Family Vacation in Cape Cod -- Part One

We just had a great time in Cape Cod with nana, grandpa, Laura, Cory, Dane and Quinn! We got to see lots of aunts, uncles and cousins! 

Madeline traveled amazingly well. We got her up early and she was a trooper the entire day--through two flights and a 2 hour car ride. She was so so excited to go on vacation and talked about it the entire day. 

We arrived on July 4th.

Truth be told, Madeline had a bit of an off week. With both Chris and I working full-time, Madeline is on a pretty regimented schedule. Getting off her schedule is not something she's great with. She did NOT sleep well on this trip--she was up later than normal and up WAY earlier than normal. (The sun rose no later than 4:45 so around 5:30 she was usually up asking if it was "wake-up time.") Going from 11-12 hours a sleep a night to 8 was HARD on her. I saw more fits and tears in ten days than I have in the last 2.5 years.   BUT, she had a great great time running around and playing with her cousins! She played hard and was exhausted!!

By far, her favorite thing was the beach. This was the first year she really was into it. And boy, did she love it!!

So happy to go to the beach!

Collecting shells. Her favorite thing was to find starfish at the water's edge. 

I barely could scoop her up because she was ALWAYS running around.

 Splashing with Dane.

Learning to swim with daddy.

This would be cute if Madeline wasn't showing her pringles to everyone!

 Sharing my pringles. 

Admiring the view.

A typical beach lunch

Playing together.

Madeline told me one day: "I am taking off my shoes so I can get sand in between my toes." It was between her toes and ALL OVER her. When we'd take off her "bathing sook" clumps would fall out.

Building with daddy

Knocking daddy's castle over.

 Waving at all of the boats and asking if it was her cousin Sean. Sean is a fisherman so we got to see his boat come in a few times.

 Still playing at the beach, even on a cloudy, cool day.

She also took advantage of her car time. Within seconds of leaving the beach, she usually looked like this.

I mean that is a TIRED girl.

She spent Sunday recovering (she had a morning nap AND a 3 hour afternoon nap!) and went back to school today.  Chris and I went back to work. It was not nearly as fun as vacation was. 

Stay tuned for part 2 of our great trip!