How Abner spent her Canada Day

We packed up the car nice and early this morning and headed to the Barnet Marine Park. The plan was for us to get their bright and early and secure one of the picnic tables for the day and the rest of my family - who live south of the Fraser - would meet up with us at a more reasonable hour.

In my book, 9:45 is bright and early on a holiday morning. Not so for other people it seems. By the time we got there, all the picnic tables were taken, people had tents set up and were sitting on the benches sipping coffee and gazing out at the bea-u-tiful inlet.

Not getting a picnic table turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It forced us to take up a patch of grass just beyond the main picnic area. It turned out to be an ideal spot - sheltered from the hordes of people and the constant wind with lots of shady spots to get out of the sun, and just small enough that most folks didn't feel comfortable joining us in our clearing (except for the gaggle of girls who plunked themselves down for a few hours in the afternoon).

As we waited for the rest of my family to arrive, Abner had a blast tearing around the clearing and running down the little hill our blanket was set upon. There is something so cute about watching a new-walker attempt to walk down hills...you know they're going to hit a speed where their little legs just can't keep up, and you really should go after them to help out, but it's just so funny to see them inevitably pinwheel out of control and wipeout.

Once the other arrived, she then had a heap of fun goofing around with her big cousin in her fabric tunnel. I'd thrown it in at the last minute and am so glad I did. They spent hours rolling around in there and pretending to be a giant baby-eating worm.

TDSH took her down to the water after lunch. It was a bit cold for her so she practiced her dance moves on the beach instead. The girl has got some moves!

A good chunk of the day was also spent trying to steal her cousin's water cup, or her soother. Maryn may be the younger of the two, but she's wily - I don't think Abner ever succeeded in getting either one away from her.