Hilton Head Island 2012

We did it, our first road trip with 2 kids.  I'll accept your congratulations now.  Part of me wants to recap the entire week, but I know y'all aren't quite as interested as I am in the details.  I'll try to keep it brief.

"Its hot, we're not gonna sit around thinking.  Grab your towels, get your sunscreen, everybody's headed to the BEACH!"

A song from Sam's SonSurf VBS this year, which he insisted on listening to as we pulled out of the driveway.  We left at naptime, drove till dinner, the kids slept while we drove through the night, Cracker Barrel breakfast, and then we were there.  Annabelle got a few bottles in motion - and Chris and I now know how to wedge ourselves between the two back seats to assist in said feedings.

We (Gommy, Papa, Uncle Matt, Aunt Kate, Aunt Kristen, Cousin Molly, and the 4 of us...Uncle George still deployed to Japan/Australia/Some Islands/A Boat) stayed, once again, at a house with it's own pool.  This, my friends, is the way to vacation with Littles because it allows for everyone to enjoy being outside regardless of how many children need to nap on how many different schedules.  This year I was incredible grateful for the feature since I was often hanging back with a napping baby that would soon need to nurse.  I would have loved to get a little more beach time with my boy, but we overlapped our stays by at least a little bit each day.

Sam had a great time.  He ran in and out of the waves like a champ, jumping through them, splashing everywhere, with very little regard for the saltiness of the water.  He dug in the sand, crushed sandcastles built by others, filled in holes as fast as Uncle Matt could dig them.

In the pool he lived on his noodle.  With noodle attached firmly to his waste, the child was invincible.  Jumped off the side, fetched things in the deep end, splashed and played.  He loved not having to be connected to an adult, and we loved having our hands free.  He also stood on the step to play pouring games with Miss Molly, during which times there was NEVER any fighting over whose turn it was with the watering can.  There were games of synchronized jumping (we watched a lot of the Olympics!)..."On your mark, A-Set, Go!"

At the house he turned the stairs into his airplane, and every single person had to take turns going on rides with him.  He was the pilot, but  also served snacks - usually cheerios - and often made stops to pick up food (Idaho for potatoes, Chicago for Chicken).  He also invited everyone to come to "his room," which was the closet in the master bedroom (which the 4 of us shared).  Given that his sister sleeps in a closest at home, he had no qualms identifying it as his own.  

Annabelle seemed to enjoy the water.  She kicked her little legs a good bit.  It was a challenge to keep her fully shaded, but that hat sure looked cute on her!  She didn't seem to mind the sand, but made an utterly disgusted face when she dipped her hand in the ocean and put it straight into her mouth.  She didn't really take to napping in the old beach stroller, so I didn't get as many beach walks as I might have liked.

She did get her first cold - a couch and runny nose - while we were there.  I think it made it a bit more difficult for her to sleep, but she really wasn't any fussier.  Always sad, though, to see your baby get sick for the first time!

Sam enjoyed having Molly around - most of the time.  It is, after all, exhausting to share ALL of the time.  Molly loved him too, even tried to drink milk (much-detested by the little lady) to be just like him.  "Sam, I coming!" she would announce after each nap, as if his world had stopped to wait while she slept.

We enjoyed a few nights out on the town - one restaurant had fire, one had Ohio State and one had Harbor Town - but cooked in most nights.  Its just easier with so many small people.  Matt and Kate got away one night to celebrate their first anniversary :-)

Chris and I had fun.  We went in with realistic expectations of what this vacation would be like.  This is not the season of beach reading and relaxation.  In fact, during the day we often saw each other in passing, one getting a kid up while the other putting a kid down, feeding one while playing with the other, to the beach and from the pool to make sure they both got to experience everything.  But none of that matters compared with seeing your kids light up with enthusiasm and enjoyment of the special activities.

I will leave you with a link to more pictures and videos.  Hope to be back there again soon!