Myrtle Beach Memories

Matt, Ethan, and I went on a family vacation a few weeks ago to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Since Ethan had started walking about 2 weeks before leaving for the beach, we were rather anxious to see how he would do walking in the sand with waves crashing at his feet.

I felt like I was preparing all week for the adventure. Packing for a lil one requires a lot of stuff! Just going to the beach requires a lot of stuff that the normal over night trip would not. Matt and I easily discovered that we might need to upgrade to a bigger car for us sooner than later. We were packed to the max in our Altima, and that was without several items (pack n play, big stroller, wagon, tent, float).

The trip up was quite a time to remember. Ethan got sick of the car after about the first 2 hours. I can't blame him! We did everything to distract his little mind and to keep him happy! I thought Matt was about to go crazy from listening to so many kiddie songs on CD, but hey, that's what our life is now!

Our little dare devil is not scared of anything! It took him about a day and a half to get used to the sand and the endless pool (the ocean), but he loved every bit of it! We took turns chasing after him. He toddled around meeting new friends and just enjoyed his new temporary surroundings. Of course, he tried eating the sand! Didn't we all at this age? He would out his shovel in the sand, and then bring the shovel to his mouth. The shovel is just a giant spoon after all. Every single day Ethan would enjoy relaxing in my lap as we both sat in a beach chair right in front of the ocean. He loved his little toes dangling in the water and playing with sea shells. It was inevitable; he fell asleep in my lap/arms every day while listening to the waves and feeling the warm breeze. We were fortunate enough that he actually slept on the beach each day for about an hour and a half. He was snug as could be in the shade with the sounds of the ocean in the distance. Matt and I looked forward to this time to not have to literally run after him and to be able to sit and read and relax for a bit.

Things we did with Ethan at the beach:
*of course, played in the sand! He loved putting sand in cups and buckets.
*amusement park--we road old fashioned cars, train, and carousel (Ethan was NOT a fan!)--these things were more for our entertainment. Ethan and his serious self just sat there and looked around. He did not even crack a smile!
*out to dinner at seafood restaurant--only did this once--now that Ethan is walking, it is nearly impossible to keep him contained for any amount of time.
*Broadway at the Beach--outdoor mall/entertainment area--he loved being strolled around
*chilling on the patio--he would yell as everyone walked by
*ice cream--he sure let us know when he wanted more!
*walking on the beach at night--he loved it just as much as during the day. And it was like he knew that he could not get in the water. He walked all up on the shore far away from the water.

Matt and and I love the beach so much, and we were so pleased to see Ethan also like it. Can't wait for the many more beach trips!