The slide at the park downtown!
We went to Point Reyes for the sand sculpture contest recently. It was a typical windy and cool day, but the girls didn't mind. While I was wishing I had a hat and mittens, they were running in the surf and sitting in the wet sand.
They both love the beach, but Maija has always been the first to charge into the water and stomp in puddles. Anja has been very cautious of the waves since we explained to her how dangerous they can be and how she should never go into the ocean alone.
But on this trip she was brave enough to run in the surf and play in the waves a bit. We've been reading a new book, "Ladybug Girl" about a girl who is afraid to play in the waves, but then is brave and learns that she can have fun in the water.
With our Cal Academy family membership, we try to visit fairly frequently. On this trip, the girls wanted to wear their halloween costumes from last year, which amazingly still fit. We also got to see the baby ostriches, and stand inside the "earthquake house", which shakes to simulate the Loma Prieta earthquake from several years back.
This past weeked we went on the longest hike we've been on with both of the girls. We did this hike once with Anja before Maija was born, but Maija never liked riding in the backpack carrier so she hasn't been on many really long hikes. It was 14 miles round trip, with a really significant climb over a 1300' ridgeline each way. We brought both jogging strollers. Some parts were so steep that I couldn't walk downhill behind the stroller or it would pull me along like I was waterskiing. So I had to walk backward in some sections, holding the stroller in front of me, on the uphill side. It was tough, but the destination was so worth it.
Maija found a "pine tone".
When we got to the beach, there was nobody else there. Not even a single person.
Mommy-imposed sibling pose:
We startled a couple of deer when we got to the beach.
This is one of my favorite beaches in the area. Since there is no drive-up access, you won't see many other people. You can see Jay and the girls there in the distance. We played in the sand, watched the pelicans, and looked for shells and feathers.
Here's the view facing south. In the distance about two miles away is Alamere Falls, a 50ft falls that cascades into the beach before running into the ocean. Also only hike-in access.
Jay somehow spotted this crab in the surf and saved it from a large gull who noticed it at the same time. After a few pictures he put it back in the water, deep enough to allow it to escape.
So beautiful here. Wish we could have stayed longer, but we needed to make sure we got back before it got too dark. We had the usual arguing and whining throughout the trip, but they both loved the beach, and really had a good time. I'm so glad they both really love to go on weekend adventures.
At our lunch stop on the way out, Jay tried to get the girls to stretch before going back into their strollers:
Comments from the girls:
Anja: Pretend these two dragons are friends. This one is nocturnal and this one is diurnal.
Anja: Mom! Maija is too powerful!
Me: Too powerful?
Anja: Yeah! She pulled the papers RIGHT OFF the refrigerator! That’s why she’s too powerful!
Maija: What’s that?
Me: That’s a rhinoceros.
Maija: Rhinossususs.
Anja: (from the other room) Rhinoceros does not rhyme with mango!
Anja: (while at the dentist's office, telling Maija what to do in the chair). You need to stay really still Maija. Here Mom, hold my toothpaste, I'm gonna hold Maija's legs down. (proceeds to pin Maija's legs to the dentist's chair)
Anja: If you look closely at my skin you can see gooses. I mean goosebumps. Hahahaha, I said gooses!
Anja: Maija! Come here! My poop looks like silly putty!
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