It may not have snuck up on you, but it did sneak up on me.
Kind of like how Will snuck up on Gerry.
Luckily Gerry's a really good sport.
And also Will's granddad, which helps.
For some reason, this last morning on the beach was the one on which the bigger boys all decided they wanted to bury themselves in the sand.
Jake, of course, didn't want to be left out, but he didn't want his hole filled in. He just wanted to sit in a really deep hole.
While my camera lens fogged over, Nathaniel got busy helping Nick bury himself.
Before I took this picture, I tried to clean my lens. It didn't take.
I tried again before I took this shot of Grant. (Grant and Andrew tend to dress like they're going hunting when in reality they're going to sit on the beach. The curse of fair skin.)
At one point in the morning, I looked over to see the kids doing ... something. Even an hour later, I still really wasn't sure what they were trying to accomplish. No matter.
Amelia spent her last morning on the beach being passed around from welcoming arm to welcoming arm. Patsy took a turn early on.
And Debbie took over when Amelia's eyes started to droop. It wasn't long before she conked out.
The kids just wanted to soak in every last moment of this wonderful week on the beach.
Charlie
Will
Jack
Abby
Anna Kate
Aliana
Coleman
Late in the week, Jake developed a raging case of Icandoit.
He taught himself how to dive under the waves.
I remember when I was little, I hated the feeling of opening my eyes in salt water.
Doesn't seem to faze this one too much.
He'd just dive under, disappear ...
And then pop up on the other side!
He also decided he could independently jump the bigger waves.
Grayson offered him a hand to hold, but he wouldn't take it.
So, you know, a little salt water in the face, but no biggie.
Not for a pro like Jakey.
What I loved so much about Friday, though, was that Nathaniel and Nick went out to help Jake.
Nathaniel's old enough and strong enough now that he could actually lift Jake over some of the waves.
But he was also happy to watch and wait for "the good ones" with him.
And then he'd help Jake jump them when they got near.
There's just something so poignant about watching them take care of each other.
Holding hands, supporting each other ...
Waiting for the wave to crest.
And, okay, MAYBE getting a little more water in the face than you bargained for. But it's the thought that counts.
I could have watched them wait on those waves to roll in for hours. And I practically did.
Awesome way to end the week.
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