Camping on the Coast

This August we took a great trip to the Washington coast to go camping with our friends Craig and Michelle. It was a great trip and I was soo glad Dusty was able to take a few days off between hay and wheat harvest so that we could catch a breather before the busiest of the busy season began. 

This was our second trip to the cabin Craig's family has on the edge of the Puget Sound. Last year when we went it was May so it was a bit cooler than the wonderful summer heat we got to enjoy this time around. Like last year we pulled our camper over. This year we had a new guest to join in on the fun, Jayney!  It was her first big road trip and she did great, sleeping most of the drive. 

While we were on the island we spent our time relaxing, eating and catching up with friends. Dusty and Craig took a 26+ mile bike ride around the island. Michelle, another friend Monica and I tried to go to a farmer's market but ended up not seeing much and §opting for finding an ice cream shop instead. 

At one point we put JJ in her swim suite and tried to dip her feet in the ocean for the first time. I think the waves from a passing boat made the water sounds louder than normal, added to the fact the water was pretty cold, the shore was a little muddy, and Dusty was allegedly in a bit of of a hurry to go kayaking. Well it just was not a formula for a happy first ocean experience. To say that this didn't go well would be the understatement of the year. It was terribly traumatic for everyone. We did not even get one teen tiny toe in the water and things were already headed down hill. Dusty got to hold a screeching baby trying to keep her toes out  of the water, I didn't get any cute pictures during the brief h2o encounter, and JJ just could not calm down. We thought we had quelled her fear when we moved up the beach some and away from the edge of the ocean. 

I sent Dusty out for some time paddling with Craig, thinking that I had Jayney's crying calmed enough to sit, relax and watch the world go by with her on my lap. Oh was I wrong!  JJ was still in her swim diaper and incase you did not know they are not designed to keep liquids in.  Dusty had just gotten out of sight when JJ peed and it soaked through and onto the leg of my shorts where she was sitting. Surprised by this situation, I held her up letting her legs dangle, just as we had done over he ocean a few minutes before. I think that is when she lost all trust in me thinking she was going to have to go back into the water again. Crocodile tears were streaming down her cheeks and even feeding her was not any consolation.  Eventually, I was able to set her in her stroller and she calmed down, knowing I would not push the stroller into the ocean.  Poor Jayney, the rest of the afternoon every time I turned so she was facing the ocean she would start whimpering. We really felt like terrible parents, fearing she would never want to swim or even take a bath again! We were so glad when she was back to her normal happy self the next morning.  

 

 

 

We wrapped up the trip with a stop by the outlet mall at North Bend. Jayney much preferred shopping over the ocean! She was a very happy camper in all the stores. She would reach out and grab tags, sleeves or any other low hanging goodies she could get her hands on. It was really cute to watch our little shopper in action!