Beach, Baby! Part 2 - Animal Encounters & Pool Time

The first few days of our beach trip each brought an encounter of some sort with wildlife.

It started our first full day on the beach. Bailey was playing in the sand far enough back that the waves couldn't hit her...because she did not like them at all! Nick and I were sitting on the sand where the waves could gently roll up over us. It was great. We talked, splashed each other and watched Bailey play. Then all of a sudden something struck my big toe. I didn't know what it was, but I knew it hurt! I saw something briefly after the hit and run that looked like a shell and I saw it get buried in the sand. I kept watching that area and the next thing I knew a good sized crab came out from under the sand and started running (crawling, swimming...whatever crabs do) back into the ocean. I had been hit by a crab! I was completely freaked out. I proceeded to get up (with a quick trip into the ocean to dump all the sand that had found its way into the bottom of my bathing suit, I'm sure I was quite a sight!) and go sit by Bailey.

The next day me, Bailey and Brittany were in the pool together when we spotted a little newt in the pool. We took Bailey over to see it and we watched it try in vain to climb out. It would get close to the top of the wall and lose its footing and fall right back in. I wanted to help the little guy, but I couldn't bring myself to pick it up. I found a little toy truck that someone had left behind and spent nearly 10 minutes assisting the newt out of the pool using the toy truck. Finally, the little guy made it to the pool deck, where he turned around and jumped right back in! He was on his own from there.

The third day we were all in the pool and found...a snake!! It was coming out of one of the drains on the ledge! We don't know how long it was because it never fully came out. It was very skinny, so I'm sure it wasn't that big, but it still a little unnerving to find the snake in the pool!

Despite the animal kingdom seeming trying to take over the pool, that was Bailey's favorite part of vacation. It had been a while since she had been swimming, so it took her a day or two to really have a good time in the water. But by the end of the week she was jumping in and floating around in her tube all by herself! We practiced kicking and blowing bubbles. She decided she wanted to go under, and did twice, but didn't like it. Then she fell one night while standing on the steps in the pool. It was like slow motion. I saw her toppling over but I couldn't reach her fast enough...and I was sitting right next to her. She went under, head first, and I grabbed her up. She was coughing and crying and it was all I could do to keep it together. She wanted to get out, but I didn't want to reinforce her fear, so I made her stay in and sit on my lap while I told her it was okay now. After only a minute or two she was fine and ready to play. I on the other hand was not. Nick knew I needed a minute and took Bailey to play and I had a little cry. I knew she was okay, but it was just so scary and it just reminded me that it only takes a second for anything to happen.

Now here are some cute photos/videos of Bailey playing in the pool.