Birthday Celebration, Part Deux

Clearwater Beach, Fl (May 25)

Spencer's first time at the beach! It was a gorgeous day. Here he is modeling his signature facial expression:)
Avery's 3rd trip to the beach (she's been to 2 beaches in LA and Folly Beach in Charleston, so she's seen the pacific, atlantic and gulf!!)-she loves it and was a happy girl!
Here's Spencer playing in the sand, he loved it so much he ate it:)

These are the only pictures I was able to capture while on our venture to the beach. We though that it would rain that particular day, as predicted, but decided to drive the hour and a half to Clearwater from Orlando anyway since it was really our only free day to do it. Turned out to be a beautiful day, too bad I only got to enjoy about 30 minutes of it. After renting our umbrella and chairs and setting up "camp" Avery wanted to hit the water. So we went in and after about 15 minutes the kids were ready for lunch. So we headed back to our spot to enjoy the cooler lunch I packed when I felt a sharp pain in my foot. I glanced down and saw something swim away. Next thing I know the shallow water we were in (yep, this happened in knee deep water where there were people everywhere) was filling with blood. I yell to Artie that I've stepped on something and to get first aid. I go into a complete panic upon seeing all of the blood in the water and he scoops the two kids and their floaties up and tells me I probably scraped it on a rough shell. Once I get out of the water and he looks at my ankle, now pouring blood, he quickens his step and exclaims it must not have been a shell (duh!). I hobble to our spot, all the while leaving a trail of bright red clumps of sand. Once I sit in my chair I start to feel the most excruciating pain of my life (and remember I've had 2 c-sections!). I notice Artie walking to the lifeguard station and yell for him to run. So he and the lifeguard take their sweet time coming back to me-while I rock myself in my chair and clench a towel with my teeth to keep myself from screaming at the top of my lungs-and when they arrive the lifeguard exclaims that this stingray sting is pretty big and radios for a transport to pick me up and take me to the fire station. So, just like Baywatch, here comes my transport down the beach, lifeguard suited in red board shorts and all. I hold on for dear life as he zips through the crowds and when we arrive at the fire station everyone is jovial and seeming like this is nothing to worry about (I later told one of the guys how mad I was that they all seemed so nonchalant while I was writhing in pain. lol). By this time I have let the tears flow because I simply cannot take the pain any longer. They help me to a picnic table in the fire house and take my vitals and get me a scalding hot bucket of water. Yes, in case you were wondering, soaking a stingray wound in scalding water is the only way to treat it! Meanwhile, practically everyone at the fire station comes to see my sting because apparently I won the prize for the biggest one in a while. I guess when you're used to seeing minor, boring old pin prick size stings, something like mine can bring intrigue. Anyway, during this time Artie is trying to hold down fort at the beach because he was told I'd probably be back within a half hour and he didn't want to lose our spot. That didn't happen. After I start to calm down because the hot water is actually working a bit, they tell me, upon inspection of the puncture and the fact that my foot and toes are completely paralyzed, that it's possible I need stitches to close it up and an x-ray to make sure nothing had been severed. I freak out all over again thinking about going to the hospital still in my bathing suit (yes, truly my first thought) and that we're a ways from our hotel. Well bottom line, I'm stubborn and decide I could ride it out without stitches or an x-ray. I didn't want to further ruin vacation with a trip to the ER for everyone. My stay at the station took 2 hours before I could stand for my foot to be out of water without intense pain-much longer than the norm. I did get to talk with two very nice firemen and then Artie brought the kids to find me and they had a nice picnic lunch at the table I was camped on in the fire station! Avery declared it as the best picnic ever:) After the experience we found out that stingray stings are very rare-only 1500 total in the US in a year. My wound seeped continuously for 5 days, making the drive home a little difficult. After a few days, the bruising hurt worse than the actual sting but I was finally able to move all of my toes! But I'm glad to say I'm feeling much better and survived my first-and hopefully only-stingray sting!

Magic Kingdom (May 26)

So yes, the next day I hobbled around Disney World on my bum foot, but it was a great day:) The kids made it at the park a whole 9 hrs straight and we rode tons of rides as a family-it was amazing!
This is always my favorite shot when we visit Disney!
All of us on the Dumbo ride:)
Snack break!! It was about 95 degrees that day and the kids did a great job in the heat.
Avery got to meet Princess Aurora-and Avery just happened to be wearing a necklace with her on it that day:)
Also, she got to meet Belle (not sure why this is so blurry?)!
Giving Minnie a big hug. Meeting Mickey and Minnie was the highlight of her Disney experience!
The whole family:)
On this trip Spencer learned to take a snooze anywhere!
Daddy and Spencer on the tea cups. Despite the face he's making, he loved it!
They had a great carousel-the kids both enjoyed it!
We got to meet Pirate Goofy. Avery was a little shy at first but warmed up really quickly...then we took the kids on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Spencer loved it, Avery buried her head and covered her ears the whole time and then when it was over she told me it was a great ride and she wasn't scared:)!!

Here's a short video of Avery very excited to meet Mickey and Minnie. As you'll see, the excitement gets to her in a certain way!

Stay tuned for the final installment of Spencer's Birthday Celebration!!