Connecticut to Carolinas

We've had an eventful few weeks and are officially travelled-out.  At least until this weekend....Two weekends ago Diego and I took the train to Connecticut to see my brother, my dad and my grandmother in Pine Orchard.  Despite being a 5.5 hour ride in a totally full train Diego did great - there and back.  That said, he was so traumatized by the long train ride that when I tried to get on the metro the next day he screamed "NO TRAIN, NO TRAIN, NO TRAIN!"  We both had a really nice time in Pine Orchard and Diego worked very hard to clear the rocky beach.  He threw rock after rock after rock into the water with no sign of getting bored or tired.  I think I can say he is officially left handed/footed which I find very exciting for his soccer prospects.

Our long hike through the marshes to Stony Creek

This past weekend we drove 7 hours to make it to Bald Head Island, North Carolina.  There are no cars on the island so we took a ferry across and made use of the rental house's golf carts.  Between golf carts, the pool and the beach Charlie and Diego were in heaven.  Oh - and we stayed with Charlie's girlfriend Cici and her family.  Cici and Charlie were inseperable the whole trip and acted like an old married couple.  I loved eavesdropping on their conversations which were lengthy but hard to follow due to their lack of substance....
Charlie preferred the pool but Diego preferred the beach so he and I would enjoy long walks on the beach.  There weren't as many rocks to move so he settled for splashing in the waves.  We got to see the turtles excavated from a nest where most turtles had already escaped.  It seems that the turtles hatch and may climb for days to get out of the nest and waddle to the waves where they then get pummeled by the white water.  These were turtles that hadn't made it out of the nest after 3 days and were in danger of not making it at all. 

Charlie and Cici

The couple enjoying the view from the porch

The couple enjoying their ride

In between all this the kids had their 4 year and 2 year doctors appt which did NOT go over very well.  Charlie freaked out when the nurse brought in the 3 shots and I had to restrain him.  Both were total wimps about it and insisted that I carry them both the four long blocks to the metro.  I had been worried about Diego's language, but it seems to be progressing and beginning to put simple sentences together.  He is very behind where Charlie was at this age, but the doctor didn't seem worried and, besides, he has no problem letting us know what he needs/wants.  As for Charlie I worry about his whining and crying behavior, but again the doctor just looked at me like I was crazy.  We've been battling a lot and he seems to completely ignore me until I raise my voice which is SO annoying. 

School starts this week which has been another saga.  I'm really hoping the teacher is good....