Crazy Family Times

I realize the title could be read with a couple different meanings. They're both accurate.

We're at the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey with my parents, siblings and assorted spouses and kids.
Here's the view from the family room of our (rented) house:
Beautiful, right? Notice how far the dunes stretch? Now just imagine trying to herd seven children ranging in age from four weeks to eight years, beach toys, boogie boards, towels, umbrellas, coolers and chairs alllllll the way through those dunes to get to the ocean. Where we then have to stand in the water to make sure the children don't drown. It's super relaxing. And luxurious! We've even experienced nature, in the form of overly aggressive seagulls stealing my niece's grilled cheese out of her hands yesterday.

But it's been fun. And funny too.

Around 11 o'clock last night, my brother-in-law, who almost never drinks unless he is peer-pressured into it by my brother, was sitting in front of the toilet waiting to throw up while my very very pregnant sister stood with him, alternately consoling him and laughing at him.

I was standing in the doorway of the bathroom, convulsed with laughter at the whole scene when we heard a thump. I walked into the boys' room to find my 5-year-old (the one who is always having some crisis or another when we're away from home) had fallen face-first out of bed onto a pile of Legos. There was a lot of blood, and this morning he looks like he was mauled by a bear.

The good news is, my daughter loves the beach! So much that I'm starting to wonder how much sand a baby can eat before I need to start worrying about a blockage or something.

My band is on the looser side here but I'm walking on the boardwalk every day and so busy that I'll be surprised if I gain.

Finally, is anyone else's hair still falling out? I took this picture yesterday and my forehead is getting alarmingly big.