Hilton Head Island: Our Family Vacation

This was our second year traveling to Hilton Head Island, SC for a family vacation and we are already planning to go again next year! We've now stayed twice at the SeaCrest hotel and it's the perfect location, right on the beach and across the street from Coligny Plaza where there are a variety of shops and restaurants. There is the cutest street just outside the grounds with gorgeous private beach homes that makes for a nice morning walk after grabbing coffee from Caretta Coffee. 

Our favorite family attractions are a short drive away in nearby Sea Pines and you can even rent bikes to get there. My sister left her phone at the Quarter Deck in Harbor Town, a restaurant right underneath a lighthouse with gorgeous sunset views of the marina and the Calibogue Sound. So we decided to bike back to get it the next afternoon and it was so much we did it again the next day with my dad, Chris and Fallon in tow! There are child seats and "princess houses" as Fallon called hers for little ones to enjoy the ride too. The scenery is beautiful and you may even spot a gator or two! We rode to The Salty Dog for a late lunch/early dinner but they have live music in the evening and some cute shops right next door. 

I think our favorite family friendly restaurant would have to be Coast. It's beautiful and looks like a pretty fancy place but there's an outdoor bar with beach access and you will find most people dressed casually. There is also live music, which Fallon loved dancing to and a great menu full of choices for everyone. A close second favorite is Skull Creek Boathouse which arguably has the best views in town. I love the twinkle lights strung under the big trees and the tables all look out onto the water. Fallon was most impressed by the light up cup that came with her kiddie meal!

But if hanging around the hotel is really your thing, you also will not be disappointed. The SeaCrest has 2 pools and a hot tub on beautiful grounds and direct beach access. We have taken both of our trips in late September, outside of the busy season, and really enjoyed the smaller crowd. There weren't so many people we were fighting for seats at the pool but not so few that it felt odd to be the only ones around. If it's possible I would especially recommend going around this time with little ones. It can be hectic enough just traveling with kids and it worked out nicely having a few kiddos around for Fallon to play with but so many that it was overwhelming. 

We had such a great time and made so many memories we will all fondly look back on for years to come. Getting back to reality is always a little rough but we are already looking forward next year's trip!

Hilton Head 2017

If you have never been to Hilton Head, SC then you really need to book a trip. And if you have, well, then you already know what an amazing place is it. We were so fortunate to spend a week there with my parents, sister and her boyfriend and no one had more fun than my daughter. The weather was perfect, the beach was beautiful and the crashing waves lulled me right to sleep every night. 

We stayed at The Sea Crest Resort, which has a prime location right on the beach and just across the street from Coligny Plaza. This was ideal for a family vacation since Coligny includes enough shops and restaurants for everyone and even a Piggly Wiggly grocery for any forgotten necessities. I was bummed I was exempt from wine smoothies from the wine shop or spiked frozen drinks from The Frosty Frog but I certainly enjoyed all the food! 

My family had never vacationed at this time of year before but we found mid September to be a really great time to do so. Everything was open, just less crowded and the weather was wonderful. Everything was very kid friendly and the restaurants we went to were so accommodating of our little diva toddler. We visited Harbor Town where we saw a beautiful sunset over the water, shopped and ate at The Quarter Deck right at the bottom of a real lighthouse. Shelter Cove is also a really fun place to go with more shops and restaurants, a full marina and live music. Coast was such a beautiful place to eat on the beach and I loved that it was welcoming to beach goers in bikinis just looking for appetizers and drinks as well as those there for a nice evening out. The Black Marlin had a really fun outdoor patio atmosphere with live music and amazing stuffed flounder. The Salty Dog Cafe is an iconic restaurant at a very cute place on the water and also had live music. Are you sensing a theme here?! And our hotel had one of the best beach bars around, Pool Bar Jim's. Fallon of course made her way to a stool and was served her very own smoothie and all the cups of fresh fruit she could eat. 

I loved getting coffee from Coretta Coffee Co. at Coligny in the morning and walking down the beach or down the street next to our hotel to see all the beautiful private beach homes. We split our time between the hotel pool and the beach, although it was hard to pull Fallon away from her beloved tide pools. She truly was a beach baby, running right for the ocean the second we arrived and playing in the sand and waves all week long. Although Fallon won't actually remember this vacation, we captured so many memories on our cameras and in our hearts to share with her one day and I like to think that she will carry those moments with her always. 

I highly recommend Hilton Head as a family vacation destination, especially if you have little ones! We are rookies at this whole traveling with a toddler thing but a few things that worked for us were driving through the night and sticking loosely with Fallon's routine at home. We left to drive down and home around her bedtime so that she would be tired and sleep most of the way and luckily that worked out. The condo we stayed in had the option to rent a full sized crib and we were able to have it in a separate room from the one Chris and I stayed in so she was in her own space, just like home. We brought our baby monitor and she was so tried from her days running down the beach and charming everyone she met that she went to sleep fairly easily at night. We let naps happen when and where they happened whether it was in the stroller on a walk, in the room or on the beach. 

she did't want to leave!

Hilton Head is definitely a place we'd like to spend future vacations, but it will be tough to top this one!

Vacay Pics + Travel Tips For Tots

Our vacation started early on a Monday morning when we flew to Alabama to leave on a 5 day cruise. It wasn't Fallon's first time flying, but it was my first time flying alone with her. Chris had to stay behind for work so it was just the 2 of us, navigating check-in, security and a connecting flight. So before I get to all the fun stuff, let's talk about a few things that made traveling with a baby easier, especially doing it solo. 

1. Bring way too many snacks. Fallon was only 3.5 months old when we flew the first time so I nursed her during takeoff and landing instead. This time around I stuffed my diaper bag full of all the snacks. And I fed them to her while we waited to board the plane and throughout the flights. If you think you have enough snacks, add in more just in case. 

2. Wait until the very last call for boarding to get on the plane. Walk around the terminal, sing songs, read a book, whatever you have to do while everyone else gets on. Don't even worry about them running out of room for your carry-on bag. You can either check it gate side or a very nice flight attendant will stow it in the closet for you. Just don't be stuck on the plane any longer than you have to be. 

3. Let people help you. I struggle with this. I don't want to be a bother to anyone and I like to think I can do it all by myself. But when someone offers to put your bag in the overhead compartment or grab it off the gate side rack, let them. I cannot tell you how floored I was by the kindness of strangers during our flights to and from our destination. And remember that when you're traveling. The lady with the baby next to you could be me. 

4. It's okay to cry. I mean I'm hoping it's not you that's crying but that's okay too. Life is rough. But if your kid cries, WHO CARES?! The majority of people on the plane are parents or grandparents. They've been there, done that, got the t-shirt and most likely aren't fazed a bit by a little screaming. If it gets really bad, just order yourself a cocktail and buy a round for all the adults on the plane. I joke. But really. Don't stress about it. You'll never see those people again anyway.

5. Forget all the rules. Leave the nap schedule at home for the day. Let your kid eat the cookies they give you on the plane, pull the magazines out of the seat back pocket and let her crinkle the combos wrapper found wedged between the seats. Just do WHATEVER IT TAKES to keep them occupied. Trust me, they won't be scarred for life. 

I'll spare the details but a few things went wrong on the way to and during our trip. But don't worry, none of them killed us, obviously, or put a damper on our vacation. We ate (a LOT), we swam, we went to the beach and even hung out on a trampoline in the ocean! 

We spent our days at sea poolside, breathing in the salty ocean air and soaking up some vitamin sea. Our 2 days in port we beached it and Fallon wasn't exactly all about the sand between her tows, she was happy to enjoy the view from mama's arms. 3 course dinners with fresh seafood and melting chocolate cake were every day affairs and Fallon even went to a Dr. Seuss brunch! Thanks so much to my awesome in-laws for this vacation!!

Now if you'll excuse me I'll be doing the old camera roll scroll through all these pictures as I share them with you. Happy Friday!!

Tips For Traveling With A Pint Sized Passenger

Some people told us traveling with a 3.5 month old baby was a little crazy. And some people said it was actually a good age for it. I guess it depends on a lot of different factors but it worked out really well for us. We already knew Fallon loves a crowd and has an adventurous personality so the hustle and bustle of travel was not a concern. But there were a few things we did that seemed to help everything go pretty smoothly. 

We flew out in afternoon both on the way down and on the way home. Originally we needed to fly down at this time due to Chris's work schedule but the more I thought about it, I realized it was a good idea anyway. Although Fallon isn't on much of a nap schedule, she does wake up and take a morning nap around the same time each day so I did not have to worry about switching that up or skipping the nap. If you can plan your flights so that you don't have to wake up the babe earlier than usual or miss a nap, it's probably best for everyone. 

Packing for a baby is basically just as involved for one day as it is for several. The only difference is the amount of clothing because you need all of the baby things regardless. I usually stress over trying to pack light to fly and make sure suitcases are not overweight. This time I was just focused on bringing everything I thought we would need for Fallon. We ended up with a big suitcase that was actually under 50lbs plus the diaper bag and a large tote as a carry on. I felt so prepared for any situation and I didn't forget anything like I think I would have if I was worried about overpacking. 

Sticking to the routine you have at home is not always easy on vacation. We keep a flexible schedule at home and replicated it the best we could while we were away. Babies cannot tell time so even if you can't get that part exact, keeping your sequence of events is still helpful. We woke up at Fallon's normal time every day, respected her morning nap, even if it was underneath a pool chair or covered up on the beach. We have this baby tub and it was so perfect for traveling since it folds flat. Just like at home we did our bedtime routine and Fallon got the cues it was time to go to sleep. We brought her rock n' play cradle as checked luggage and she slept in it right next to the bed just like we were at home.

We flew Delta so strollers and car seats fly free. The car seat came with us since we needed it for Fallon to ride from the airport to the hotel and then in the car we rented. We debated bringing the stroller but ended up deciding against it and I am so glad we did. It would have been a giant pain to add to our luggage and we wouldn't have needed it at all. Instead of a stroller I highly recommend bringing a wrap carrier like the Solly baby wrap. It doesn't take up much room in the diaper bag and I always have mine with me anyway. I used it to carry Fallon through the airport, nurse her in it on the planes, walking on the beach and at the wedding reception. The wedding and reception took place at the hotel we stayed at so after I took Fallon to the room for the bedtime routine I put her in my wrap and was able to go back and enjoy the reception well past her bedtime while she was fast asleep cuddled against me. 

And maybe my most important piece of advice: bring stain remover and plastic bags. Fallon had a few blowout including one on the plane on our way home. She was sitting on my lap. I would haven had to throw her clothes away and probably had my favorite jeans ruined if I didn't have both of these essentials. Yes, I walked through the airport with poop on my clothes but that stain came out and I didn't have to get rid of anything. Badge of motherhood. 

Happy Travels!

Mini Beach Vacay

Well helllooooo there! Sorry I've been a little MIA but ya know, life. When we found out our friends were planning a beach wedding in October I was still pregnant with Fallon. We didn't know how great of an idea it would be to travel with a baby as first time parents and Chris was starting a new job. But the chance to have a little beach getaway in the fall and see our friends get married could not be passed up. 

We flew down to Tampa Sunday afternoon and thankfully Fallon was pretty much a perfect passenger. We spent the next 2.5 days eating like food has no calories (I made french toast disappear), lounging poolside and dipping our toes into the ocean. Traveling with a 3 month old baby definitely was not the easiest, but honestly she gets an A+ for behavior and going with the flow. It absolutely was worth experiencing so many of her firsts as a family. 

Our friends tied the knot in a beautiful beach ceremony on Tuesday, barefoot and all, with the sun dropping from the sky as the reception started. Fallon wore her very first little black dress and danced with daddy and it was seriously the cutest! She also rocked a bikini like a total beach babe and was a little water baby hanging out in the pool. We had a blast on our first family vacation but even though we only spent a few days away we were ready and happy to come back home. 

Overall, Fallon was a fantastic tiny traveler. I'm sure it was a combination of her age, personality and my obsessive planning. If y'all are interested in a post about flying and traveling with an infant just drop me an e-mail. I'm certainly no expert but I do think we were pretty well prepared and that was most helpful to get max enjoyment out of our vacation. Now I'm off to tackle laundry piles and rid my house of the all the sand we somehow managed to bring home with us!

Happy Halloween weekend!