42, anyone?

So. Much like my birthday last year was spent in Florida nauseated and in pouring rain, today was equally sucky but made slightly less sucky by kind people making an impromptu party for me.

After another crappy sleep night, I got us up and headed to the store to load up on groceries for the week (another fox/bag of grain/chicken puzzle - how the hell to get three bags of groceries, two giant water jugs, a toddler and a baby up two flights of stairs at the same time? Answer; with great difficulty).

My friend texted that his family was headed to a beach far on the north shore - almost two hours away. But by then I was looking forward to the break a long drive would give me, so I didn't mind. Unfortunately when I got there there was no parking - I mean none. So we had to drive a ways back to park in a lumpy, muddy lot, which meant the stroller was out. Then when we arrived it started pouring rain. I was about to wrap up the baby when just weighing the rain, the long walk along a highway with a toddler, the mud and misery, just didn't seem worth it. So I made the executive decision to turn around and head home, hoping we'd find another beach along the way.

We did find another beach...but like so many beaches here the wind was so strong and it was so rough that I was worried for our safety (I forgot to mention the three of us had a slightly scary encounter with the rough beach by the hotel this morning) so I had to drag poor kicking screaming Bumpus away from this one as well. I did convince him to walk into a large cave a bunch of tourists were exploring, though, which was somewhat cool.

Finally a few miles away we found a lovely beach with a big cove area that turned out to be perfect. Well, as soon as we found a part that didn't slant right down to deep water right away, which B of course stumbled into, which gave me the fun experience of watching his face panic as he tumbled backwards and then fully under water before I could lunge forward and pull him out.

There is just no safe way to be around water with a toddler and a baby. It's physically impossible.

Thank God we were able to stay in this area for some time and B had a blast playing in the sand and shallow water. Theo slept and I actually got to sit down. For my 42nd birthday all I want is to sit down. I would say all I want is to sleep more than two hours in a row, but right now that appears to be too much to ask for.

I went to my friend's place for dinner with a big group of people and they stuck a toy candle in a donut and sang to me. It was a nice way to end the day. 

So I'm glad that the day ended well, because it started off with me repeating over and over things like stop doing that and what's wrong with you and what do you want?!? and you're driving me nuts! while my inner dialogue was an endless mantra of IhatethisIhatethisIhatethis. Some days with little kids are just like that, you know?

Hopefully I will not be alone on the beach much more during this trip. It's a complete waste of time (for me, anyway). Honestly I'd rather pack us all into the car and drive around with the radio blasting over Theo's screaming and look for a drive thru Starbucks.