Coast Day Trip

We took a much needed day trip to the coast yesterday. Jon would have preferred a camping trip, but since my growing belly made that an impossibility, we opted for a day trip. We got up early and packed everything we may have possibly ever needed and then some(when you have children you have to be prepared for everything) and then hit the road.

We went to Arcata to get a coffee and browse some shops. There was a farmers market going on and there was some really REALLY good people watching. We went into a little jewelry shop where I fell in love with a sterling silver pair of leaf earrings. I have wanted a pair for years, but could never find ones that I really liked...until yesterday. It was like they called out to me; like they had been waiting there just for me. Brooklyn found a couple of pairs of earrings there too. She got some tiny silver crown studs and a pair of sparkly ladybugs.

We walked around some more and found a children's store where Jon found a pair of green fuzzy socks for the little man and I found a tiny blue hat that will probably be huge on the baby. Brooklyn found a princess crown that was made out of pearls with hot pink lace and gold ribbon veils on both sides. When we left the store we saw a bunch of tiny fairies dancing in the quad, so Brooklyn went to join them. It was so fun and random. For lunch we went to The Eatery in Trinidad for clam chowder bread bowls. They make the chowder and the bread bowls there and the lid of the bread bowl is cheese bread. It is absolutely fantastic. I had been dreaming of this bread bowl since we had it for the first time two years ago and the reality was better than my memories. Mmmmmm!After lunch we took Brooklyn to the beach where I thought she would just dip her toes in the water and then play in the sand. Wrong! She ran in the waves and danced and jumped and enjoyed herself so freely while I stood on the beach terrified that each wave was a hand of the ocean sent to steal my child. Melodramatic? Perhaps, but it's how I felt. I made myself relax and set about taking pictures of her in her moment of blissful freedom. There is a picture where she is facing the ocean with her arms spread wide as a wave rolls toward her and I can't help but think of her saying to the water, "Let it come." Children have a way of living that is so pure and joyful. The wind was crazy so we went to a more secluded beach around the corner with some friends that we ran into and I was able to relax a bit because there were no waves. But then she discovered seaweed and decided to chase me with it:)
After a bit we went back to The Eatery for their blackberry cobbler and ice cream....so bomb! We went to the lighthouse and took a few pictures, then drove around scouting for our next camping trip and then headed home.

It was a great day. I'm not saying it was easy for me at 30 weeks pregnant....I went through three instant ice packs for my ribs and could have used three more, but it was worth it.