We had our 1st Family vacation last week. We went to Ponte Vedra Beach near Jacksonville Beach, Florida. It was very pretty weather and scenery. I needed a beach trip and some yummy seafood. What I didn't need was for Carson and myself to get sick only hours before driving to the beach.
We were scheduled to leave around 5AM on Monday so that Carson would sleep for most of the 6 hour trip. No such luck. On Sunday afternoon I was napping with Carson in the recliner and I felt of his forehead and I knew he had a fever, it was 102.2. So I figured it was an ear infection like usual and we decided to go on to see a Dr. and get the prescription for antibiotics filled and be on our way as planned. Turned out, Carson had Hand, Foot and Mouth virus, and there is nothing you can do for it besides give him Motrin for the fever and pain. Typically with this virus (which is very common right now) babies get bad, painful blisters in their throats, hand and feet. Luckily Carson never got it on his hands and feet.
After Carson went to bed Sunday night I began to get sick with food poisoning. So the ride down to the beach on Monday was horrible. We weren't able to leave until about 11AM due to me still being sick and just couldn't get going. Carson cried most of the way and I felt terrible as well. Once we arrived we took him for a walk on the beach and he loved it! It was good to see him happy. But that night he woke up screaming every hour from the pain and fever. I felt so helpless because it would take forever to soothe him. I actually feared that we would get evicted - he was screaming so loud.
The next 2 days were much better, his fever went away and he perked up and we enjoyed playing on the beach and going out to dinner and then walking on the beach after dinner. I had no idea how exhausting it would be taking an "almost toddler" on vacation. Next time we will go with family so we can have some help and some time to relax. Carson liked the sand and walking in the shallow water on the beach after the big sand bar formed each day.
As for the Atlantic side versus the Gulf, it just doesn't compare. We both grew up visiting the Gulf and had so many expectations that were not met. We really wanted some crab claws but of all the restaurants we went to, no one had them on the menu. We did have some excellent seafood though. Another difference is the sand, it is much flatter and easier to walk on, but there are areas where millions of shells wash up and it hurts your feet, but we found some really pretty shells to bring home.
And I know it is cheesy, but I really wanted an airbrushed t-shirt for Carson for his 1st beach trip, but there were no stores like Alvin's Island, etc...within a few miles of our condo.
All in all, we did make some nice memories on the beach with our sweet baby, and had a nice family get away to a pretty beach.
FYI: I got a couple of good pictures of Carson, but at this stage in his life he is too busy exploring and studying everything around him to look at the camera :(
The many shells...
This is Carson being friendly to people passing by on the beach :)
