getting beachy

We just got back from our first family vacation - a long weekend trip to Hilton Head Island. I really like Hilton Head, especially Sea Pines. So family-friendly and not so far away. I do hate I-16 for its really long stretches with nowhere to stop, but probably more because in more recent years it has been the drive of shame after a loss in Jacksonville.

Whenever Chris and I travel together, we search for license plates. On our honeymoon to Hawaii we saw 28 different states, including Alaska. A purchase of a new Melissa & Doug board has made tracking license plates all the more fun! We saw 32 states, 2 commonwealths, and one district. After a short 4.5 hours, we arrived in beachy happiness.

We stayed at the Marriott Monarch at Sea Pines and loved having 2 rooms, a kitchen, and being beach front. So many fun memories. Traveling with a little one is never easy or convenient. Naps get messed up and someone is always grumpy. There is a sense of just moving the madness to another location for a few days, but it is worth it. Henry did awesome in the car and confirmed my suspicions that he is the sweetest baby on the planet.

This is our baby 4 and a half months ago in Orange Beach, Alabama on his first trip to the beach. H and I went with some girlfriends and their babies. He was afraid of the ocean and clung to me whenever we got close.

This was our baby this weekend....loving it!

All in all, it was a glorious time. Wonderful weather at the beach though we did drive through this on our way home....

....going this fast.

All the while, Henry took his best ever car nap. He has never been a car napper, but when we turned around to find him asleep we silent cheered. Then when he slept for over an hour, we could have chest bumped. There is nothing quite like a sleeping baby. I'm so thankful for our trip and for the first of many family vacations!