Sunset in Santa Monica

We couldn't have asked for a better October day at the beach. The skies were clear, the weather was comfortable, and the sunset painted gorgeous shades of purple and gold across the horizon.

The last time we visited the beach, I was 37 weeks pregnant. I remember holding Matt's hand and looking out over the water, thinking about how beautiful our lives were and how much better they were about to become. Nine weeks later, as we stood at the edge of the Pacific with our baby boy in our arms, I had those same thoughts:
Life is beautiful. And it just keeps getting better.

The only thing that could have made Jake's first beach outing better would have been our camera lasting for more than 10 minutes. But hey, that's what cell phones are for, right? I did manage to get a couple pretty pictures of my parents and sisters before the battery passed away. Then I accepted Matt's "I told you so" smile as he handed over his iPhone, and proceeded to record our few hours at the beach with my family. (Matt spent the last two years pointing out every occasion where we would have "needed" an iPhone, and now I think he feels a little smug every time it comes in handy.) When the light started to fade, we walked to the pier and watched as the sun sank down over the water. It was a lovely evening.

Jake has the best (and the best-looking!) grandparents around.

Yes, my sisters are gorgeous.

My mom makes the sweetest Grammie.