R Family Does Florida

For the annual R Family vacation, we had a perfect week at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. We rented a house RIGHT ON THE BEACH!!! and had a wonderful week of family, great views, wonderful food, and kiddie antics. We have about 65832 pics (that's just Randy and me) from the week but I pared it down to a mere four dozen.

The kids checking out the place.

Family photo in the front yard.

Playing corn hole outside a seafood restaurant.

Emerging from a long New York winter into bright sunlight calls for hats and matching full coverage bathing suits. We were like a bear family crawling out of hibernation, all hungry and squinting.

 

Our respective duties during Tiger Cub's swim lesson.

Family photo on the back deck with a storm rolling in. I'm matching these kids until they tell me I can't. Because, duh, that's the best part of same gender offspring.

Brunch: pancakes and bacon for the big guy; melon for the little guy.

More beach scenes.

Russell and Hope whipping up dinner in the kitchen (that counter space!).

In-house babysitting! The beach home was very well equipped (crib, baby bath, paddle boards without paddles) but two little helpers who were willing, adorable, and free really took the cake. Thanks girls!

Beach walks.

Family meals (kids table).

Gigi served as the official baby feeder...

Bubble blower...

And minder of the kiddie den (where they were watching something quite riveting).

Caught these brothers grilling in the driveway.

High end family dinner of pizza and ice cream dinner followed by a walking tour of St. Augustine.

Meanwhile, how classy is this crew?

Frozen drinks to match our outfits. Is Small Bear sipping a daquiri???

Quintessential perfect vacation moment: rainbow shooting out of the ocean.

Pop Doc and Tiger Cub taking in the view at Castillo de San Marcos.

Blazing hot park at high noon.

Dinner prayer or opera singing? Either way, Tiger Cub is gonna to go ahead and help himself.

Family swim hour.

On our final night we enjoyed an evening out all together and snapped a quick cousins shot -
four strong this year!

Keeping the baby happy at the restaurant.

Dining alongside Ryan and Megan.

Boys on the dock.

On the day we left, Small Bear turned 6 months old. The biggest comment he gets from strangers is, "those cheeks!" At halfway through babyhood, he can roll in both directions (although he only chooses to do so occasionally), has started eating solids, willingly tries new foods, and loves bath time.

Spring Travels

This is a picture-heavy post that only grandparents will likely make it through. But that's okay because we had a busy late March/early April and I want to remember IT ALL.

Going chronologically backwards...

Trip #3

Last weekend I saw one of my good friends get married and got to hang out with my other good friends at her wedding. It was picture perfect: Lindsay was a beautiful bride and the weather was what every bride dreams of for her big day. What a lovely colorful spring wedding!

I mingled over Mexican food with these gorgeous Atlanta babes who love me no matter how long I do this "New York thing." A fun wedding with good company is THE BEST.

We visited Grampy and brought him breakfast. He got to see his great grandsons and they loved seeing him.

My brother with Tiger Cub and their Seahawks shirts. Matt used to be a clean cut East-Coaster but then he moved out West and turned into a lumberjack. 

Grandma and Grandpa took us to the Tellus Science Museum. We spent a lot of time in the children's area digging for fossils, playing with balls, and looking at ourselves in mirrors.

We had a bunch of fun visitors including these friends. Dana and I were childhood buddies, our moms are still great friends (and swap daughter/grandchild notes), and our babies are about a month apart.

Trip #2

Earlier this month we traveled to Baltimore to see my cousin Jennifer get married. We went by train which was a nice break from air travel and super fun for Tiger Cub.

We ate breakfast on the train like regular commuters.

Our hotel had an awesome pool, which we used to wear out the boys so they'd nap.

Wedding ready with all my handsome guys.

We had a short (but long due to traffic) Uber ride to the wedding so there was plenty of time for pictures, laughing, crying, and falling asleep.

The first wedding we've been to inside a museum!

Tiger Cub and Small Bear met their sweet girl cousin for the first time. We tried to get a decent picture of the three of them but this was about the best I was able to manage.

Small Bear contemplating Aunt Tanya's Czech buchty.

The final night we had a big crab cake feast at a Baltimore restaurant. Because Maryland!

Trip #1

On Easter weekend we traveled to South Georgia for Randy's grandmother's funeral. It was a sad occasion but nice to see so much family and share the Easter holiday with them. Tiger Cub was all about the bonus weekend with his cousins. Family, spring showers, and baby ducks pretty much sum up our time down there.

A family picture and an almost family picture.

The littlest family member was offering free snuggles to all grandparents.

The R family took up two whole pews on Easter Sunday.

The Randy-Tiger Cub duo were serious about hunting Easter eggs.

Golf cart rides usually come with visits to South Georgia. And the sun appeared on our final day!

Brotherly love at the airport.

All of the above happened between Small Bear's 4 and 5 month birthdays. He turned 5 months the day we got back from the second wedding. 

 

Small Bear is a pleasure to travel with (I think we'd know if he wasn't). He likes relaxing and sleeping in people's arms, continues to take life in stride, and is pretty into observing the world around him. His best friends are his big brother and Kermit the Frog.