Hey! We’ve been back from vacation for a week now and we’re totally missing the beach and all of the family time. We took a beautiful family vacation to Myrtle Beach with my in-laws and Mike’s grandparents the first week in May. It was so nice to getaway. It was our first family vacation with Taya! She had an absolute blast.
We decided to drive down which was just under a 10-hour drive. It went surprisingly well! Taya does really well in her car seat but she lets you know when she’s done, haha. We made two stops on our trip to eat and stretch our legs. Taya only took a short nap the entire trip but thankfully, my mother-in-law rode along with us and kept Taya company. Because Grandma is so amazing, she brought along her tablet so Taya could watch Cocomelon when she started to get over being in her car seat. Cocomelon is literal magic. It’s safe to say we’ll be investing in a kids tablet for long trips in the future.
I want to share a vacay recap and some of my favorite photos from the trip with you today!
We stayed at a gorgeous rental home that was just a 2-minute walk to the beach. It was the perfect place for the whole family. Everyone had their own space and Taya even had her own room. The main living space was huge and there were little balconies where we could enjoy our morning coffee and downtime throughout the day. We were at the north end of Myrtle Beach and we loved it because the part of the beach we were at wasn’t crowded at all.
DAY 1: Taya’s first time ever at the beach and seeing the ocean! The second we put her on the sand she started running all around and she was captured by the water right away. She’s a total beach baby. We spent a lot of time at the beach and Taya even wanted to nurse for a few minutes, which was so special to me. We went to dinner at Carrabba’s and it was delicious! Their fresh bread and oil just hits different. YUM!
DAY 2: We had a nice slow morning the second day as it was a bit dreary out. During Taya’s first nap, Mike and I took a trip over to Broadway at the beach. We wandered around for a bit, got Taya a J.J. doll (Cocomelon), and then went back to the house. After Taya woke up, we all headed over to Broadway to explore. We ate ice cream, took photos with the dinosaurs, and enjoyed checking everything out.
At the end of the day, Mike and I took Taya down to the beach to run some energy out… that she did! The second her feet hit the sand, she’s off running to the water. She’s mesmerized by the ocean. Look at how full of joy she is! Her little romper is perfect since she’s my sunshine girl. The photo below is one of my all-time favorite photos and I can’t wait to get it printed to hang in our home.
As soon as we got back from the beach, a storm started to roll in. My mother-in-law and I LOVE storms. We’re weather junkies, haha. I grew up watching thunderstorms on my back porch so I was living in pure nostalgia as I sat watching the storm roll through on the balcony. After it passed, my MIL and I walked down to the beach to see if there’d be any waterspouts but alas, there were none. It was still beautiful to see the ocean at a stormy time.
DAY 3: It was beach time once we were ready for the day. Taya enjoyed playing in the sand and running around the beach with Mike before her nap. We took some family beach photos, of course. Mike took her back for her nap and my mother-in-law and I stayed at the beach to get some sun. The weather was perfect!
That afternoon we had reservations at Topgolf. Mike and I love Topgolf – it’s a ton of fun with yummy food and drinks. It was the rest of the family’s first time there. Everyone enjoyed it! Taya loved watching everyone play and she thoroughly enjoyed her chicken and tater tots. One of the Topgolf workers said Taya reminded them of Pebbles!
DAY 4: Once again we spent the morning at the beach having a blast. Taya loved playing in the sand which Poppy built sandcastles around her. So sweet! Though, Taya mostly enjoyed tearing the sandcastles down, haha.
That afternoon, we ladies took Taya to the aquarium while the guys got lunch. It was Taya’s first time visiting an aquarium and I think she loved it! She kept trying to pet the fish and she was very interested in watching the sharks. It was adorable.
After the aquarium, the whole family went over to Broadway at the beach for a bit. My father-in-law took his mom on the Ferris wheel and Mike and I took Taya on the carousel for the first time. Before we went on, she ran up to it and was watching it go round and round. She had her bink in her mouth for the ride but I think she liked it!
DAY 5: Taya woke up really congested and didn’t sleep well the night before, so we had a very laid-back day. We took her to the beach for a little bit but ended up taking her back to the house to rest for the rest of the day. It turns out that her first top tooth was ready to breakthrough!
DAY 6: Friday was our last full day of vacation before driving back home on Saturday. Taya was feeling much better which made me so happy! We spent a few hours at the beach soaking up the sun. Taya discovered the shells and we took a couple of them home to remember her first trip to the ocean.
DAY 7: Taya’s top tooth cut through overnight… and the girl did not sleep at all, haha. She wasn’t fussy much but she just wanted to stay up. Shout out to my MIL for staying up a good chunk of the night with her so I could get some sleep before the trip home. It’s always bittersweet leaving vacation. Bitter – because I’d love to stay on vacay. Sweet – because there’s nothing like sleeping in your own bed. We had a smooth trip back home.
I’m so glad we got to get away! Now it’s time to plan our next family vacay!
XO,