What rain?

Yesterday was another bee-yoo-ti-ful day in IOP. Samantha seems to be getting braver by the day. She will now wade into water above her knees (with Mommy or Daddy close by, of course.) She also has discovered a new game ... she picks up a shell, throws it in the water, lifts her hands and asks "where'd it go?", then finds it and says "there it is!" We have played this game for eons. She also had her first trip to the Boathouse last night. It's the only time we eat out all week! We go for the great food, but they also have a rooftop bar where you can see dolphins swimming in the inlet. Samantha was more fascinated with the "wa-ta" than the dolphins. Go figure.

She came this far on her own!

Sharing a laugh with Daddy after throwing her juice cup in the ocean.

Great picture of our friends Jason and Krystyna with their 3 girls.

Samantha and Eli "surfing" in the tide.

Toes in the sand!!

Checking out the water from the roof of the Boathouse.

Enjoying appetizers.

Watch the Birdie!

I'll post pictures from our day in the morning. Before I sign off for the night, I wanted to share what has been deemed the picture of the week so far. It was snapped by our friend Tricia during Samantha's bird chasing adventure. Do sea gulls retaliate?

Tan Lines

It's official. Samantha has a tan line. Can lily white skin skip a generation? I sure hope so! We had another big day yesterday, despite a few spotty rain showers. We were still able to enjoy the beach in the morning, then Samantha and I went to meet an old friend of mine who lives in Charleston. When we got back, she had dinner, played, and ate a popsicle *all by herself.* She would have it no other way. Here are some highlights of our day.

Braving the currents.

Sharing her juice box with Daddy.

Checking out the water. A goggie on the beach!

Eating a popsicle like a big girl.

I sat in the floor to get a good picture of her popsicle face, and she decided to sit in my lap. I love it!

Wa-ta! Day 2.

What another beautiful day in IOP!! We had a last minute change of plans, so we went to the beach not once, but twice today. Big surprise ... Samantha loved it! She got to experience low tide today, so she had lots of tide pools to "wallow" in. The best part of my day was the half hour Samantha and I spent chasing sea gulls. No joke, she chased those poor birds for half an hour. I haven't seen her that excited in a long time. As I type, she is blissfully asleep, gearing up for another big day tomorrow.

The kids started out the morning with a little Rock Band - Harper, Kate, Samantha, Lane and Charlie.

Daddy and Samantha crossing the dune.

Getting a hand from Kate.

Not sure how much sand she ate today. I've been trying not to think about it!

More her speed - playing in a tide pool.

Little girl in a big world.

Samantha, the sea gull menace.

Wa-ta!

Greetings from Isle of Palms, South Carolina! Despite a sketchy weather forecast, it was BEAUTIFUL here for our first official day of vacation. Samantha's word of the day - water! She loves, loves, loves the water! Doesn't matter if it's the ocean, the pool or the shower. She wants to be in, around and near the water. She is also enjoying being here with all of the kids. And, fingers crossed, she has been sleeping pretty well. She and I are actually having a non-beach day tomorrow, so there may not be any photos tomorrow night. Rest assured we'll be back in the "wa-ta" on Wednesday.

What happened to the wa-ta?

I Hope It's Clean

Last night, Samantha was playing around the downstairs while I was on the phone with Connie in the living room and Steve was working in the dining room. We evidently left the door to Samantha's happy spot open. Upon hearing a tiny splash, we were both at the bathroom door in a split second. This is what we found ...

Linny, Tuck and Ming Ming, too!

We're the Wonder Pets and we'll save you!

What's gonna work? Teamwork!

What's gonna work? Teamwork!

Samantha's new favorite show is the Wonder Pets. It's about 3 animals - Linny (the guinea pig), Tuck (the turtle) and Ming Ming (the chick) - who save other animals in trouble. I wish you could see her face light up when the show comes on. Papaw recently ordered Samantha plushes of each animal straight off of the Nick, Jr. website. Needless to say, she loves them! Here are a few photos of Samantha's first playdate with the Wonder Pets.

Goooo Wonder Pets! YAY!