At the end of July, we went to Edisto with my family for a week. Edisto is, by far, my favorite SC beach. I love the houses - not big, tacky, high rise condos, and I love the "old" feel of it. I love the very little commercialization. Most of all, I love a beach that ISN'T crowded! We had a great week that flew by. I'm working on doing Thanksgiving there not this year but next. I think Edisto is good enough to do twice a year (for those of us who don't own houses there!).
Tommy and I took a few pictures, but mostly my dad was the photographer of the week. I'm paranoid about taking our camera out on the beach. Plus, it has to adjust to changes in temperature, which takes so long, that it's just easier to use a little point and shoot.
Paul and Sue came down for the first few days. I think it's safe to say that Addie loves them to death! They let her listen to Lady GaGa on their ipod while they were packing the car. Happy girl!
Addie shared a little of that good music with Mimi!
Addie loves to make silly faces now!
Aunt Ellen, Andrea, and David were also there for the same week. We enjoyed having more than just our family to hang out with. We shared dinners and beach equipment, which helped all of us out! Andrea, Aunt Ellen, and David went over the top making sure the week was fun and special for Addie. They had a present for her every day, and some days, two presents! No, she isn't the least bit rotten! At the end of the week Addie had learned the deal and even knew where Aunt Ellen's stash was - now that's awful. David always packed her a Capri Sun, or two, each day in the cooler. Addie
never gets drinks like this, so she loved it. She called it her special juice and about halfway through the week, out on the beach one day, she looked at David and said, "I'm ready for my special juice now." A mess, this girl!
Addie played with the strap to my swimsuit ALL WEEK. I have not seen it since. I have no idea what she enjoyed so much about it!
We went to Beaufort one day. The boys wanted somewhere else to play golf, and the girls wanted good food and shopping. I hadn't been to Beaufort in a while, so I enjoyed it. It was just ridiculously hot. We ate shrimp burgers and ice cream, shopped, and walked along the waterfront. I tried to get some good pictures of Addie along the beautiful waterfront, but she did not want to cooperate. She really was hot, tired, and about 2 hours past naptime.
And here are some pictures of what we did every other day - us beachin' it. The beach has never been mine and Tommy's idea of a vacation; however, taking a vacation with our child is very important to us, and that's definitely the easiest, and most cost-efficient. This year though, the beach proved to be a ton of fun for us. Addie absolutely loved bobbing around in her Puddle Jumper in the middle of the ocean. It was a nice break for Tommy and me too, not to have to hold her the entire time. It was also nice for her to not be afraid of the ocean, something we go back and forth with. (Which I understand, Tommy does not! It does look more intimidating than the pool, which she begs to go to!)
She loved "swimming" back and forth between her daddy and me. We can't wait until next summer for when she can actual
swim! Although in the ocean, she'll probably be in her Puddle Jumper until she's a teenager!
(I'm sorry - I swear I rotated this picture before posting it.) By the end of the week we got smart and fixed our lunches to enjoy on the beach. Duh. I told you Tommy and I weren't beach people!
When not in the water, she was as content as could be to play in the sand, and for the most part, entertain herself. We just had to constantly bring her buckets of water. She liked to clean the shells and "cook" for us. We had lots of spaghetti and lasagna on the beach!
My sweet happy girl!
But yes, we had a few meltdowns too. I mean, she is 2! They could almost always be remedied with a "golf ride," food, or a special juice! (Or a spanking. I mean, just because it's vacation doesn't mean you don't have rules to follow!)
Checking out the dolphins! Another love of Edisto (Not that you can't also find them at non-crowded beaches in Charleston.)
These are her baby sunglasses. She found them in the bottom of the beach bag (that apparently never gets cleaned out, only added to - ha!) and had to wear them, because they "looked like David's!" In other words, she thought she had a croakie! She wears sunglasses all the time, and these things stunk! Much better for a baby! But you couldn't tell her that!
Oh Edisto, how I love you! I can't wait to see you again soon!
Aren't the other little girl's curls just gorgeous?
(I made this outfit, and we have loved it this summer!)
There was this great big huge blog thing for the kids to climb on, and Addie worked at it the whole time we were there, finally getting to the top towards the end. She was so proud of herself! (Notice the blue socks - I was totally unprepared and more concerned with a trip to Starbucks for me beforehand, and forgot her socks. Luckily, another mom had a spare pair!)
We had a bow in, but those things are nearly impossible to keep in at one of these places. My sweet big girl. I can't believe she's about to start school! 
