Sunshine State

We've certainly taken quite a few road trips with Frankie and have traveling by car down pat, but traveling by plane - with a toddler - was something completely foreign - and intimidating for us!  A few years ago, Frank's great aunt & uncle moved to Florida and we've been meaning to pay them a visit for quite some time - and finally pulled the trigger in February.  After much planning and anxiety - the whole trip went off without a hitch!  It turns out that flying with a child really isn't that bad (as long as you have endless snacks, activities and energy)!  We had such a great visit and Frankie was amazing on the plane (minus a short crying stint on the flight down - which happened to be smack during his nap time).  Aunt Marlene and Uncle Carl live in a delightful retirement community, where I'm pretty sure owning a small dog is a requirement for residency.  Everyone has little dogs.  And Frankie was in heaven.  He also thoroughly enjoyed their pool - and was in it for two straight hours one day.  He even got up the courage to 'jump' to Daddy from the side. 

 

Here's looking at you, kid.

Frank's cousin, Steven, and his family, live about 15 minutes from Aunt Marlene & Uncle Carl, so we also got to spend time with them.  They hosted dinner in their beautiful home one evening and his wife, Robin, took us to Boca Grande beach one day with their two children.  Guess what?  Frankie likes to eat sand.  Although, after I fed him actual food for lunch, he seemed to each less. :)  Guess what else?  He's scared of the ocean.  Which will make for an interesting Nags Head vacation this year.  Eek. 

Frank and I both had such a relaxing time and really enjoyed the time we got to spend with family that we don't get to see that often.  They are in a beautiful part of Florida which almost had Frank and I thinking of moving down there.  Almost.