Turks & Caicos Trip

We were so blessed to be able to go to Turks and Caicos with my parents for two weeks in February. It was mainly a work trip but we definitely had a lot of fun. Prepare yourself for an onslaught of pictures, 70 of them! (many of the pictures might be repetitive but I just loved all the different faces she makes)


I was pretty nervous about Ellie Grace's first flights but overall she did really well. I am not a good flyer anyway, it just scares me. I didn't really feel like she was doing well while we were on the flight because it was such a struggle to keep her happy. She was such a wiggle worm and it seemed like nothing satisfied her but she never cried so that is a success. We fed her on the way up to help with ear popping and I never had a reason to believe her ears were bothering her. I did get to hold her while she slept, which is quite the rarity these days. 

The first day we were there my dad and I made a grocery store run and stopped by a store called Kishco, that has a hodgepodge of items, to look for a baby walker and we found one! I was so glad because I just can't live without somewhere to put her that contains her! It was great and she really mastered that thing while we were there. By the end of the trip she was traveling all over the place in that thing. 

The young men started hard at work our first full day there.

Riding in the umbrella stroller inside & outside was a daily activity, sometimes several times a day.  Can't you tell she's loving it?

Ellie Grace woke up very early while we were there and my dad being the early riser that he is came to play with us on the blanket. It was so nice to have another play companion! I miss our companions so much already!

One minute Josh was with me, I turned around the next and he was up the coconut tree! So silly and talented.

Of course, my dad, not to be out done by his son in law gave it a go next!

More playtime on the blanket.

I built Sophie the giraffe a tower. Here it is before Ellie Grace demolished it.

We payed homage to our homeland with these patriotic pjs.

Ellie Grace celebrated her first Valentine's Day while we were there. If you can't tell, the heart says, "Happy V-Day Love EG." I couldn't bring myself to put her directly on the sand. I just don't like messes and she would have eaten it. 

hard at work

exploring the local vegetation

I do not know what the deal was but she got fussy in the afternoons there and you could tell she was sleepy but wouldn't go to sleep. So one day I just took her for a ride in the car and that did the trick. 

precious

This is her concerned face. I know she got this from me. 

While we were there it was their "winter" season. So the high temp most days was in the mid 70s and it was really windy. Not very conducive for swimming but there was one day that was in the mid 80s so we decided to take Ellie Grace for her first swim. Of course, I was nervous about it but she did awesome! She loved it. It was very cold to me but it didn't seem to bother her. I was having trouble making myself get in the water so Josh came and grabbed me and threw me in. So sweet of him. 

Who's that silly girl hiding in the background?

Reaching for a plane flying over. 

Robe is getting a little small. 

beautiful sunset

I love this one, for obvious reasons. :)

and this one too

and this one

trying to get down on her own 

We took her out on the kayak. I know this is hard to believe but I was nervous about how she would do but she did great! You would think I would learn to stop being nervous because 99% of the time she does great but it hasn't happened yet. :) Anywho, she loved kayaking. She sat still for the whole time. We went twice and one time we were gone for at least an hour and she just sat there which she does not do anymore. 

This is how she "shows her teeth."

Swimming in the ocean.

"Really, mom? Pictures again?"

sweet little back

In the pictures above Josh was holding her up to this picture. 

One day we went to lunch at a place called The Conch Shack and it is right on the beach so we got these great pictures. Not sure why we didn't just get a picture with my mom and dad in the same one. 

Then we went to a playground and swang, or is it swung?

She actually dozed in the swing for a few zzzzzssss.

Mom and I joined in the swinging fun. We didn't fall asleep.

At the end of the below picture session in the orange dress she tumpled face first into the sand and it was so horrible! She cried so bad and I was so terrified that she had gotten sand in her eyes but she didn't. Josh was quite shocked at my reaction but I was really scared.

When we first got there Josh cut "windows" into this box for Ellie Grace to use as a playpen for independent playtime. It didn't go very well. I tried it the first few days and she cried the whole time so I didn't try anymore but I thought this nice box, complete with padded flooring, should be documented.

She really like licking this furniture. I wondered why so I licked it and it's salty, I guess from
the ocean water breeze.

I love all her expressions below.  

whoops I'm kind of in the corner in that one

At the end of the above picture session, a huge dog came around the corner and Ellie Grace went nuts! I have never seen her so scared. As soon as she saw it she burst into tears. I scooped her up real quick and she was okay. I don't like huge dogs either!

Well that is all the picture documentation from the trip. It was such a great time and I miss it so much already! If only we could drive there instead of fly.