We spent a good bit of time out at the beach today.  We’d received a text this morning from the Masons saying they were going out to the same place we usually go out, but we figured by the time we got ready and all that we wouldn’t be out there very long at the same time as them.  Well, we decided to go out anyway, and so did the Warkentiens, but when I texted Gregory to say we were on our way out, he said they were leaving and that it was very hot.

Amanda, Milly and I were a few minutes ahead of the Warkentiens so we talked to Anna and Barry before we went out.  I think we had just finished spreading out the beach blanket and putting lotion on Amanda’s back (Milly and I covered up before we left the house) when they walked out.  I thought it actually felt really nice out there.  It was definitely cooler than it was off the shore and there was a nice breeze blowing.  The water was a little chilly, but it felt awesome.

We spent the next couple hours playing with the kids in the water, building sandcastles and watching the kids play.  Paul Klouse was there with his family and a couple other people from church.  My favorite thing about being out there today was watching Milly socialize.  The other people from church had four or five kids between them.  Milly just walked right up to the group and started hanging out with them.  One of the girls was running around the other group and Milly was chasing after her repeating “friend” over and over.  That girl told Amanda “she won’t stop chasing me.”

Milly really seemed to hit it off with Hazel, one of Paul’s girls.  She ended up hanging out over by us and playing with Milly and Eli’s shovels and buckets.  Milly, reminding me that she can be a little bossy, picked her own bucket up and said to Hazel, “Get your bucket!”  Hazel, a little older than Milly, did as instructed and followed Milly.  They did play really well together though.  The Siscoes came out too, and Milly played with their kid Alex a good bit as well.

I think we left the beach around 2:00.  Eli was starting to fuss a little and we figured we’d all been out there long enough.  We all hosed off at the Frazelles’, talked to them for a bit then ate at El Cerro Grande.  We were going to go to Tower 7, but we could only find one parking spot.  There was a moped taking up a lot more space than it ought to have.  Anyway, Milly and Eli were really good at the restaurant.  Milly ate chips and salsa and a lot of rice.

Back home we took Milly upstairs for some quiet time, which I guess is what we’ll call naptime from now on.  I was wanting to take a nap anyway so I snuggled up on the floor and asked if she wanted to lie down with me.  She never did.  I think I dozed a little bit and woke up with Milly wanting help putting on some shoes.  She’d been busy.  I was surrounded by her hamper, some shoes, a few dolls and some other toys.  I decided to head down to the guest room after that.  I left Milly in her room in case she wanted to settle down, but Amanda went up to get her a few minutes later.

They went to the store and I had a nice nap.  Nick and Amy and Eli had considered coming over tonight, but Nick called and said he hadn’t had any time at home lately and wanted to have a night in.  Amanda and I ate our baked spaghetti and took Milly upstairs around 7:30 after she picked up in the living room and told me to help her clean up.  She even handed me some toys to put away when she was right next to where they go, kind of like we do with her.

Milly was pretty fun to put down this evening.  She was playing with Yellow Car, a small yellow sports car that you can pull back to make it go.  I think she got it from Amanda’s grandparents’ house.  She was talking and singing in the high-pitched voice she uses to talk for her toys.  She also got Baby Lightning McQueen and pushed the two cars around together, telling us they were going for a walk.  Amanda and I tossed yellow ball around until we were ready to play Hold Still and Goodbye.

Amanda and I started watching Rubber on Netflix, a movie about a killer tire.  Yes, a tire that kills things.  There seems to be a lot more to what it’s actually about, since the opening scene had a sheriff gets out of the back of a car and talk about a bunch of things in movies that we accept despite there being no reason for them.  It kind of sets the tone for the rest of the movie.  I was a bit tired though, and Amanda was getting bored, so we turned it off.  I might watch the rest of it later.  If nothing else, it was well shot and I enjoyed the absurdism early on.

Zach Dotsey