June = Beach Time!

Dear Family & Friends,

In order to prepare Noah for our impending cruise we thought that it would be a good idea to take  him to the beach so that he could have some exposure to the ocean. In the beginning of the month we packed up the car (with what felt like three time as much as we would take to the beach before Noah was born) and headed to our favorite North Carolina beach spot, Topsail Island.

Jorge and I have been going to Topsail Beach for years. We love the small crowds and easy beach access. Plus on a good day the water is pretty clear and reasonably warm. On a more sinister note, this beach has pretty frequent shark attacks - ~2/year. Which makes me nervous whenever Jorge decided he wants to some far from the shore. This year we wouldn't be worrying about sharks, thought, because we weren't planning on swimming in the water.

As the next two pictures show, Noah was not too thrilled with the beach, which was super disappointing to Jorge and I because we absolutely love everything to do with it.  As soon as we put Noah's feet into the water, he had a fit. I imagine the huge expanse of water in front of him was somewhat intimidating. But we figured the cool water would feel refreshing in the blazing heat. This, surprisingly, was definitely not the case. As soon as Jorge put Noah in the sand to play, he attempted to make a bee-line escape away from the water.

Noah was much happier when we were hanging out under our beach tent. It never ceases to amaze us when Noah is fascinated with any object besides his toys. On that day at the beach, and empty disposable cup was Noah's new favorite toy
 

On the sand we had a blast playing and finding some time to relax. With all the excersise I've been doing, I felt brave enough to take a stroll in my bikini. I'm not quite back to my pre-Noah size but I'm definitely getting close! Jorge has also noticed some decrease in muscle mass and has made a commitment to get back to his NC State size/strength. By next year's trip to the beach we will be in better (hopefully) shape then I've ever been.

At the end of the day, our first trip to the beach was awesome. We had fun kicking off the summer and by the end of the day we were looking forward to our big vacation in the Caribbean.

This trip to the beach was not just viewed as a quick weekend escape. As new parents, Jorge and I are making a conscientious effort to expose Noah to as many of the  world's wonderful experiences as we can, starting at a very young age. To us, it is important for our children to understand that the world is a very big place and that we should do all we can to prevent them from becoming complacent and encourage them to be people who are continuously looking to explore, learn, and be more enriched individuals.

Be Blessed, 

Jorge, Stephanie, and Noah