A Blessed Easter in Captiva, Florida

So many firsts...where to begin!?

Stella had her first airplane ride (and was amazing, by the way). She slept from the moment we got in the car until we arrived at our destination! It was wonderful that she traveled so well, but such a long nap translated into a night of very little sleep. That didn't last long though. She quickly adjusted to her new surroundings and got used to cat naps in the port-a-crib by the pool. All that napping in the fresh air added to wonderful nights of sleep as well. We were able to enjoy 6-7 hour stretches of sleep overnight! Thank you, Stella!! This was a REAL vacation!!

Speaking of the pool, Stella took her first swim as well! Dad was very gentle introducing her to the warm water. She even wore her first bikini (a hand-me-down from cousin Ellen--yes we know it's a bit too big)!

What appeared to be a peaceful dip in the pool quickly changed...

Ok, maybe we'll try that pool thing again later. And maybe next time we won't swim when we're due to eat.

Between sunbathing and swimming, we walked on the beach, enjoyed delicious meals both in and out. We even visited a favorite spot...The Lazy Flamingo!

and "played" the ring game with dad...


We went fishing on the dock in the rain!


Snuggled with mom...
And even tried swimming again!


We like lounging on the alligator much better!


Nick and I even got a chance to have a couple of "date nights" out on the town thanks to our very qualified baby-sitters. We are so thankful for Grandma and Grandpa Bettcher. They made every moment so enjoyable. It was a treat to watch them with their newest grandchild.

Even with all of the activity, we were still able to enjoy some wonderful R&R.
We can't wait until our next visit. We are so blessed!