Oh, Baby! : The Beach

Bathing Beauty

Hello, friends! Summer is in full swing at this house. I am getting a taste of the "Stay-at-Home Mom" life. It is not just naps and picnics. Entertaining an eight month old twenty-four/seven is quite exhausting. We have to get out of the house at least once a day, or one of us goes crazy. A few weeks ago, we had a spur of the moment opportunity that I just couldn't turn down.

Our spot on Lake Weir (plus Gabe)

Lets talk about a wonderful place: the beach. And how it takes on a whole new adventure when you throw an infant in with it. Some families go to the beach every year. That was not a tradition in my house. Over the years, I have been to various beaches for various reasons: dance camps, mission trips, a few vacations, and a honeymoon. It has been three years since I have had my toes in the sand. My dear friend, Christy, was taking her family to Florida for their yearly vacation. Jokingly, I said I wanted to tag along while we were getting a pedicure the afternoon before she left. A few hours later she text me and said there was room in the family guesthouse, and that Haddie and I were welcome to join them. I have never been a person who makes rash decisions, so this was quite crazy. After securing a more reliable vehicle for the trip (thanks, Dad), I decided to go for it! We stayed on Lake Weir, and one day we drove to Ormond Beach for the day. It was nice to see the ocean, but I actually preferred the lake. It was private, there was definitely not a rip tide or waves, the water was warmer, and it was within walking distance of our accommodations. Haddie had a blast in the lake, not so much in the ocean. More on that later, now for the tips.

Last minute packing at its finest!

Tip #1: Avoid last minute packing when traveling with a baby. Obviously, I had no choice in this situation. Packing for a baby is stressful. They require so many things. My head was spinning. Amazingly, I managed to make it there and back with everything we needed and not forgetting anything. Next time, I will make a checklist and start a lot sooner. I think it was a little more difficult because I exclusively pump and prepare her baby food. In addition to all the usual baby items, I had to have a cooler to transport the expressed milk and baby food cubes. Also, pumping on the road is ridiculous. Hiding out in parking lots and pumping as we were riding down the interstate (I was not driving) is no fun. I love Haddie and would do anything for her, but I will rejoice from the hilltops when I can throw that pump out the window! Trust me, I have a countdown.

Tired girl after a day at Ormond Beach

Tip #2: Plan driving times around sleep schedules. This is just my opinion. It worked for us. We chose to leave out in the middle of the night. Haddie isn't the best rider, so her being asleep was perfect! If she had been awake during the day, I have a feeling that 8 hour trip would have not been so smooth. I know some might not be comfortable driving all night, but for this sleep-deprived, night owl of a Mom, it went well. The ride home was a little harder because there wasn't the excitement of getting to the beach and I was worn out from the trip.

"Sand is delicious, Mom"

Tip #3: Pack the Baby Powder. I am sure we all have seen the pin on Pinterest about baby powder taking off sand. I loathe sand. Loathe. It gets EVERYWHERE. I hate how it feels on me. It drove me insane seeing it all over Haddie. She didn't seem to mind. She even tasted it. Sounds like I love the beach, right? When it was time to dry off and go in. We tested it out. Amazing! While on the beach, I laid her in the stroller, striped her down, coated her with baby powder, and wiped it away. Boom! I am not sure if it matters, but I use the cornstarch variety and not talc. It definitely made the sand (slightly) more tolerable.

The only acceptable nudist on the beach

Tip #4: Take a baby pool and umbrella. I wasn't fond of the idea of Haddie being in direct sunlight for extended periods of time, even with sunscreen. So, an umbrella or canopy was a must for me. I had remembered a pin on Pinterest in the mad rush of packing and decided to throw her mini blow-up pool in pile to take with us. Best decision ever. The day we visited the ocean, she was not a fan of the waves. She hid her face and cried when they came at her while I was holding her, and she was in complete panic when I tried to put her down in the water. So, I filled up her pool with a little ocean water and plopped her down under the umbrella. She was happy as a peacock. Well, for as long an eight month can be with one thing. I was able to lay out beside her while she played. Score. Thanks to the pool she was able to stay cool and enjoy the water without me having to hold her constantly.

Those are the four biggest things that made our trip run quite smoothly. I actually had a blast! Haddie was a superstar the whole time. I was afraid that the change in scenery and activities would completely throw off her schedule, but she took it all in stride. It is definitely a whole new experience to vacation with a baby. It is no longer grab a towel and go to the beach. Now it involves planning for every possible scenario: Where can I heat a bottle? What if she needs a nap? Do I have enough of this and that? In my case, I also had to work in enough pumping sessions and how to store it until I could get it in the fridge. With a little planning and preparation, vacationing on the water with a baby can be quite enjoyable. I am very glad that I took that leap! It was a much needed get away.

Haddie will be NINE MONTHS OLD in a few days. I plan on doing a quick update on her new milestones. She is growing and changing so fast. Bittersweet. Of course, her birthday party prep is in full swing! To close out this post, here are a few of my favorite snapshots  from the trip:

Race Car in the lake

Trying watermelon

Love this chunk!

Last sunset of the trip