the cape, 2011

we have returned.

our annual trip to cape cod was last week, and it was a whopper of a trip.

chatham beach

our entire family: my parents, younger brother, younger brother & his wife, mr. googiedaddy’s parents, and his brother, wife and three children all spent time in the cape this year.

 
chatham beach

and googiedaddy’s parents were the only ones smart enough to get their own hotel suite. the rest of us shared a house.

o.O

i kid. it was a wonderful trip. memories that will last a lifetime—all their aunts, uncles, cousins and both sets of grandparents on vacay together.

yarmouthport

what more could a kid ask for?

 seals at chatham beach

did you know there are extensive bike trails running up and down the cape?

 

we rented bikes one day and did a 3 mile stretch, from falmouth to wood’s hole.

all the trails are beautiful. but this is the only section that runs right along the shore.

 i may have taken this while i was biking. but of course that wouldn’t be safe…

the trails are paved, basically flat, and most sections are well away from traffic.

that doesn’t always prevent mishaps…

yup. i totally took a pic of my kid crashed in the bushes instead of helping him out

and of course, there was delicious food.

and science lessons, courtesy of pop…

have you ever seen one of these?

it’s a vintage vacuum-style sunbeam coffee maker. opa picked it up at an antique shop for $20.  wow does that make a good cup of coffee.

and the most amazing part of this year’s trip?

last year i was just barely pregnant. and unsure whether or not i would be holding a baby in my arms in 9 months or not. the midwife called as we were driving to the cape, little bear wearing her “i’m a big sister” t-shirt—which was to announce five’s impending arrival to the rest of the family.

the numbers were not good.

we stopped at a rest stop where i herded the other three in while googiedaddy flipped gigi’s shirt inside out so they wouldn’t see it.

an exciting announcement delayed…because we didn’t know what to tell them.

no ultrasound possible until we returned home. picking up a prescription at the pharmacy in yarmouth i located on my iphone, i broke into tears when the pharmacist told me they couldn’t fill it because they couldn’t understand my midwife’s message. in my head that was the only thing that would save my baby.

a vacation was fraught with tears and worries over what the future (and my uterus) held.

this year?

the sun shines on her.

and on her little tush. (didja see that?)