The SUV of Pack'n Plays

With the boys old enough to stay on the beach for a couple of hours, we worried about what we would do with Leah. She didn't like wearing hats, and was just barely old enough to wear sunscreen, so we didn't want to slather her up too thickly.

Fortunately, we had seen a neighbor's "Pack'n Play Sport" earlier in the spring. It did not have a standard mattress, or any cloth components. Instead, it had a padded waterproof bottom, a vented dome to cover the top, and unfolded from a cylindrical bundle into a large octagon. It had been discontinued, but Eli was able to find one, new in the box, on Craigslist.

So we dragged our new Pack'n Play out to the beach every day. For some reason it never worked out as a place for naps; even when sleepy, the act of putting Leah down inside always woke her up. But she was usually content to play inside for 15-20 minutes at a time. And it worked out great for Leah's second cousin Cora (3 months) who did take a number of naps inside while out on the beach.

Leah Eats Sand at the Beach

I said at the outset of this trip that Leah would probably stuff her face with sand. Shocker: my prediction was spot on! When I put her down in the surf she was immediately excited by the waves and went crazy splashing at the water. When she does that Eli says she looks like a bird flapping her wings (it's the exact same thing that she does in the bath and at the pool).

After a minute or two she slowed down and noticed the brown oatmeal-looking stuff all around her. She reached down and felt the texture with her fingers. Then she grabbed a fistful and squeezed it out. And then, in a blink, she lifted her hand to her face, stuck out her tongue and gave it a lick.

I'm not sure what things, in a baby's mind, are not good to put in your mouth. Certainly sand does not fall into that category; Leah began to grab fistfuls and cram them into her mouth. At this point I had to put a stop to it. Dr. Eileen assured us it wasn't really harmful, but "not harmful" is not the same as "good for you". And besides.. sandy diapers are no fun to clean up.

Flying the Dragon Kite

We bought a dragon kite at Costco last spring. The kids have been wanting to try it out since the day we brought it home. We assured them that we'd fly it at the beach where there is plenty of wind and no trees.

Today was the day. Eli reeled the kite out and it took off like an arrow. Avery and Zach really wanted to hold on to it, but the wind was a little too strong for them. Zachary was being tugged along and could barely keep his grip, even with Eli taking up some of the slack. After that, we decided it would be for adults only. They enjoyed watching it fly for a little while longer, but eventually their interest waned.

Swimming with Cousins

Avery and Zachary love playing at the beach with their second cousins, Ryan and Brianna. Ryan is 12 and Brianna is 14, so we felt comfortable allowing them to watch the kids while they played. Not that we left the beach or anything, but we could at least tone down the parental radar.

Dinner at the Fish House

After a full day at the beach we went to the The Litchfield Fish House for dinner. The fish they cook up is always superb, and Eli was able to treat everyone because his boss gave him a "dinner on the company" as a bonus.

Pawley's Island 2007

This year we changed our pre-beach routine up a bit. We drove to Raleigh, North Carolina and met up with some old friends: Jeremy, Emily, and their new daughter Harper. After lunch we continued on to Cait and Cullen's house in Cary. Cait cooked us dinner and we spent the night in their guest room.

Saturday morning we drove the rest of the way to Pawley's. We were the first to arrive so it fell to us to pick up groceries and cook a meal for the family. After eating, everyone went for twilight walk to the pier. The water was so warm it was impossible to keep our feet out of the surf.

This year, to accommodate the expanding family, Martin upgraded to a bigger beach house. It's right on the beach, has a huge dining area, internet access, and five bedrooms. We had no trouble packing in our brood, Martin and Barbara, Cait and Cullen, and Nora and Andrew. The porch isn't quite as nice as the one at Back of the Moon, but everyone agreed it wasn't worth going back.

Packing for Five

Every year, packing to go on car trips becomes more difficult and time consuming. This year's beach trip was problematic because we needed to have baby gear for Leah, toys for everyone, beach gear, and clothing for five. Eli bought a roof top carrier because we are no longer able to collapse a row of seats for inside storage (Leah takes up one middle seat, and we left the other open so I could sit next to her as needed).

The kids have been looking forward to the beach for weeks now. We told them we would be leaving after: Avery's school, Zachary's school, soccer, a birthday party, Avery's school and finally Zachary's school. Explaining the passage of time is not easy, but this strange system is better than just saying "soon", and they get the general idea of the time scale.

Family Breakfast

This morning we had a big family breakfast, courtesy of Robin, Todd, Jeff, and Robbie. Whole wheat pancakes, egg and sausage casserole, bacon, and coffee cake were just a few of the dishes on the menu. It was so good, I think I ate enough food for the entire day.

Breakfast was also somewhat melancholy, as it marked the end of the week; time for people to start leaving the island. We went to the beach shortly after breakfast and stayed for almost four hours. One final glorious Hurrah! to end the week.

Creekside at Pawleys

The creek side houses at Pawleys have less cachet then the ones on the beach, but they have advantages as well. Beautiful sunsets, a place to swim with no waves, a dock for fishing and kayaking, and don't even get me started on the creek floats. The kids get a quite a kick out of the crabs and minnows that can easily be caught along the shore.

Global warming may not have affected ocean levels yet, but this year we saw the tide come up higher than ever before. Some of the docks were completely under water. Some houses along lower areas of the island even had to move their cars to avoid flooding.

Mexican Night 2007

Mexican Night always starts off with Donut Morning. The mysterious donut fairy delivers a box of fresh Krispy Kremes to each household. It is a joy to the palatte and a bane to the waistline.

This year, guests arriving for the annual Mexican Night party were greeted by the Tequila Worm, made from those very same donuts. Andy and Jamie had collected all of the leftovers, sliced them in half, and constructed the Tequila Worm with sea-grass bristles and a chocolate drizzle. Yum!



Even after eating donuts all day long, Avery and his cousin Kyle were more than happy to eat a couple of segments of the Tequila Worm.

Breakfast with Jim and Lila

We can always count on an early morning visit from Uncle Jim. He stays in a house full of slugabeds and when his granddaughter Lila gets up he will take her visiting while Granny and the O'Reillys sleep in. Lila is more than a year younger than Avery and Zachary but they are more than happy to share their playdough and play with her.

Kids on the Beach

This year more than 90 relatives and friends of the family came to Pawley's Island, which meant there was never a dull moment on the beach. Only a few cousins are the same age as Avery and Zachary, but some of the older ones, like Ryan and Brianna Bollar, and Jamie and Kristy Hildegrass, took quite a shine to our boys.

Brookgreen Gardens 2007

This year when we went to Brookgreen Gardens, Aunt Caitlin tagged along. We started our visit with a picnic lunch on the grounds. The birds must get fed by the visitors because we had more than a few come over to our picnic table to scope out our grub.





As usual the boys loved looking at the sculptures, flowers, and fountains. But, without a doubt, their favorite spot is the koi pond. I think they would spend hours watching the fish if we let them.

Pawleys Island 2007

Every June we head to South Carolina for our annual beach vacation. Each year the drive gets a little longer and a little harder, thanks to young children. But being at Pawley's Island always makes it worthwhile.

In order to maximize our vacation time, we usually drive down a day early. It helps us avoid some of the worst traffic and makes the first day more relaxed. This year we spent Friday night at a hotel in Conway, just west of Myrtle Beach. When we got into our room, Mommy and Daddy collapsed while Avery and Zach immediately started jumping back and forth between the two beds.



The next morning we went to the Children's Museum of South Carolina. Eli thought it was rather dated and run down, but the kids had fun making play pizza, stacking blocks, and looking at the small reptile and mammal exhibits. We heard that the museum is moving and expanding, so we may try it again in a few years.





After leaving the museum we ate a quick lunch at Red Lobster, and then I got some Mommy time at the Tanger outlet mall. The kids fell asleep in the stroller while I bought maternity clothes and Eli picked up some new boxers at Banana Republic. After that we had just a short hop down the coast to Pawley's Island.

Family Fishing on the Creek

This is the dock behind Sullivans, next to Back of the Moon (the house we stay in).


Mom and Dad have a chance to do a little Spot fishing.



Christine and Brianna take turns holding Zachary.


Avery watches intently, eager to try fishing himself.

Mexican Night

Each year at Pawley's the Bollar/Hilligrass household hosts a Mexican fiesta. They serve a fantastic spread: tamales, shredded pork tacos, and all manner of tasty dips and finger foods. There's also a drink called Goombah Smash made from rum and fruit juice that is not to be missed. Yum!



With no nap, Avery fell asleep early. The rest of us took a late walk on the beach. If you look at Sara's hair, you can see how humid it is.

Fun at the Beach

As usual, our time at Pawley's was full of beach time and relaxation, though the kids added a new wrinkle to everything. Eli managed to squeeze in a daytime creek float, but missed a night float that sounded really fun. We look forward to when the boys are old enough to go along.



Here are some beach shots. At low tide there are tidal pools on the beach that the boys can splash around and play in without giving us too much concern for their safety. The two of them are like tiny dynamos; Nora only got ahold of Zachary in this photo because he fell asleep!

This year Aunt Alison hosted a Spot fishing tournament. Spot are found in the tidal creek that flows along one side of Pawley's. Eli and I took turns fishing and watching the boys play out on the dock.