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!

Officially walking

Ethan started taking steps on his own without us helping him or holding on to a wall or furniture the weekend of 4th of July. A few days later, he was literally taking about 20 steps without stopping. Now, about 2 weeks later, he does nothing but walk. He is so proud of himself, and so are mommy and daddy! He is a very good walker. He is very persistent, and he will not give up for anything. He will stumble, find his bearings, and then he is off to it again!

He really likes walking around outside. He has always loved outside, but it is now like a whole new world since he can actually be walking in it. He really surprises us on how much he will walk without stopping. He wants nothing to do with us; he will actually turn the other direction. I think he is fearing that we will grab him or try to help.

With the walking, of course, will come stumbles and falls. When he first started taking his own steps, he fell in the house and bust his lip. It looked worse than it was, and it surely scared us. His little razor sharp teeth chomped on his top lip. Then today, we were outside, and he toppled over and his little nose scraped the cement. At first we thought we were in the clear with no marks, but then we saw the little scrape. It scared him more than anything. The first of many battle wounds! He has to learn, and unfortunately falling and getting back up is good for him.

Summer with my boys

This has been the best summer yet, and it is not over yet! I have enjoyed every second of being at home with Matt and Ethan. We have some very lazy days (I am still enjoying these before Ethan is really all over the place walking), and then there are days when there is so much to do between getting caught up with laundry, running errands, and seeing friends and family. Ethan takes 1 pretty solid/long nap a day, which is nice to be able to use that time to rest myself, read, clean, sit out in the sun, etc. One would think that since I am home for the summer that I would be blogging more often and keeping up with every single thing that we do....but no.

Here are some of the high-lights of our summer so far:
*Ethan swimming in kiddie pool--I knew that we would need something for Ethan to do outside to get us out of the house. We bought a kiddie pool, and Ethan loves holding the hose as it fills up the pool. If one of us is in there with him, he loves climbing on us. His attention span is not so long, so he will get bored pretty fast. We get out in the pool at least 3 times a week. Ethan used to not like to wear his hat, but he has learned that it keeps the sun out of his eyes and face and keeps him cooler.

*playing at the Gymboree kid place--Ethan had a play date with 2 of my friends and their babies at the Gymboree kid playground (don't know what it is really called or how to describe it). We went to a class that did songs and gave the kids things to do around the play room for strength and of course fun! I think was the youngest one in there and the only one not walking, but he enjoyed himself all the same. I spent most of the time just following him around as he explored and climbed on everything. I thought about getting a membership for the summer, but I think I will save it for next summer when Ethan is more aware of what is happening.

*Ethan's 1st birthday--I absolutely cannot believe that my baby is 1! We had a party with immediate family, and we all enjoyed watching Ethan crawl everywhere and enjoy being the center of attention. He did not destroy his cake as much as I thought he would, but he did seem to enjoy the extra sugar that we allowed. Some of his favorite things to do now were presents for his birthday.

*Yellow River Game Ranch--on Ethan's actual birthday, I took him to the game ranch. I thought about going to the zoo, but knew that it would be extremely hot, and I was not so sure on how much Ethan would actually appreciate. At the game ranch, he could actually touch and feed the animals. My mom and sister went with us, and we all enjoyed watching Ethan pointing and talking to the animals. At first, he cried at the deer who came right up to him. It did not take too long before he was reaching out to touch them. He even fed a goat a carrot...so cute! I look forward to the future when he can really have fun with the animals.

*playing in the Cozy Coupe car and Red Rider wagon--these were 2 birthday presents. Not a day goes by that we are not outside in one of these. Ethan is a little speed demon and loves to go really fast down the driveway. He also loves peering over the side and staring at the wheels. The simplest things fascinate him at this age.

*Ethan getting in big pool--Ethan and I went to my sister's apartment pool, and it took a little while for him to actually enjoy the big water. I have never had him cling to me so tightly...he was not letting go for anything! We have a float, but at first, Ethan had to be right up against me. We were at the pool for about 2 hours or so, and toward the later half, he was loving it! About 2 weeks later, we went to my brother's girlfriend's pool, and Ethan had the best time. He loved splashing with his legs and hands; he even would sit on the edge and scoot off into someone'e arms in the pool!

*4th of July fireworks--Ethan loved them! He was pointing at the sky when they were over looking for more!

As we finish off the summer, I will post more about our adventures!