Day +324: Having a great time in Monterey

Logging in from the hotel to say we're having a wonderful time. We left San Francisco about 7:30 PM Friday and arrived here in Monterey at about 9:30. The kids eventually konked out in the car but woke up when we got to the hotel. Then they were totally wired of course, and didn't sleep until after midnight! I finally put on the Cartoon Network and Mina snuggled in right away. They were very tired on Saturday of course, and Isaac slept through most of his visit to the aquarium. He loved it when he was awake, though. We went to the Outer Bay tank at first, which is a huge tank where they have giant yellowfin tuna, soupfin and hammerhead sharks and big sea turtles. Isaac kept saying "Wow!", unprompted. But 5 minutes of the dark jellyfish exhibit was enough to put him down for the count.

Mina had a great time, meanwhile. She just kept going and going and going, even when we knew she had to be exhausted. She had this idea that she wanted to hold a fish in her hand, and she kept saying it over and over again. They did have a hands-on tank where she got to touch some starfish and hold a hermit crab, and that seemed to satisfy her. She also watched the sea otters being fed and spent an hour or so running around in the kids play area. I always look closely when there are other kids her age around, and she's definitely behind physically. Not too surprising given all she's been through, but still unfortunate. We're planning to look into some physical therapy for her sometime soon. After the aquarium, we bundled up against the cold ocean breeze and walked along the waterfront for awhile, with me pushing the kids in the stroller and Dad pushing Mom in the wheelchair we rented for the weekend. Mina was so tired that she feel asleep in the stroller on the way back at about 5:30 and slept right through, barely stirring, until 7:00 AM.

We decided to stay an extra day down here, so today we went to Point Lobos State Park, then stopped and had lunch in Carmel-by-the-Sea on the way back. Had a beautiful walk and saw some sea otters, seals and sea lions. Mina got to walk on a real beach for the first time in a long time, and did she ever love it! She had on her rubber boots, and she would say "Can I step in dat watoh?" I'd say yes, and she'd go stomp in it and say "splash splash splash!". She wanted to bring home some dead kelp, but I had to draw the line there. She didn't nap again today, so tomorrow should be interesting. Isaac I think is missing his mama. He was kind of clingy with me today, and was a bit tired and out of sorts. But he had a fun day too.

Momma gets back tomorrow afternoon, and the kids will be thrilled to see her. I will too. It's been having having them with just Grandma and Grandpa, but they're definitely exhausting.