A day in the sun

One of the really lovely things about where we live is our proximity to the ocean.  We haven't spent much time on the water this summer, so we were thrilled to have an invite from River's pre-school teacher to visit her and her husband at their cottage on the cape last Sunday.  Thom was out of town on a ridiculously short trip to Europe, so it was just the kids and I (and I could imagine nothing better than to spend the day with a pre-school teacher while doing the solo parenting thing!).

Toni and Derek's house is right on the water, and when we weren't under the shade of the porch snacking and chatting, we were down on their tiny beach enjoying the sand and gentle surf.

 Derek has a couple small boats - one that is designed for teaching kids to sail.  River went out with him solo before some other guests arrived (another family that goes to River's school), and he just loved being on the water. 

 Given River's history with boats, I wasn't sure he would last long (he's always been slightly afraid of the water).  Whether it was Derek's reassuring demeanor or the boost of confidence from wearing a life vest, River was happy and secure the whole time.

 After the little sailing expedition, we all took a walk up the beach to a little inland river created by the tides.  River and Derek walked quite a ways, exploring the creatures in the shallow water.

 Lila loved chasing the swarms of crabs which made their home on the beach.  I wish I had gotten a picture of them all together - there were so many it looked like the sandy beach was rippling.  By the time Lila got close, of course, they had scattered.

 She did manage to chase one around for a while before he too escaped the reaches of the terrifying toddler.

* Edit: That's funny.  I just reread the text here.  It's supposed to say "Her Cuteness MUST Be Stopped" but I'm too lazy to change it.

In spite of being forced to skip her nap entirely, she was adorable and happy (with only a few momentary lapses) the whole afternoon.  She loved the sand and rocks, but steered pretty clear of the water.  She was especially disturbed by the squishy feel of the seaweed on her toes.

 After a fantastic lunch, we headed back out to the beach.  Before it was their turn to go out on the boat, River and his friends waited excitedly for the guys to set up a little skiff for Daniel (the boys' father) to take out on the water.

I think River has new best bud - he was pretty much attached to Derek the whole day.

 Derek got Daniel out on the water while River bravely trudged back to the shore.  Once the second boat was ready, River and his friends went out with Derek to a little island across the way.  Apparently, River swam for a long time (his bravery boosted by that life vest).

Back on shore, the rest of us enjoyed some more time in the sun and sand.  Our pale skin was all pink by the time we left around 5pm, and Lila sacked out on the car ride home.  What a memorable, fantastic day!