the dive tank.

Baby Alligators. Is there such a thing??

Finally touching a stingray after many attempts. Yay!!

Told ya the shark tank was a hit with her. This is what she picked out from the gift shop and fell asleep with on the ride home -- a stuffed shark she hasn't let out of her sight for two days. Apparently sharks are fantastic snugglers....who knew??