My birthday adventure...

We celebrated my 31st birthday yesterday!  And boy did we make it one to remember =)  I love making memories!

Addison was a good baby and let me sleep for 7 hours... the let me sleep for 4 more after that!  We got up around 8 and had the traditional birthday donuts for breakfast.

 

Then we went on a nice long walk around the neighborhood.  It was so nice outside that we decided to take a boat ride to Carrot Island, which is in Beaufort right down the road.  On the way there, the clouds started coming... but we figured, let's do it anyway.

 

 Waiting on the boat...

 

Obviously, Colin was super pumped about getting on a boat!
Once on the boat, Addison made known that she did not want to be strapped in, so she got a bit of freedom until we landed on shore...

 

Were dropped off on the island.  Alone.  In fact, the boat captain had to put a ladder (yes, a folding ladder that you use to paint) off the side of the boat for us to climb down onto the beach.  (Imagine me with baby strapped to me climbing down a ladder).  We hiked our way through the island trees enchanted forest (as we told Colin).  We were really hoping to see some wild horses.  We did find tons of horse poop.  Colin thought this was HILARIOUS... I kept telling him not to smash the horse poop. 
Anyway... Garet was super smart and brought this little pop up tent with us... so we found a spot and put it up.  Colin filled the sides with sand so it wouldn't blow away...

 

Once it was up, I was going to lay Addison down in it to stretch out... I got in and BOOM, downpour.  I am talking buckets people.  So, I nixed the idea of laying Addison down, since now there was a river running through the tent.  She stayed strapped on me, and Garet and Colin squeezed in next to me and we had our lunch.  During this... the tent started leaking.  So our butts were soaked, from the river under us, and now I was trying to use a towel (thankfully I brought) to shield my precious 3 month old from the drips. 
Colin loved it.  He wanted to get out an run in it.  Go for it.  "Why not," we told him...

 

 Too bad the picture doesn't capture the amount of rain falling from the sky!  Colin got Garet to run around in the rain with him while I nursed Addison.  And then changed her diaper.  On my legs.  Since, as I have mentioned, I was sitting in a huge puddle.  I wasn't quite ready to laugh at the situation yet =)  Here are my boys.  Soaked, and happy!

 

Then just as fast as it came, the rain stopped.  We packed it up and headed out.  Oh and now the no see um bugs were attacking.  Addison was over it.  I had a towel draped around me and over her.  Colin was soaked and having a blast.  Garet was holding the folded tent, diaper bag, and cooler and leading us through the enchanted forest back to the beach where the boat was going to pick us back up. 
When we got to the beach we saw wild horses!  I had put my phone/camera away at this point, so no pictures.  Colin was seriously having the time of his life!  He was making "tracks" with his shoes and then falling on his [fully clothed] belly on the sand and rolling around. 
The boat got us, and told us we were lucky to have had the tent.  We climbed back up the ladder and quickly made it back to land.  Colin was stripped down to a diaper and we headed back to he house.

 

We all got showers and then cuddled a bit on the couch before naptime.

 

 After naps, Colin and Garet made me a yummy birthday dinner and dessert!

 

Garet found the only candle he could and I was sang "Happy Birthday" for probably the 6th time =)  It just gets better...

 

We all enjoyed the brownie and ice cream... 

 

After that big helping of dessert we figured Colin could get some energy out, so we suggested playing outside.  Little did we know, it was pouring down rain again!  Colin put on his "puddle splashing" shoes and headed out...

 

 ...with Garet...

 

What a great daddy!
Addison and I stayed in where it was dry. 
Once Colin got some energy out,  it was time for his bath and bed.  While Garet put him down for the night, I enjoyed the quiet... it had stopped raining, and was just beautiful...

 

Then Garet and I enjoyed playing with Addison before she went to sleep...

It was the perfect birthday!
A wonderful memory.  I just love to see Colin smile, and boy was he smiling!  I had such a great day!  AND Addison slept 9.5 hours that night!  Woo hoo!