Pool, Pier and Problem Solving

POOL: The pool has a lazy river, hot tub, covered shaded splash play area, heated pool and a spa pool. Did I mention that Chris is really GREAT at planning trips? Chris and Mason played in the pool after the beach and Micah and I laid on the pool chairs in the shade. Mason had a blast and Micah and I did too! Micah just kicked his feet and looked up at the fake leaves on a really lame looking fake palm tree swaying in the room and started babbling new sounds...its so fun to watch Micah growing and changing and its fulfilling to see Mason eager to try new things and I just love watching him play and smile and laugh... if that's what vacation is about... having fun... then Mason has got that part down!

Here he is looking up at the lame tree (I say lame because I know my dad could make some really awesome looking palm trees) He didn't mind or maybe that's what the new sounds were? After Beach and pool time we headed up for some quiet time. Mason watched a little Barney and Dinosaur Train, Micah and I napped and Chris had some afternoon coffee...I love vacation! Then we decided to take a walk on the Cherry Grove Pier.

PIER: Mason was very excited about walking out on the pier he started his walk to the end and you know hes really enjoying himself when he starts swinging his little arms, its so cute and always brings a smile to my face to watch him! So, the arms started swinging, his mouth had a grin and he was off to the end of the pier! Chris and I were enjoying the walk and we tried, like most parents do when you're giving your child a new experience, to point things out like..."Look, there are surfers" (who knew you could surf at Myrtle Beach?) Mason wasn't too impressed with the surfers he just started looking around for something to throw into the ocean...he reached down and pulled up a little piece of the pier and threw it in! We said, "Ooh watch, that man caught a fish!" Mason responded with, "what man" I knew the fisherman could hear me but I was at a loss for how to describe to Mason the man because all that was coming to my mind was "the fat old man with gray hair and a pony tail right over there yanking on his fishing pole, I bet its a big fish, oh but what if it isn't and I hurt the mans feelings" ...that would never do so I just kept pointing and let Chris come up with a description, "the fisherman"...Mason wasn't impressed with the fisherman either, he just said, "that's a little fish"..."GREAT" I thought...lets hurry and get to the end of the pier. We made it to the end and suddenly the pier became Masons ship out in the water! Mason and I went up on the top of the ship and Micah and Chris stayed below....(I love the pictures that Chris took of Mason and I) Chris then became Masons Capetian and I picked Micah up and rocked him to sleep and the two of us stayed in that position, Micah sleeping in my arms, for the next 40 mins! So glad we made it to the pier! ILVDIT!

PROBLEM SOLVING: After returning from the pier we (well, Chris, Micah and Myself) ate dinner. After dinner we took a family walk to the grocery store. While there Mason picked out some Cheez-its. When we got back the problem solving began...or maybe I should say, the negotiating. Its amazing what a kid will do for something he wants. Chris wanted Mason to eat his dinner, Mason wanted some Cheez-its. When I came into the room Mason had already eaten his carrots, and noodles all that was left was his meat. Mason said, "Daddy, how many bites of meat...3?" Chris said, "Sure, you've eaten most of your food" So Mason ate the bites and I gave him a little baggie of like 4 Cheez-its to which Mason said he wanted more cheezits. Chris said, "How about that for every bite of meat you eat, I'll put a cheez it in your baggie" SO, Mason started eating and eating, suddenly the meat must have miraculously tasted good to Mason or maybe he just so desperately wanted more Cheez its in his bag that he would do anything? He ate his meat, his dinner plate was empty and the bag of Cheez its was full. Mason said, "wow, look at all my Cheez its!" To which Chris responded, "if you're too full from eating all your meat you can just save your cheez its for tomorrow" Mason thought that was a perfect plan and in the end they both had what they wanted. Chris got Mason to eat his meat and Mason got a full baggie of Chees-its! Actually I guess Chris really "won" because we didn't really want Mason to eat a bunch of Cheez its anyway. Wonder how many times my parents "won" when I thought I had "won"???