'Tis So Sweet: Meeting Beach Buddies {Day 2}

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Our second day on the beach was a day of rest. You know how you get all excited on the first day and everyone ends up sunburned? Yeah. That happened to most of our group. Except Millie Janalee and me. Ha! So most of this group was lathered in anything between SPF 30 and SPF 60...but still in the sun. We don't use umbrellas.

We just don't.

On principle I guess.

Dustin and Sheila

Even Millie Janalee took time to rest

We rested until the excitement began! When my sister, brother, cousin, and myself were younger, we met up with another family who has also been vacationing in their timeshare for many many years. Kadie was actually closer to Kristin and Dustin's age. They spent their week playing, parasailing, taking rides with Kadie's mom down "the strip," and playing goofy golf. There are very few Panama City Beach vacation pictures without Kadie (or her sister) in them.

Well, Kadie is now married and has a little girl herself. Carol, Kadie's mom, and I have talked on Facebook leading up to this trip. We just couldn't wait to get these two together! Carol and I both have a love for lots and lots and lots of pictures, so we may or may not have discussed the girls' photo shoot wardrobes. Ha!

"Well hello there. Nice to meet you, Emma Kate."

Kadie and her mom brought Emma Kate over to meet Millie Janalee. They were instant friends. I'm pretty sure if our chairs had been next to each other, we could have just let them play in the little pool all day. In between Emma Kate's tendency to chase the "chickies" (birds) around the beach. Ha! They will surely be beach buddies for years to come!

Kadie and I think we could just turn this into a Mudpie advertisement! Ha!

After our little playdate on the beach, Millie Janalee was absolutely certain that it was time for a nap. Not more than five minutes after Emma Kate and her family walked away, she was dead to the world...

Oh. I used an umbrella here. It was a necessity.

Of course, after a good nap, Millie Janalee was ready for her ocean time with Daddy! Russ took Millie Janalee out to jump the waves and wade in the water. Uncie Lee joined them too. Kristin and I laughed that they looked like "Two Men and a Baby." All we needed was one more guy to go out there to make it complete.

(In case you didn't get it. I'm alluding to the movie Three Men and a Baby.)

(Just making that clear.)

Two men and a baby!

Then it happened. Jack joined them! Clancy did too, but just for a second imagine that she isn't there. Those three men and my baby in the big ocean. A scary sight. Especially since Millie Janalee kept grabbing for Jack's Bubba Keg. Oh dear!

Lee, Russ, Millie Janalee, Jack, Clancy (and Selah Grace!)

Millie Janalee spent the rest of the day sitting in her little pool playing with her boats and shovels and crabs and elephants and buckets. She was perfectly content under her umbrella. Even if the rest of us would have no part in it.

But I couldn't help myself. I enjoyed lots of good playtime in the shade with my sweet girl! Who can resist those little hands waving and splashing? And the squeals and smiles? Oh, how fun it was!

"Thank you Mama."

Watering my baby. She's growing!

We made plans to eat at Pier Park Monday night. We chose Pompano Joe's. Although it wasn't like the Pompano Joe's we all knew from Destin, the food was very good and the atmosphere was fun. The beach was across the street and all the walls were open, so we could listen to the waves and the palm tree branches swaying. A delightful evening.

But I guess in full disclosure, I should say that the inside of the restaurant was very humid as a result of the open walls. I'd hate for my mom to say, "What about all you said about the heat and humidity and how fussy Millie Janalee was?" So, I'm telling you now.

It was humid.

And Millie Janalee was fussy.