Bahamas Part 2

Finn during one of her runs.

Paul first dip in the sea.

Our family heading for dinner.

Alex and Finn in the "bubbly pool".

Panorama from our balcony.

Stanford family visits Atlantis

Lounge lizards.

Finn and her big popsicles.

Paul at Atlantis.

Alex finally convinces Finn to swim in the sea.

Our vacation to the Bahamas turned out to be a great break for the whole family. It is a beautiful country with friendly people and terrific food. Here are our favourite memories, in no particular order.

1. A man on the elevator asks Finn what her little brother's name is. Her answer was... Pauly-wally.

2. A couple from Greely (just outside of Ottawa) bought Alex and I drinks at the steakhouse after watching us wrangle our kids during dinner in this fairly upscale restaurant. If you need to buy topsoil... look up Willy in Greely!

3. Watching Finn run around outside before dinnertime. She loved this routine!!!

4. Swimming with Paul and drinking a daquiri while Alex and Finn had naptime. Everyone thought Paul was so cute.

5. Our doppleganger family. We kept running into another family from Ottawa with a 4 year old daughter and 6 month old son.

6. Meeting Anne, Elan and Abby. We met another family from Ottawa with a 2.5 year old girl, Abby. After meeting on the plane, the zoo and on the beach, we realized they are good friends with Ben and Cal. Small world.

7. Building a fort out of beach chairs to make Finn feel safe enough to go near the ocean. By the end of the week she was brave enough to go in the sea with Alex. Then she even walked out to the breakwall at low tide and saw all kinds of little fishes.

8. The amazing fish at Atlantis. It was worth all the inconvenience of getting around this huge resort to see sharks, manta rays, sawfish, jellyfish and other amazing creatures.

9. Sitting and watching the junkanoo performer on the beach with Finn.

10. Alex: liked building sandcastles and swimming with Finn.

11. Finn finally got brave enough to come into the bubbly pool with me (hottub). As she was carefully climbing in she loudly announced "I peed". The three 20-somethings using the pool wisely cleared out leaving the tub for us.

12. Finn asking to meet Sharlene, the hotel rep. who booked us over the phone from Ottawa. Sharlene was friendly and gave Finn an angel ornament made of shells, which Finn treasured and carried everywhere.

13. Finn survived the week on Chips Ahoy, Lays Chips and huge popsicles while watching her shows on the laptop. She was in heaven.

14. Taking Finn on the waterslide. She squealed and said that was fun. But wouldn't get the nerve to try it again.