Hilton Head!

We took our first family vacation to the beach last week.  We spent one wonderful week in Hilton Head Island, SC.  It was so nice to get away from everything and just have a week to relax and be together.  My mom came for the entire week and Pat’s mom joined us for a few days at the end of the week.  We all had a lot of fun and made so many good memories.  

Evelyn loved the beach and the ocean.  The look on her face when a wave first brushed her feet was incredible.  She wanted to run right into the waves – I literally had to hold her back.  I loved seeing her innocent amazement.  As adults, we just don’t get to experience this most of the time.  I know too much about the world and what could happen.  I worried for her safely, but Evie just wanted to jump right in those waves and splash.  I think we all need to be reminded of that innocent enjoyment more often.

Going on vacation with a small child was definitely a change.  Pat and I discovered that our vacations for a while aren’t going to be about us relaxing as much as they are about running around after our kiddo.  We enjoyed semi-lazy days at the pool and the beach.  Evelyn loved playing in the sand.  She didn’t like it when I buried her feet (I think she was worried that they were gone forever!), but she had fun digging with her shovel and fill her bucket with sand and salt water.  She loved putting her feet in the water, running from the waves and sitting with her Kiki in the beach chair at the water’s edge.  She spent time exploring the beach with Grandma Rita and made friends with a little boy who had caught a shrimp in the water.  She’d pick up small seashells, and then throw them back in the ocean.  I told her to give them back to the ocean in an effort to keep her from putting them in her mouth, but inevitably Evie got a taste of sand and salt water despite my efforts.

Pat and I enjoyed a date night while my mom babysat.  I enjoyed getting to see some of Pat’s favorite places from when he lived there.  I met a few of his old friends and enjoyed the dinner, drinks and adult conversation.  It was so nice to have Pat with us since he knew all of the good restaurants.  I’ve never been once to care much about when we eat while on vacation, but we definitely enjoyed our dinners out while in Hilton Head!  I think my favorite was The Black Marlin.  The seafood was amazing and we even got some free appetizers courtesy of Pat’s friend who co-owns the restaurant.  Evie ate like champ all week. She had new things like crab legs, shrimp, grouper & flounder.  Pat and I made a decision to stop ordering her kids meals when we are out because they are all the same – corn dogs, mac & cheese and spaghetti.  We have started giving her bits of our dinners instead and so far it’s worked out great!  She likes to try everything.  Sometimes she spits it right back out, but if she wants to try it , we let her.  We want her to be an adventurous eater.

We stayed in the Palmetto Dunes Plantation in a condo that sat on a lagoon and was across the street from the beach.  Our first day there we met the lagoon’s resident alligator, whom we affectionately named Peg as she only had three legs.  She made a beeline across the lagoon and stared at us while we stood on the deck, but we never actually saw her get out of the water.  My mom didn’t believe me at first when I told her that most lagoon and lakes in HHI had alligators so it was kind of funny when once swam right up to the deck our first hour there!  We met up with one of Pat’s good friends Anthony and his family for dinner one night.  Of course it was at an Ohio State themed pizza place owned by another one of Pat’s friends. We had a lot of fun.  Anthony and his family were so nice and his boys really seemed enthralled by Evie (and she was by them too!).  They kept each other entertained.  I really enjoyed getting together with people that had children because we don’t get to do that often.  They understood when our conversations were interrupted constantly and didn’t mind the constant chatter, noise and commotions that having children brings.  I wish they lived closer to us!

Coming home (and back to reality) was hard.  I enjoyed to time off work, getting some extra sleep and spending a week with my family.  I loved getting to spend time with my mom.  It’s been a long time since I’ve had that much time with her.  I miss her a lot since I live in Columbus so it was really nice.  I am definitely looking forward to our next family vacation!