koh samed

 A couple weekends ago we took off and headed out to Koh Samed. It's about a two hour drive and a 30 minute speedboat. Or a 3+ hour drive if you get lost looking for the pier and have to repeatedly mime that you are looking for a boat to an island. I only hope these skills we pick up are making us stellar charade players. 

 Violet has been doing loads better in her swimming class, so I assumed she would love the beach. (She very well couldn't do worse in her swimming classes, so improvement was inevitable.)

 She did love it the first day. Lulling us in to a false sense of security. 

 Elie and I have the refined taste in ice cream. Neither of us can pass up anything blue. 

 E's been in love with the beach for the last few years. A beach vacation with her is really a vacation. Vi, on the other hand...

 Mom, this picture is for you.

We stayed in a beach bungalow and after putting Vi and E to bed, Rocky and I would sit outside, finish our dinner (usually cut short by Vi), chat (play on our phones) and get eaten by mosquitos. 

E made a new friend who is Thai. She only spoke Thai, so E repeated the same sequence the entire time they were playing: counting 1-10, thank you, and hello. This is the only Thai she knows. I wouldn't be surprised if the sweet Thai girl came away believing all Americans are complete idiots. 

It was great. White sand, shallow water with lots of fish. So much beauty and relaxation all undone by one very busy, opinionated 13 month old. 

Highlights:

Banana, Nutella, peanut butter rotti.

Showing Elie the constellation Orion--she was just excited to see stars, plural.

Seeing Eliot try her very hardest to pacify her sister and encourage her to love the ocean (possibly perceived by the onlooker as water boarding).

Going for a long run outside that didn't involve motorcycles or multiple laps in a park. Too bad I forgot my socks. Also--I'd be okay with a few less soi dogs. 

Violet in a bathing suit. It's cute even when she's angry.

In other news, Vi officially can say one word. "Ah" as in she says it, then opens her mouth for you to put food in. It worked so well to get raisins in the car, that she has begun using it for everything. It is her singular command. 

For instance, she walks into a room, says, "ah" and points to the toothbrushes. She is saying, "As payment for the torture inflicted on me daily by being the younger child, I require all the toothbrushes in the house." After her request is satisfied, she smugly continues on her way. If her request is not satisfied...well, let's not go there. I'm sure the people at the restaurant could give you an apt description of her reaction to not being handed a burning hot pot of curry, per her request.

We will be vacationing again sometime in 2015.