What better place to spend the longest day of the year than at the beach?
Last night with Ida was relatively rough, but that's nothing new.
Everybody woke up about 9:00, despite the earliest sunrise of the year. First order of business was to get continental breakfast from the hotel lobby. It was a bit hard to get the whole family moving, with the overlapping cycles of breastmilk pumping and Ida's quicksilver cycles of hungry, stinky, and sleepy. So, there was time for snuggles:
I took Ida out for her first adventure in the Baby Bjorn. I don't think I actually got any pictures. This bjorn has toted all 4 of our kids. Jen moved on to different carriers, but this one is my favorite. The black fabric has been puked on and washed so many times, it's faded to a medium gray. Like my hair at this point.
Finally, we made it out and walked the half-a-block to the Seaside Aquarium. I love the Seaside Aquarium. It's much smaller than the Newport Aquarium, but it's a lot of fun.
Edgar, communing with anemones.
Betty looking all grown up with the seals.
The best part of the Seaside Aquarium is the Harbor Seals. You can feed them. Betty was squeamish about the fish: "that one has an eyeball!." In the past, the seals have been playful and splashed us mercilessly in attempts to gain attention and fish. Today they were calm. I believe they rotate which seals are in the feeding area, so there are only a few rogue splashers.
The baby bjorn made both Ida and I super hot. We returned to the hotel room hot and winded.
After another cycle of feeding, pumping, diaper changes, etc., we went to Pig 'n Pancake for lunch. I had delicious razor clams while Betty and Edgar discovered crepes. Betty and Sabrina got things from the gift shop. This is why we had them doing money chores before this trip. Too many things to buy.
New earrings.
Betty, holding on for dear life. Edgar and Sabrina: having fun?
From there, Jen took Ida back to the hotel while the older kids and I cruised some more shops in town and walked back.
This afternoon, the kids wanted to go back to the pool. Jen needed a nap and I wanted to go to the beach. As a compromise, I watched the kids at the pool for an hour while Jen napped, and then Jen and Ida spelled me off at the pool and I went to the beach alone. Jen took some pictures at the pool:
I splashed in a few waves and mostly sat reading in the sun and wind. It was a great time. Our hotel is close enough to the sand that I can walk there barefoot. This is the life.
Obligatory Pacific Ocean selfie.
Our hotel. Oddly enough, our window (2nd floor) is wider than the others.
That was more or less it for this evening. Dinner was hotdogs in the hotel room. The kids were owly, and we tried to initiate a card game but it didn't happen. Watching the late sunset from the hotel window was a highlight.
I love long days.
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