Monday started with breakfast at the Naked Crab. No buffet today, which meant bacon and eggs for the adults and pancakes for AB. The very kind hostess also brought Arabella crayons and several ocean themed pictures to color. Arabella has done great this trip drinking out of big kid cups at restaurants (this change, basically driven by necessity since we still have not purchased dish soap to clean her baby sippy cups from home). However, we’ve found a fatal flaw with kids cups in Florida— paper straws. Yes, I know they are supposedly good for the environment, but they aren’t good for kids (or anyone, for that matter, but that’s another post for another day). Why? For one, because kids chew on their straws. Two, because the part that goes through the lid of the cup turns to mush in less than five minutes leaving said kid frustrated and consequently cranky when she can’t get any of her beverage out of her cup. So when we’ve been able to get our hands on plastic straws, we’ve boarded them. But I digress.
After breakfast, we went to the pool where AB happily played in her pool float for quite some time. We noticed today that AB has a newfound affinity for drinking pool water (perhaps because she doesn’t have to drink it out of a paper straw? Sorry, I’ll stop.). In the middle of the afternoon, MJ took Arabella for a snack in the lobby- a banana and ice cream sandwich- followed by a nap in her room. When AB woke up, MJ brought her to our room to get ready for dinner.
We tried again to dine at Aruba Beach Cafe and much to my surprise- it DOES have valet parking. Oops. We got a great table outside with an amazing breeze. AB was pretty fussy. Not sure if she was hangry (after all, I was!)— or if exhaustion from three full days of activity was starting to set in. She knocked over a cup of apple juice and proceeded to throw any and all food that was placed in front of her either at us or onto the floor. Luckily her spirits improved when the waiter brought a large plate of seasoned French fries exclusively for her consumption. I had a delicious blackened salmon dish and Jarmon had seafood pasta that he had literally been looking forward to all year. DD- who only eats shrimp on vacation- had that. MJ had pizza- which she planned to share with AB- but AB didn’t seem interested in joining.
After dinner we made our way (I say “made our way” rather than walked because I scootered and AB rode in her stroller) down the street for ice cream. We made it just in time for the shop’s early fall (sigh) closing time. Jarmon had “Lauderdale by the Sea Mud” and I had toasted coconut in a waffle cone (same with MJ, minus the waffle cone). We got AB cookies and cream. I’d like to think her first Kilwin’s experience was memorable— even if Jarmon ate most of her ice cream. She’ll most likely have a few more experiences there before the week ends.
When we got back to the hotel we called it a night. As I was sitting on the couch icing my foot, the most adorable thing happened. Arabella walked from the bed– where Jarmon was laying– to me! She proceeded to walk back and forth between us multiple times with a huge smile on her face… giving high fives at the end of each lap. (The part I caught on video is below). Be still my heart. It took a while for AB to wind down… but she eventually gave in to sleep nestled, once again, happily between us in the king size hotel bed.
Trina Orlando 