Florida

Just got back last night from visiting the family. It was good to see everyone. It had been just over 15 months since Amelia had seen her cousins so we figured it was time for her to see them in person rather than just the pictures we have scattered around the house.

Two of the days that we were there Amelia had really blotchy cheeks and even some heat rash on her neck and upper chest and shoulders. The blotchiness was in different places both days so what Grandma at first thought was latent sunburn from a brief beach visit I am thinking may have been a reaction to something down there.

When she woke up with the heat rash (in addition to new cheek blotches) on Saturday I remembered that it was this time of year when we came down for my sister-in-law's baby shower. Amelia was 6 months old and met everyone but Grandma for the first time. (After all, Grandma - and Daddy - saw Amelia before I did!) Back in March of '06 I was really perplexed by what looked like a bad case of baby acne ... 5 months late! So now I am thinking that there is something in the FL air in March that causes a reaction in Amelia's skin. Fortunately, it's gone already.

Amelia adored the beach. It was her second beach trip and she just wanted to go in farther. Her little cousin Austin (who was the baby of the aforementioned baby shower) wanted to keep up. I was lifting Amelia over all the spray when a wave came in and so I couldn't handle both of them, and his mother had her arms full with his sister who doesn't like the beach.

On Saturday we went to the zoo and they had a waterpark that Amelia adored. At first she was tenative with all the water coming up from the ground and spraying from up high. It didn't take long before she was under the buckets that would fill and spill. She had her arms outstretched as if to say, "Bring it on!" So cute.

After we toweled her off and changed her clothes she found (and started to climb) the little wagon full of drinks. I asked her if she wanted an elephant or monkey drink and she said, "No." Her daddy pointed out the stuffed snakes hanging from the stand and she wandered into the staff area behind the counter asking for one. The girl knows what she wants! She had her mind set on the "green, white and black one". Since they were only $2.50 (hard to believe when the elephant drink was $5.50) I couldn't say no. She seemed to know what to do with it immediately. This takes her fondness for toy snakes to the next level, I think.

We left four days of 80 degree weather and sunny, clear skies to return to our gloomy, cool, rainy weather. *sigh*

While we were gone Amelia wanted to wear her zebra shirt again and was disappointed that I hadn't brought it on the trip. I tried explaining that it was a turtleneck with long sleeves and would make her too warm. This was met with "What?" I think that's the 3 year-old version of "Tell it to the hand," or whatever the lingo is these days. Today she was able to wear it again and she was super pleased.

She spent most of today playing with every single toy we have. I think she was reacquainting herself with all of her own things. I found her in her room with the rocking chair pulled up as close as possible to her bookshelf. She travels really well but you can tell she misses home and her routine because she'll say things like, "And on Wednesday, we'll see Meme?" And her tone indicates she is seeking reassurance, which I always give her. Such a sweet girl.

[pictures dated 3/12/09, 3/14/09, 3/16/09]