Beach Photo Shoot

I couldn't leave the beach without taking some family pictures, so on the last night, we all rode over to the beach at sunset. It was absolutely gorgeous! Here are a few of the best pictures...

Seacrest Beach 2010

We finally took our first vacation as a family of four!!! This is something I have been wanting to do for so long, so when we learned that Colby's surgery would not be until next Spring/Summer, we decided to go for it.

We left around 4 am thinking that the boys would go right back to sleep and sleep for several hours, but we were wrong! They both stayed awake the entire 8 hours of the drive. Luckily, they were happy riders! I think they were just so excited about finally going to the beach. I know I was!!

Jason and I both agree that this was the most relaxing and fun vacation that we have taken. The Seacrest Beach/Rosemary Beach area is absolutely gorgeous, and the house we stayed in was perfect! My parents joined us, which made it an even more fun trip for the boys. They got a little spoiled with all the extra attention!

DAY 1

Enjoying our first lunch in Rosemary Beach

Trying out the pool, which was very cold! As you can see, it didn't bother the boys at all.

DAY 2

Our first look at the beach

Colby's first time in the sand. He loved it!

Checking out the "sho shen"

DAY 3

They loved jumping over the waves!

Buried in the sand

Colby loved sitting in the water by himself and digging in the wet sand. He probably would have done this for hours!

Beach Bums! My parents getting a little much needed and deserved relaxation!

We drove to Panama City for dinner and there was a kids' amusement park. Brody loved flying the airplanes!

Waiting in line for the Ferris Wheel

On the Balloon Ride, which went around way too fast for me! The boys loved it, though.

Colby's favorite was definitely the carousel. He rode it two times in a row and still wanted more!

Cheers!

DAY 4

The boys first experience with Chocolate Fondue. I think they like it!

DAY 5

Brody loved seeing the dolphins

Relaxing on the couch

In this area, everyone rides their bike or walks. Unfortunately, my mom never learned how to ride a bike, so my dad decided to rent her a tricycle to try out. She loved it and so did the boys!

DAY 6

There were tons of jellyfish in the ocean on our last day at the beach, so the boys couldn't get in the water. They didn't let that stop their fun, though. Jason and my dad decided to catch a couple of jellyfish for the boys to see.

They then buried the jellyfish in the sand. Some kids next to us helped out too. Brody was so excited that he met some new friends.

This is how the boys got everywhere. It is our bike trailer that is also a double stroller. They had it made!

While on this vacation and without the distractions of our everday lives, Jason and I realized how big our boys are getting. Brody is really maturing, and he is such a well mannered boy (most of the time). He loves asking questions and learning new things. Sometimes his endless questions exhaust me, but I do love that he is eager to learn and understand new things. He shocks Jason and I with his "adult" conversations at times. It is funny to hear some of the things that come out of his mouth. I think Colby is going to be a big talker too. He said so many new words while we were away. It's like he has officially turned into a "big boy."

I will always remember this first vacation as a family of four. There was a time when I feared that this wouldn't be possible, but here we are! We are so thankful that Colby is doing so well. I can't help but get emotional when I watch him developing and enjoying being a "normal" kid...swimming in the pool, playing in the sand, jumping waves in the ocean, hugging on his brother, etc. He has overcome so much in his short life. He continues to amaze us with his strength, spirit, personality, and love for everyone.