A little beach getaway

Victor's birthday was last Thursday, so we headed to Ocean City, MD to ring in his mid-thirties.

View from our hotel balcony

Victor and I have been celebrating his birthday at the beach since he turned 30.  We typically take a long weekend, enjoy the low preseason rates at an oceanfront hotel, and partake in typical beachy activities without all the crazy crowds.  The weather is usually pleasant and we always sleep with the balcony door open so we can hear the waves breaking on the shore throughout the evening.

However, with Max in tow for this trip--and temps in the 40s with 20 mph winds--things were a bit different this time.

Gone are the days of quickly packing a few duffel bags and throwing them into the trunk of the car.  No more sauntering to dinner between 8 and 9 PM and dining and talking for hours.  Forget staying out past midnight.  Goodbye to sleeping in listening to the waves each morning.

Babies change things...big time.  It took us 3 hours to get out of the house.  The cargo area of our Honda Pilot was loaded down with diapers, wipes, bottles, and blankies.  We were at dinner by 6:30 each night; we took turns walking Max around the restaurant when he got antsy so we had to eat in shifts.  We were heading back to the hotel by 8. Victor and I were asleep by 10:30.  Max had me up at 5:50 one morning (and refused to go back to sleep) and 7:20 the next.

Yes, vacations are different with babies.  But they're different in a wonderful way.  Max fell asleep in the car on Friday, which was a crazy windy day, so we already agreed that we shouldn't go to the boardwalk.  We drove 45 minutes away to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, so we explored some uncharted territory for us (beautiful beach homes there!) and we ate lunch somewhere new (also, Max got his full 1.5 hour nap).  We got to see the sunset over the bay both nights at dinner because we were there so early.  Max and I saw the sunrise the morning he woke up before dawn.  We were up and moving and out of the hotel room before 10 each day.  We played in the sand with Max's new "sand truck."  Max tried open pit beef for the first time and LOVED it.

Babies change things.  But they change things for the better.

Instead of taking a nap after arriving at the hotel, we play with trucks.

We really did have a lovely time.  Can't wait till the next family vacation!  Here are some memories from our visit to the beach.

Max occupied himself with some light reading on the way to the beach.

We couldn't use the safe because Max kept playing with the buttons and resetting the code.

Victor's birthday dinner at Fager's Island.

Max mowed down some tilapia for dinner.  The kid loves fish!

Beautiful sunset over the bay from Fager's Island.  They always play a really dramatic classical song during the sunset at Fager's.

Bundled up on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach

Playing in our hotel's arcade room

Sunset at Seacrets

Playing with the portholes while we wait for our fish tacos

Playing on the beach at 9 AM.  It was 40 degrees outside but Max didn't care because...SAND!

Sand trucks, shovels, and rakes, oh my!

I love watching Victor and Max play together.  Such dudes.  Mommies don't play trucks as well as daddies do.  It's a fact.

Always have to eat at Bull on the Beach.  This picture is blurry because Max was eating SO FAST!

Bundled up again in the stroller for the walk back to the car.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend!  How did you spend it?