We just got back from our relaxing and fun trip to Myrtle Beach. Lucky for us the weather was beautiful each day and Lily loved every minute of our vacation. At first we worried that a week at the beach would be too long for the kids. But, we soon realized that the time was perfect because we didn’t need to worry that we could only spend a few hours in the morning playing in the sand and ocean before lunch and naptimes were needed. On most afternoons I stayed inside with Harrison while Justin took Lily to the pool for about an hour. Then we were able to get cleaned up and head out for an early dinner. It was imperative that we beat the crowds since we have such a short window of opportunity to eat without Harrison getting fussy and upset. We were able to find our groove and get into a routine pretty easily. I’m already looking forward to our next beach trip.
Lily was awestruck when we made it to the beach on the first day. She told us we were in the biggest sandbox she’d ever seen. She took to the sand right away and went to work digging, building sand castles, and (her favorite) burying Daddy in the sand. She was a little nervous to go in the ocean at first, but she liked to hold Justin’s hands and wade in the shallow water. She loved looking for shells and looking back at her footprints as she ran on the beach.
Her excitement just bubbled over and she waved and talked to people sitting near us and when we passed by others on our walks. Often people came up and told us what a pretty and sweet little girl we have. She willingly shared her beach and pool toys with other kids nearby and was just an all-around happy child all week. The only downfall was that she was often too excited to sleep. She didn’t fall asleep until after 10pm on most nights, but was still up by 6 in the morning. What happened to sleeping in at the beach?
Harrison was as happy and well behaved as a 5-month old can be. He was content to lay on the beach blanket or sit on our laps for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours in the morning. He loved the sand, and I wish he could have played more, but you know that his fistfuls of sand headed straight to his mouth. Even though there was a nice breeze and we had a tent, he did get pretty hot, and once he began to fuss there was no consoling him. I often took him back to the condo around 11 or 11:30 and Justin would stay with Lily for another hour or so. During naptimes, Justin and I alternated staying with the kids or heading down to the beach and enjoying the peace and quiet. Heaven!
We took a few trips to Broadway and to an area mall near Broadway. Lily loved the aquarium and the kiddie rides. She was also very excited to get a balloon animal (a dog on a leash) from Margaritaville. Harrison’s favorite part of the trip may have been the singing and dancing waiters at Johnny Rockets, an old-fashioned diner where we ate lunch one day. He laughed and stared in awe of those dance moves. The customers near our table watched Harrison instead of the entertainment, amused by his reactions.
At the last minute, my Mom and David joined us for the final two days of our trip. They enjoyed the sun, sand, and grandkids, and Justin and I appreciated their company and even got in a brief date night after Lily and Harrison went to bed. Always thinking, my mom brought “new to them” toys to play with, which was great since L and H were both getting a bit tired of the few things that I had packed. Lily loved swimming with Pops and building a sand castle with Lolly.
A great time was had by all. We are so thankful for good kids, good weather, and fun family memories!
