Vacay with a one year old - Vacation? or Stressful Situation?!

I love Summer!

I also love the beach!

The hubby and I decided this summer that a beach vacation was necessary. Plus we were excited that this would be our first family vacation as a family of 3 since the arrival of our sweet, little girl. She would have just turned 1 and would be able to experience it with us.

After Babymooning in Hilton Head, SC last year (a month before our daughter made her entrance into the world) at the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort, I just knew that I had to return this year with babygirl in tow. So that is exactly what the hubs and I did.

We contacted our very best friend Tania Dixon with Magical Memory Planners and she was able to help us book our 6-night stay at the same resort we stayed at a year ago. She helped us find the best deal, as well as, included tons of other helpful information to use during our stay. I've included her link below if you are in need of assistance from a travel planner. Her services are not only free to you but she is so helpful and makes the hassle of planning your trip a breeze. Visit the link below!

https://www.magicalmemoryplanners.com/mmp-agents/tania-dixon/

A few weeks after booking our trip, I decided since we would be close, that it would be fun to stay a few nights in Charleston, SC after we left Hilton Head. So we then booked 2 extra nights at the beautiful, historic Francis Marion Hotel in the heart of Charleston. My husband and I honeymooned in Charleston after our honeymoon cruise to the Bahamas and then returned to celebrate our 3 year wedding anniversary, so it was only fitting to bring our newest addition to one of our favorite vacation spots!

This vacation, however, would not be like any vacation we had taken before. Usually, the hubs and I would make sure someone, (usually my mom) could babysit our 3 dogs. Then we would pack up, head to the beach, and do whatever we wanted when we wanted. This time we would have our 1-year-old daughter with us and more planning and preparation would be necessary to make this a vacation and not a stressful situation!

Naturally, I am a planner. To be a teacher, you have to be a planner. So when it comes to things I do, or my husband does, or now that our family does...I have to have a plan in play. Even if it isn't a perfect plan...some planning is involved!

In years past, when my husband and I would go on vacation, I would make a list of everything we would need or want to bring weeks before it was time to leave. Then, I would pack all of our bags, yes even my husbands, 5-7 days in advance. Any chores or to-do lists would be completed before we would leave and for my dog's babysitter (my mom) I would have a list of how to take care of the dogs and have their food rationed out in plastic baggies and labeled for each dog for all of the days we would be gone. The night before departure, I would go through my list and check off that everything was packed and all tasks completed.

Yes.

I am weird.

Also. A tad bit controlling.

Ok. A lot a bit controlling.

I am a planner. Okay?!  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Anyway, this time was a smidge different. I don't know why. I am still controlling, still a planner, and still have to have everything done a certain way. I also have a huge fear of going on vacation and not having everything I need when I need it. So I tend to pack a lot of stuff. But for some reason, this time was definitely different and because it was different I was able to compile a list of Do's and Don'ts for Vacationing with a one-year-old! I hope it is helpful!

Do's:

1. MAKE A CHECKLIST! Make a checklist for things to bring. Make a checklist of things to do before you go, during your stay, and when you come back. Make a list of what not to do. Make a list for you, your baby, your husband. I don't know...just make a list! Why? Because I failed to make. a. dang. list.!!!!! Life with a baby is hectic. So hectic it causes you to forget things and to lose your mind. But I forgot some pretty important stuff because of forgetting to make my list and so I will never forget my list again! Make a CHECKLIST! 
2. Pack before the night before you leave! Don't wait until the last minute to start packing for yourself, your child, and your husband. Just. don't. do. it. It was a whirlwind in our house because we waited until the last minute to pack. Pack ahead! 
3. Keep snacks and toys readily available and accessible in the car on the way to your destination. This was a huge help. My husband was a peach and drove the whole way down. But that left me tending to the baby so it was helpful having anything she or I needed within reach.
4. If you are going to the beach. Pack sunscreen, take a cooler, and baby powder. The first two are obvious. Sunscreen to protect your skin and baby sunscreen to protect baby's skin. The cooler to have water and snacks to beat the heat for mom, dad, and baby. The baby powder comes in handy for removing that pesky sand from bodies and objects. It really works. Just sprinkle some on the area coated with sand and then wipe away. The sand falls right off. This was very helpful for those reapplications of sunscreen when the sand would seem to stick to our skin. 
5. Prep for meals and diapers/wipes. I knew that we would be staying 6 nights and I wanted to avoid spending a ton of money eating out while we were in Hilton Head because I knew we would want to eat out in Charleston. Since our room at the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort had a small kitchenette I decided to precook all of our meals for supper. I also packed my griddle and took it to cook our breakfast in the mornings because my daughter loves eggs. Luckily the room had a toaster so I made waffles also. For lunch, we took sandwich stuff and chips. We would either eat lunch on the beach or return to the room and eat. Since we had to bring a cooler anyway, I just packed it full of all the cold foods we would need that week and then packed other food items in two of my Lotus Trolley Bags. I love these bags! Click the link below to check them out and order for yourself! 

Lotus Trolley Bag

          Since our daughter is still in diapers, we, of course, had to make sure we had enough diapers                and wipes for the trip. We also needed swim diapers as well since we would be either at the                  beach or pool during most days. We have Amazon Prime so to make things easy we just                      ordered a box of diapers, wipes, and swim diapers. They were delivered to us in two days and              we just put the boxes in the car when we were ready to go! 

--------------------

Don'ts:

1. Don't forget the beach wagon!!!! This is number 1, because well...we forgot the beach wagon! With a baby, this is the only way to get you, the baby, your husband, and all that necessary junk to the beach efficiently! We, unfortunately, forgot ours at home. So our first day at the beach was spent scoping out the nearest Target for a beach wagon. 2 wagons and $140 later, we are more than ready for the next beach trip! 
2. Don't pack ALL the food, just shop when you arrive at the beach. I had heard that shopping at your local store before vacations would save you money rather than waiting and going once you arrive at your destination. While that may be true, the hassle of toting that weeks worth of food to the car, from the car to the room, then packing up leftovers, and toting them home was exhausting! While I did meal prep before leaving the house, next time that may be the only food I take with us on the trip. Everything else can be purchased once we arrive at our destination and cooked in the room if needed. 
3. Don't plan a vacation right after planning a first birthday party and right after the 4th of July! Okay, this one may not stick. We were kind of limited when it came to choosing days for our vacation. My husband's job requires him to be there certain times of the month and the week we went worked best for us at the time. It just so happens that this week fell immediately after several other big events and a major holiday! I feel like this is probably the reason for me forgetting some things when packing and not being on my A-game when planning to leave for this trip like I usually am. But if I had to do it over, I don't think I would change anything. I was able to plan a great first birthday party for my daughter, we had a great 4th of July, and then we had a great vacation. It was all a little hectic, but fun and memorable none the less. 

Of course, I am that mom that took thousands of pictures. (Most of them the same picture just slightly different pose/angle etc.) But they are pictures that we can look back at and remember our first family vacation as a family of 3 with our firstborn daughter! We had the best time and through it all, my husband and I learned some valuable lessons including the struggles of traveling with a one-year-old. I cannot wait until our next vacation and I'm already looking into new destinations!

Where is your favorite family vacation spot and what are some things you and your family like to do while you are there? Leave a comment below and let me know! 

Thanks for reading! 

I hope you enjoy this blog post and find these tips helpful. Stay tuned for more from me soon.

Never miss another blog post. Simply enter your email on my blog page and follow just a few steps to be added to my email list. (You will only receive an email when I post a new blog.)

xoxo!