We miss you, Surf City.

Grandma and Dylan, swinging together on the playground. As seen from our townhome's deck. 

Poppy & Chadmo - heading out to catch some more waves.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!

My big, strong, burly husband.

A sandy-faced beach baby.

The breast, er, I mean the best, of the beach. Waves make fabulous white noise.

More from the beach

Grandpoppy making waves on Surf City beach. :)

I think we could get used to the beach lifestyle.

Daddy coming in on a wave, Grandpoppy on his way out to catch one.

Dylan, telling us something very important.

She is our serious, contemplative critter.

Wiggly toes in the sand - she loved it!

More iPod photography

The pretty flowers & adorable note that were waiting for me when I walked in the door from my walk in town this evening. The note says: "If the flowers look a little mangled, it's because they were assembled with love. - Haley & Dylan" I have the sweetest babies (& husband) in the whole wide world. :)

THIS is what was waiting for me when I turned around after putting Dyl in her crib for a minute so I could get some clean clothes for her to wear! She can officially pull herself up! Just to kneeling on this lower side so far, but Chadmo lowered the crib mattress all the way down this evening before bedtime, just in case. 

"This is so much fun, Mommy! I can get into all sorts of trouble this way!" ;) 

Proud of herself! (She is our CUTE little monkey. :))

Our little jail bird. 

Please excuse the iPod photography

"Look at my foot, Mommy! Isn't it cool? It's lovely to chew on, and just to hang onto in general."

A happy babycakes, just waking up from her afternoon nap yesterday.

I'm always happiest after a lovely nap too. :) Love those smiley eyes & that Dylly-smirk!

Tags are the best. 

Today was an awesome summer day! Heather, Emrie, Henry, Greta, Andrea, Asher, Anna, Dylan, & I invaded the Klingelhafer's new, amazing pool for some swimming this afternoon. The water was just perfect, and Dyl loved floating around like a pirate captain in their baby boat, as usual. She thought it was extra fabulous to have all the other kids there to watch - she's still wishing for a big brother or sister for her birthday. I guess I'll have to start shopping on the black market... ;)

Captain Dylan, aboard her Pirate ship today!

After the pool party, Dyl fell asleep in the van on the way back to our house. So we cruised around town to prolong her nap. Then we headed home, made BLT's for a quick dinner for when Daddy walked in the door, and then after dinner we all rushed off to town for a walk with the Dickerson clan. I'm feeling pretty pooped after 3 hours of pool time and then 2.5-3 miles of walking this evening - I think I better head to bed! I love summer & good friends & family!

Big Girl!

I remember when Dyl was so tiny that her feet didn't even reach half way to the counter top from the bar ledge. Now she's such a big girl, they reach with no problem at all! We really love this form of baby measuring, it's too much fun. Aunt Katy & Uncle Greg - what are you going to think when 18 year old Dylan has to sit on your bar ledge?? ;) Her knees will be up by her ears by then...

We had a fun day today - touring a model home in Lewis Center, having a lunch date at Cheesecake Factory while K&G strolled Dyl around Polaris, a pedicure with Katy K in Worthington (WOW - pedicures are awesome!), a short visit & baby measuring at K&G's house, then back to Logan to make an offer on a house in town! That's all I'll say about that for now, but we'll be sure to keep you posted. *Fingers Crossed*

An impromptu concert

Chadmo, Dyl, & I headed out to Pizza Crossing for dinner after Chadmo got home from work. It was delicious as always, and Dyl absolutely loves being big enough to sit in a highchair and check out all the hubbub on a happening Friday night. She received many compliments on her adorableness, and she was looking quite preppy in a ruffly Ralph Lauren dress. She's far better dressed than her parents. ;) 

After dinner, Chadmo suggested we go for a walk around town. We strolled by the old cemetery and I showed him the cool old tombstone for the mass small pox grave. Then we went by the pool, the playground, a certain house on Hill Street, down Snake Hill, and back towards Main Street. Most of the way we were noticing music wafting towards us on the breeze, and sure enough there was a concert going on in the gazebo in the little park in the middle of town. Dyl had zonked out on her stroller ride by this point, so we just sat a couple of blocks away on the stoop to a business, so she could snooze & we could listen. It was definitely a concert aimed at the elderly, but it was fun all the same. Who knew such an impromptu evening of fun was to be had in Logan? We might just have to do it again if we can figure out when these concerts occur...

Sleeping Beauty - enjoying the beautiful evening & concert from the comfort of her awesome stroller that can lay flat, for just such a snooze. 

Why doesn't someone push me around in one of these things? This is definitely the good life. 

Two lucky ducks. 

Possibly my new favorite picture of Chadmo. He is so sweet. (Most of the time. :))

Our long distance view. 

The terribleness of hats

"Yuck! Get this thing off of my head!"

"Moooooo-om! Help! This is terrible!"

"Drat, it seems to be stuck on there rather trickily."

"Can't somebody help a baby out??"

"Okay. Well, I guess I do look pretty cute in it."

"Just don't expect me to enjoy myself."

(I guess it's a little hard not to enjoy myself. The ocean is pretty awesome - and I get to hang out with Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, & Grandpa all day!)

Isn't she just the cutest thing you've ever seen?

Surf City

Our own personal beach. :)

Beach bum family!

I love Dyl's expression in this one. (Don't mind my crazy hair - that's what happens when you've been boogey boarding.)

Attacked by high tide!

Wow. Vacation was WONDERFUL. We absolutely loved Topsail Island & Surf City - we hope to make it our vacation home away from home. So if anyone wants to join us there some summer, please let us know - we hope to become regulars! Our townhome couldn't have been more perfectly located. It was right next to a playground, had its own swimming pool (which Dyl really liked), was less than 100 yards to the beach (no shoes necessary to get there), and a little less than 2 miles to town (a fun distance for a walk down the beach or a stroller ride down the back roads - especially when Grandma & Grandpa are close by to give you a lift home!) Thanks for going with us, Mom & Poppy!

I'll just keep posting 3-4 pictures on here each day, till I get all the good ones up. :) We really did have a  wonderful time, but I can't deny that sleeping in my own bed again feels pretty amazing too. I'm always excited to go, but I love to come home too.

A Sneak Preview

We've been having a fabulous time on vacation at Surf City, NC! The beach is beautiful, the weather has been remarkable (despite a few bouts of rain), our townhome is lovely, the food has been delicious - I could go on & on! We have lots of fun pictures to share, but alas the internet could be described as temperamental at best. (I suppose that's the one flaw to an otherwise perfect vacation.) I've been trying to upload cute Dyl beach pictures all week, with no luck at all. I FINALLY managed to upload this picture tonight - it's actually from a couple of days ago. Dylly & Grandpoppy seashell hunting together on the beach one evening. :) There will be lots more pictures to come when we return to Ohio and agreeable internet. But I don't even want to think about vacation ending yet - can't we just stay here forever??

Dyl's first beach day

Dyl's first time sitting in the sand. "Hmm...what is this stuff, Mommy?'

"I don't know, it's kind of weird. Not much like that tasty grass we have in Ohio."

"Speaking of tasty, I wonder if this stuff is any good to eat?"

"Well, I know one way to find out the answer to that question."

"Daddy! You never let me have any fun or eat anything cool! Hmpf!"

There was a rainbow out for Dyl's very first day on the beach (she was out on the beach for a brief moment the previous evening, but only to quickly dip her toes in the ocean before bed!) I think it's a good sign that she's going to always be a beach lover.

"I might not be old enough to build sandcastles with these beach toys yet, but they sure are great to chew on. Thank you, Heather!"

My cutie pie beach baby. When she sees the ocean for the first time when we walk over the top of the dune (last night, and a couple of times today), she gets so excited she shrieks & kicks & smiles. Today she was sitting in the sand where the shallow surf would wash up around her, and a bigger than average wave came and whooshed around her pretty hard. (I was holding her up.) She also got a big of salt water in her face. But she never fussed at all, she's our tough cookie!

Umbrellas make excellent entertainment as well as shade.

Daddy in the ocean. <3