Vacation, the shortest week of the year

My dad always says vacation is the shortest week of the year and I have to agree 100%! Vacation is so much fun but I am still recovering! The week before vacation I work so much that I am exhausted by the time vacation comes. Our office is down to 3 people (including myself) so there aren't enough people to take over my job when I'm gone. They have their own work to do. SO that being said I had to make sure that everything was in order before I left. STRESS isn't the word for it! Well I got it all done and didn't have to work the entire weekend before leaving (we go Sunday to Sunday).

Garrett and I headed down with my mom and dad on Sunday. It was only a little over 2 hour drive, but I felt like it took FOREVER. I was hoping for a nap from Garrett, but what was I thinking?? No nap! He cried more than 1/2 the way there and I thought I was going to snap. I think at one point I even said "Garrett, mommy is about to have a breakdown!!!" It didn't help. I felt better though :-)

We got to Topsail and unpacked our stuff. Mom and I took Garrett to the beach and let me just tell you that it was pure JOY! It melted my heart as a mom to see him so happy and just running from the water to the sand giggling and just being so so cute.

He had a ball and I could just cry thinking about how much fun he had. I wish Josh could have seen it! We will go later this summer and can't wait for him to see Garrett experience it again.

This was Garrett and my first time sleeping together. We have never slept together except at nap time I will lay down with him, but I'm out of there as soon as he falls asleep! Well it was an experience! He talks in his sleep and flops like a fish on a deck. The first night I did not get much sleep, but the next two nights we worked it out and I slept better. I was worried that he would want me to sleep with him at home too. He did ask me,but I told him I couldn't and he was OK with it.

Monday was our first full day at the beach. We woke up and the first thing Garrett wanted to do was "boo" my parents. It makes me laugh. It's one of his favorite things to do...we will be in the car and he will say "I want to boo daddy" or "I want to boo Sandy". The funny thing is that he will announce it before he does it. He doesn't get that the point of "booing" someone is to scare them. So we went into my parents room and he slammed the door open and yelled "BOO POPS, BOO GRANDMOMMY". It was really cute. He would "boo" them each morning.
They also fixed us breakfast every morning! Three words: Chocolate Chip Pancakes!!!

We went for boat rides and played on the beach the next few days. I was so proud of how good he did. Garrett can be pretty moody sometimes, but he really did so good. He is usually a picky eater too and he ate everything we put in front of him. I didn't have to fix any special meals! Yay!!!

I brought him home Wednesday and stopped and visited with one of my best friends and old college roomie Elizabeth. She has a PRECIOUS daughter Lilly and triplet boys that will be one next month! Crazy how time has flown by! We had a great time.

I went back to the beach on Thursday and had such a wonderful time with my family. My brother and I got to spend some good time together as well as my cousins. My brother also brought his girlfriend and she is so sweet. I got to have some "me" time and sleep in with no responsibilities. It ranks as one of my favorite vacations ever (if Josh was there it would have been the best). I have more to say, but this is long enough and the pictures are hard to upload. I am so thankful for family and good friends.