Shore to Please

I know there are many women out there who have rocky, at best, relationships with their mother-in-laws. I know quite a few would cringe at the thought of an afternoon spent alone with their MIL and child without their husband present. I guess I'm in the minority here. I actually LIKE my mother-in-law, and from what I hear, she likes me too. She even jokes that I'm her favorite child. (Suck on that Bry & Casey!)
She lives year round down the shore and up until last week, making the trek from our house to hers was just about 2 hours. Not really the type of drive one would make in a day, alone with a toddler. However, now in the new house, it's been shortened to just over an hour and fifteen minutes.
This past Wednesday our calendar was free, the weather forecast was clear, and so Mo and I may the little trek to Grandmom's house. It was such a nice time. The three of us went to lunch at a bar/restaurant that had a deck overlooking a parking lot and beach. We dined on crab cake sandwiches and french fries, and drank pina coladas. Mine was virgin of course, and so I let Mo have a few sips. Okay, in the end she probably drank about a fifth of it. Hopefully I'm not setting her up for a lifetime of reliance on fruity drinks.
We then headed to the beach for the first time this season. Last year, Mo was only five months old and just sitting up when we went on vacation. If you sat her on the blanket, she stayed there. She would reach out for a rattle or the sunscreen, and that was about it. A relatively relaxing time for both Bry and I.
It's amazing how different things can change in a year. Seriously, my kid is a nut! My MIL and I needed to tag team her as she did not stay still for the entire 90 minutes we were at the beach. From the moment I put her down onto the sand to the moment we carried her away, she was a total beach bunny. She has no fear of the ocean and ran right into the water. Her daddy was so proud, as it took him a good 4 years to get me into the ocean beyond my knees. (Yes, I was a division one swimmer, but I didn't swim in the ocean. I love chlorine!) She even fell face first into the water, and didn't even cry. After I lifted her up, she wiped off her hands and face, and then continued running down the shoreline.



We ended the day at Grandmom's house taking a bath and playing with some rubber duckies before we made the trek home.
I feel so lucky to have a mother-in-law that likes me and enjoys spending time with Mo and I. Plus, it doesn't hurt that she lives down the shore! We're hoping to go and visit next week for beach day #2.