Beach Day

The kids had school off Tuesday, so we took the opportunity to go to the beach. How is it that we have lived on an island for a year, and this was our first official beach day? I do not know how that happened, but we finally went and our in love and planning to go back with friends next week.

Singapore has two beach areas, Sentosa, and East Coast Park. ECP is a lot closer than Sentosa, so we went there also because we have needed to check out ECP. They just opened up a new kids area called Marine Cove. It has a huge play ground and is just a hop and skip away from the beach. Also, some restaurants including a McDonald's! Whoever planned this place out for sure knew what they were doing.

I just took the two big kids. Rapha stayed home with Dewi, our helper, and napped the entire time we were gone. That worked out great. It was some needed water therapy with my kids, and made me love being a Mom (which sometimes I have a hard time with).

I am really looking forward to the kids "summer" break or end of year break coming up in November. It's going to be really nice to not have to rush back for school every afternoon. And I am looking forward to exploring some more of Singapore with these kids of mine. I really enjoy exploring all these places with them. They make it so much more exciting.

Cosette showing me how to draw a foot print in the sand.

The beach was not the nicest beach we have ever been to, but who cares? It was the best! We built sandcastles complete with motes, made sand angels, had a picnic on the beach, swam in the ocean, saw all the boats off shore, all the planes taking off and landing from the airport, and tons of crab holes. We were really excited about those. I was really proud of Henry because he overcame his fear of the ocean and went in and played in the waves.

He is a cautious soul, which you would never know if you saw him running, bouncing along. He is nervous to try something new, so this was a big deal. We had to get all the sand off before we could have our picnic, so I picked him up and told him we had to wash off and that I would hold him the entire time. He was a little hesitant, but once he realized he could touch the bottom he was great. He asked to go in with me holding him a couple more times, and then he would take my hand and go in on his own. He said he loves to play in the waves.

Sandy hands!

This is my favorite picture of the day, because I was with my kids having fun together. Now where to go except for where we were. Mothering is hard, and I really needed a good mom day with my kids. I love them with all my heart. I am just one person and they are three! I try so hard to be a good mom by being patient, telling them I love them, letting go of the little things, not getting angry over spilled milk and just clean it up (Henry has gotten into a bad habit lately of taking entire liters of milk and dumping them out. Not cool dude. That stuff is expensive here), etc. It's not easy doing those things. Lyndon has worked till midnight or later (mostly later) the last couple months. It's been really challenging to be the one and only parent that they are with 24-7. I try so hard. I needed a day like this with them. 

It is the rainy season now, so the weather is hit or miss. The sun was out so we took our chances and spent enough time to get ourselves worn out before it started storming. 

Watching the storm coming in. 

We built the biggest mountain in the world!

And then crushed it with our bare fists.

She is growing up too fast. She was already climbing to the top of jungle gyms like this when she was three, so I shouldn't be surprised. She has become so independent and can do just about anything she puts her mind to. She wants to walk to school by herself. Luckily they have a policy that parents have to drop and pick up the kids, so she can't argue with that. 

I tried to wear the kids out, but in the process I wore myself out. I came home and took a three hour nap. I cannot wait to go back again. Hopefully with friends.