She really loved the beach....

...for the first five days or so.

On Day 6 she announced, "I don't want to go to the beach. No more "saulcy" water!"

She'd had it. Plus we were having issues. (No Lewis vacation is ever without it's issues.)  We (she) had a horrible bout with constipation that was not 'fixable' without an enema and very dramatic outcome. Horrible, I tell you. I was in tears.

No sooner did we recover from that traumatic event, then we were awakened to Gianna screaming in the middle of the night. Let me clarify:  Daddy was awakened to screaming.  The usually light-sleeping Mommy somehow entered a sleep deprivation coma that night and didn't hear her child calling out for her. I would normally feel very guilty at this point, except for the fact that my husband walked into Gianna's first stomach virus.  (Have I ever mentioned that I don't do vomit? I don't. I can't. They all told me I would be able to handle it with my own.  They were wrong. God's gift to me that night, was not being the one to enter that sick scene.)

Anyway, she was SUCH a trooper through that episode. Just a little clingy, which was fine by me. (Nice to have a cuddly child every once in a while.) A couple of days to lie low was not the worst thing.  We were in a beautiful condo with every convenience, and a heroic husband/daddy who was wonderful to us. Yes, us.  I got the bug next. I'm telling you, us Lewis girls seems to always reserve our illnesses for trips. Daddy always seems to reserve his upon arrival home. Yep....he got it too.

So add all that with a family reunion - (* the reason for the trip to begin with) and a strong willed two year old who was exercising her defiant muscles....it was an exhausting trip. We were happy to be together and away from our 'normal' lives for a bit and we did have many fun times and great memories, but there's no place like home. 

* Iain's family was all in Tampa, where his brother lives, because they were all going on a 7 day cruise.  We opted out - being that we are trying to sell our house and possible adopt again.  All I can say is - THANK HEAVENS WE DIDN'T GO ON THAT CRUISE!   

And I'd be remissed if I didn't mention the fact that my big girl slept by herself in a room on the other side of the condo - which she wanted to be pitch black at night.  "No mommy, please shut that door and you go down the hall."  I'm impressed. I'd have been a chicken.