Beach Babe

After three years, we finally made it back to the ocean this summer! We drove out to Dewey Beach on the Delaware Shore, a 3-4 hour drive from DC. It was actually the 10th anniversary of our first trip to Dewey Beach back in 1999. Back then, it was my second summer in DC and we didn't know the area at all. We stayed in a house more than 3 blocks from the beach, which is far when you're carrying your beach chairs and umbrellas. It was the height of jellyfish season and only the boys - Michael, Matt, and Ben - were brave/crazy enough to go in the water. But we had a great time, and we've made it out about a half dozen times since then with some formation of the beach crew. (Check out some pics from the second year and the last year here).

Dewey Back in the Day

Our last trip to Dewey was three years ago in 2006. We had a full house with 12 people, the whole crew and then some. We were all PWOK (people without kids) that summer, although Shannon and Steve were expecting the twins. (Shannon, by the way, taught us how to really do the beach right our second year out, and we still set up camp early each morning at the beach, just like she told us.) We all must have gotten baby fever that summer because Jack, Austin, and Alex were all born the next year. Since then, we've been too busy changing diapers and chasing toddlers to get back to the beach, but this year we made it back and took Jack out for his first beach vacation.

Jack was a beach babe from the start. He ran right into the ocean the first day and we chased him up and down the beach the whole week (except for a few days out for a summer cold that Jack took home as a souvenir). We're pretty sure we're going to need to check into top surfer colleges in about 16 years! Jack loved the sand as much as the surf and we can't wait to get him back next year. Even now, Jack will ask to "go to the ocean" even though we're back home.

A great time was had by all. Enjoy these pics of our beach baby and the rest of this year's crew.

dewey beach 09