First Beach Day of the Season

Friday the kids were out of school and we headed to Anna Maria for our first beach day of the season.  The previous day had been gorgeous which is what put the idea in my head.  Of course, I don't watch the news, listen to the radio, or have any regular contact with the outside world, so I didn't know a huge storm was blowing in this weekend.  We still had a great day.  It was just VERY windy and overcast.  The kids didn't even seem to notice.  It was just my friend and I that stayed fully clothed and covered up with our towels.  The kids frolicked around in the freezing cold water and played in the sand as if it were any regular 90 degree Florida day.  Well, I say the kids, but I should clarify-Amelia, Lane, and their friend ran around splashing and playing.  Owen apparently had not overcome his dislike of the beach that he displayed last summer.  I was sure that it was only because he was so young last year and that this year he would run around and enjoy it like the others.  Oh no.  The very first moment his feet touched the sand he protested in one of his getting-to-be-regular-fits and it took the next two hours to convince him he could walk on the sand.  For the first thirty minutes, he wouldn't even get off my friend or my lap.  Then I laid down a blanket and he would walk all over it as if stepping off would end in something tragic.  Every once in a while, he would relax to the point he would misstep off the blanket and he'd start crying all over again.  After about two hours of this, the seagulls noticed the children and counted on the fact that where there are children there is dropped food.  This coaxed him off the blanket little by little because he wanted to go chase the birds.  The last 30 minutes we were there, he had just about warmed up to idea of the sand.  He was having none of the water but could you really blame him?  It was freezing!  The other kids were crazy for being out there in that water with 20mph wind whipping all over the place.  I think the next time I head out to the beach, I'll wait for more ideal weather so it won't be so overwhelming for him.  I think if the water is calm and the day is warm he will enjoy it.  He better.  That is my free entertainment for the summer and I'm planning on spending a lot of time there!