To get to Fort Sumter, you have to take a ferry, which departs from a pier right next door to the South Carolina Aquarium. The boat was scheduled to leave at 2:30, so we arrived around 2:15 to make sure we could get tickets and board in time.
Once on the ferry, we settled in on one of the decks to hang out while we waited to depart for the fort. Today, instead of horses, Gavin was obsessed with WATER. :) No matter where we were on the boat or the fort, G just wanted to see the WATER.
Before the boat even started moving, we saw a dolphin or two:
We also took pics of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.
Another first for Nora on this trip… first time on a boat!
Once we started moving, it got really cold really fast, so we went inside and took seats at a table and enjoyed the ride. If you’re interested, they have a recording playing over the loud speaker that talks a lot about the Civil War and the history of Fort Sumter. While I do find American history really fascinating, I was distracted by Nora and found it difficult to focus on listening. Plus, recorded tracks are kind of boring, you know? I think it would’ve benefited from a real, live person speaking to us about it… it would’ve been more engaging.
The ferry ride was about 30 minutes out to the fort, at which time we all disembarked and entered Fort Sumter.
(A pic of the ferry.)
Once inside the fort, Gavin’s new obsession became pushing his own stroller. There was something really funny about watching an innocent little guy playing amongst cannons.
Nora, on the other hand, fell asleep in her stroller as I was wheeling her off the ferry, so she napped in the company of cannons.
Some of the original brick walls.
After exploring the ground level, we went up the stairs and entered the museum. After reading about the history of Fort Sumter and viewing the exhibits, we exited to the upper level of the fort to take in all of the views.
It was such a beautiful afternoon!
During our tour of the Boone Hall Plantation house yesterday, our guide told us about how slaves used to make bricks. He told us that if we went out to Fort Sumter, we should pay special attention to the bricks laid there. If you look closely, you can see the fingerprints of the slaves who made them. Sure enough…
…you can most certainly see the finger impressions. I was completely fascinated by this. What an amazing piece of history.
Look at this one. You can see the impression of almost an entire hand. It’s haunting, really. I ran my fingers over the prints and took a minute to think about the slaves whose hands had made them.
We took a few more pictures…
…and then it was time to get back on the ferry so it could depart to go back to shore. All in all, we had about an hour to explore the fort.
Back on the boat, we killed time by playing with the kids. Having had a fairly decent nap in her stroller at the fort, she was in a pretty good mood:
Back at the hotel, we were anxious to find a place to eat and get there so that we could actually get the babies to bed on time tonight. After hemming and hawing over where to go, and ultimately asking the front desk for some recommendations, we ended up at King Street Grille.
GOOD CHOICE. It was exactly what we were in the mood for, and we were welcomed with open arms–babies, strollers, and all. We were seated in a loft section of the restaurant, so we felt out of the way and comfortable there. The food was really good. I had a turkey club on a pretzel roll (holy deliciousness!), Michael had herb-encrusted salmon, Dave had a spicy paella, and Lynsay had a reuben sandwich. The menu offered a nice variety of food, so there was something for everyone, and thankfully, we all enjoyed our selections.
On the walk back to our hotel, we swung by Cupcake, a cupcake bakery. Michael and I picked up a s’mores cupcake and an almond cupcake, while Dave and Lynsay got a s’mores cupcake, a carrot cupcake, and a chocolate cake pop for Gavin. We got them to go so we could let our dinners digest a little bit and get the kids in bed before we enjoyed them.
We stretched Nora’s bedtime until we could get the majority of our stuff packed up, as we have to leave for the airport fairly early in the morning. Once we got her in her pajamas and fed her, she went down really easily again. Thank goodness for a baby who has traveled pretty well so far, despite being sick.
We just ate our cupcakes a while ago, and while they were good, I wouldn’t call them fantastic. There was SO.MUCH.FROSTING on them (and I am a frosting lover!), we had to scrape off the majority of it. The almond one had really great and distinct almond flavor, but the s’mores one didn’t really taste much like s’mores. I couldn’t even really pick out a graham cracker-like flavor, either. I actually feel sick to my stomach now, though I can’t really blame the cupcakes. I have eaten A LOT of crap today, so it’s probably cumulative. Don’t get me wrong, it was all delicious, but definitely not healthy! (That’s what vacations are for, right?)
We’re calling it a night. Hopefully we can get some sleep for our day of traveling tomorrow. Fingers crossed that Nora handles the trip home as well as she did the trip down here!
First things first: NORA SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT! Wheeee! In fact, she slept until after 8:00 a.m. this morning, and probably would’ve slept longer had we remained quiet. Once we were close to being ready and it started getting close to 8:00, we began to move around the room as normal, actually hoping she would stir because we wanted to get the day started! We were so happy for her to get some sleep, given the circumstances–sick and away from home. She seemed to REALLY not be feeling well this morning, my poor baby.
Once she was up, though, we got her dressed and headed downstairs to meet Dave, Lynsay, and Gavin at breakfast. Shortly after that, we were on the road to the Angel Oak. Again, the drive was around 20-25 minutes, but it was nice because it was a BEAUTIFUL morning.
The Angel Oak is a live oak tree that is more than 1,500 years old. Isn’t that crazy?
It was pretty cool to see its huge, sprawling branches.
We stayed for a while, just walking around and snapping lots of photos.
Look how sick she looks. :(
I was squatting down near the ground, taking photos like this:
When suddenly my little girl came into the frame, thanks to Michael lifting her up on that branch. She apparently thought it was a very fun game of peek-a-boo, because look at her smile!
What a goof.
There’s not much else to see there, aside from the Angel Oak, so we probably spent maybe 30 minutes there before we got back in the car to head back the way we came. On the way back, though, we took a detour down to Folly Beach.
While it definitely wasn’t ideal beach weather, we were perfectly comfortable in our jeans and jackets, so we walked around for quite a while, enjoying the breeze, the water, the sand, and the sunshine. Plus, Nora got to sit in the sand for the very first time.
There were a lot of starfish washed up on the shore!
Before too long, Dave and Lynsay had to head back to the hotel to get G down for his nap, so they left while we stayed behind to enjoy a little more time on the shore.
Once Nora seemed like she had had enough, we packed up and got back into the car.
Our next destination? A Verizon Wireless, so we could pick up a brand new iPhone for Michael. (I am so freaking jealous. I’m not eligible for an upgrade until November! WAHHH!) With the new phone in hand, we headed back to the hotel to meet up with our friends again.
While we were finishing up at Verizon, Dave ordered and picked up a pizza from Sabatino’s for all of us to share for lunch. It was the most gigantic pizza I have ever seen. Dave ordered an extra large and it was just that… EXTRA LARGE. It was thin crust, New York style pizza, though, so between the four of us, we were able to handle it. It was really good, but pretty greasy. Nothing a few dozen napkins can’t take care of, though! I should’ve taken a picture of how huge the pizza was (it was hilarious to walk in and see it on Dave and Lynsay’s bed), but we were too busy devouring it.
Gavin should be up from his nap any minute, and then we have to rush out of here to go catch a ferry to take a tour of Fort Sumter. More later!
While we were waiting for Gavin to wake up from his nap this afternoon, Dave and Michael went out to pick up some sandwiches for lunch. They ended up getting them from a place on King Street called Groucho’s.
Honestly, I would’ve expected more for the price. The sandwiches were each around $8, and they were REALLY simple sandwiches–some lunch meat, lettuce, tomato, and condiments between some regular ol’ sandwich bread. After we all ate, we said we couldn’t complain–there was nothing *wrong* with the sandwiches, but they weren’t anything special either. I think we were all kind of “meh” about them. Definitely wouldn’t go back there again unless there was no other place to go.
Shortly after we were finished eating, G woke up and we got ready and headed out. We drove to Boone Hall Plantation, which took us about 20 minutes or so to get to from our hotel in the Historic District. The ride took us over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, which has become a famous landmark in Charleston.
Our admission into Boone Hall Plantation cost us $17.95/person (thankfully, we didn’t have to pay anything for the babes). Normally, it includes quite a few tours, exhibits, presentations, etc. but because we were there in the winter, some of them weren’t available to us. Still, it was a nice, sunny afternoon so we appreciated the opportunity to walk around outside.
When you drive onto the plantation and toward the plantation house (where the parking is located, too), you drive down “The Avenue of Oaks,” which is apparently world famous and the longest row of oaks there is. It was quite pretty and I can only imagine it would be more so in the spring/summer months.
G immediately took to the horses. He saw them when we pulled up, and was OBSESSED with them the rest of the time we were at the plantation. He kept saying (in his little baby way) “HORSES!” over and over and over again, even as we tried to tour other areas of the plantation. It was too cute, but he sure was persistent! :)
We wandered across the Avenue of Oaks to look around the row of slave homes. These are the original brick structures that uses to house slaves back in the day. They are some of just a few slave homes that are still standing, simply because they are made of brick. Most slave homes were made of wood, which obviously deteriorated over time.
There were eight homes on the “street,” and each of them contained different exhibits about slave life, their customs, their culture, their history, etc.
I’m about to post some pics of us near the slave homes, and we’re smiling… I feel the need to post a disclaimer that we did not take where we were standing lightly. I know I can speak for all of us when I say that we were actually deeply affected by the slave homes. It was chilling to stand inside of them and know that enslaved people used to live there. Honestly, we were all still talking about it tonight. It was a strange feeling.
After we were done learning about the lives of the slaves on the plantation, we walked around a bit more, killing time before the start of the next house tour.
When it was getting close to time for the tour, we walked up toward the house…
While we were waiting, we walked around the side of the house and found this cool looking live oak tree:
Then we looped back around to the front porch for the start of the tour. We didn’t take any photos inside the house (they don’t allow you to), but it was a really interesting tour. Our guide was dressed for the part, and he was really knowledgeable about the plantation and the history of that era. He also told us about all of the movies and television shows that have been filmed on the plantation–it was surprising, as some of them have absolutely nothing to do with plantations (Like Army Wives. I have no idea what Army Wives uses Boone Plantation for!).
The tour ended on the back patio.
(Nora slept through the tour!)
By the time we wrapped things up, it was after 5:00, and we needed to head back toward downtown Charleston so that we could go grab dinner somewhere and get the kids to bed at a reasonable hour.
Once back at the hotel, we settled on Jestine’s Kitchen, and walked down there. It was about 3/4 of a mile from here. It was a little stressful, as there was a wait for a table when we arrived. The place is really small, so we had to wait out on the street, even though it was pretty cold out. Thankfully, the wait wasn’t TOO long, but when they finally wanted to seat us, one of the guys who works there was a pretty big jerk about our strollers.
Let me just say that I know strollers are a pain in the ass for servers, and they don’t want to get tripped up by them or have the strollers get in the way. HOWEVER, we weren’t trying to keep the strollers at our table or anything–all we wanted to do was get to our table where we could get settled, then break down the strollers and get them out of the way. Again, I understand the inconvenience they pose to the people working in the restaurant, but I thought we were being reasonable about them, and the guy could’ve been more friendly about it.
That was just the start of it, really–we never felt 100% comfortable there. I wouldn’t exactly call the place “family friendly,” even though it is completely casual in atmosphere.
When we all got our food, I think we were all mostly disappointed. Again, nothing was TERRIBLE, but Lynsay and I both had some kind of fried chicken that was overdone–they had clearly fried it for too long, which made the chicken itself pretty dry, and the breading pretty gross. Also, I ordered green beans as one of my sides, and they were underwhelming. THEY WERE CLEARLY OUT OF A CAN. I’m not even kidding. Perfectly uniform in size, mushy and with no flavor. Ick. Michael and Dave had meatloaf and pork chops, respectively, and I think they were both fairly happy with their meals. Certainly nothing to write home about! I just don’t get what the fuss is about, but maybe we missed something. In short, we do not recommend.
By the time we were done with our meals, Nora was really fussy (poor overtired girl!), so we packed up and hit the sidewalks back to the hotel. Once ready for bed, Nora went down really easily tonight–we’ve had the TV on and have been moving about the room and she hasn’t been bothered by it at all. I hope she gets some good sleep tonight… Lord knows she needs it!
Well, our first night in a hotel with a baby didn’t result in as high-quality sleep as we had hoped, but I don’t think Nora is to blame–her latest ILLNESS, on the other hand, is totally the culprit. Stupid cold/cough/congestion. Ugh.
After putting Nora into the hotel-provided pack ‘n’ play last night, it became clear pretty quickly that she was not going to last. She kept waking up and coughing or crying, and she was so miserable and pitiful that I gave up fairly quickly and brought her into bed with us. For the first half of the night, I slept with her cuddled up next to me, sharing my pillow with her so that she could sleep with her head semi-upright to help with the congestion. I also had the humidifier (which Dave and Lynsay so helpfully brought from home for us to use) blasting in our faces, which seemed to help. Michael took over holding her during the second half of the night, so in the end, we all ended up with at least some half-decent sleep. Come morning, we were all still pretty exhausted, but we had enough fuel to rally in order to do some sightseeing.
After we were all showered and ready, we started the morning eating breakfast in the lobby of our hotel. Free breakfast is included with the room price, so it is REALLY convenient for us. And the food selection isn’t half bad, either–waffles, eggs, biscuits, sausage, bacon, cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, bagels, muffins, donuts, etc. Niiiice.
From breakfast we hit the streets with the kids in strollers, heading to the South Carolina Aquarium at the Charleston Harbor. The morning was overcast and still pretty chilly, so we figured it was a good place to spend our morning–INDOORS! We were able to print out a coupon that gave all of us a slight discount, so we each paid $16.95 for our tickets, and the two babies were free. Michael and I were interested to see how the aquarium here compares to Shedd Aquarium, which we visited in Chicago in September 2009.
Dear Nora,
Five months old and you are officially a little person. Of course, you always have been, but something happened this month—socially, you seem so much older and aware of your surroundings.
You make amazing eye contact now. We can be holding you, going about our business or having an adult conversation with someone, and you tilt your head back and turn your face to look at us directly in the eyes. It’s like you’re saying, “Hey, Mommy!” You are in on everything. You are a quiet observer, and there is no doubt that your little brain is sucking in everything like a sponge.
You’ve found your voice. When you’re happy (and sometimes when you’re mad!), you “talk”—it’s distinctively different than your cry. You squeal and make loud noises in high pitches. It would probably be a little annoying if it weren’t so damn cute. We carry on conversations with you now. We’ll ask you about your day and you’ll squeal in delight. We’ll ask you to tell us more and you answer.
You used to make little giggle sounds, but now you LAUGH whole-heartedly. And we now know all of the tricks to getting those laughs. For instance, you absolutely LOVE for us to sniff your little toes and then say, “P-U! Stinky feet!” No matter your current mood, you find that absolutely hilarious. In the evenings, in the hour or so before bed, you sometimes reach a point when you’re so tired, you’re silly. During that time, you laugh at EVERYTHING. Peek-a-boo, quick kisses on your cheeks, funny noises and faces—you laugh so hard that Daddy and I could probably consider ourselves comedians.
Although you’re usually a really friendly, sociable little girl who is happy to have just about anyone’s attention (you will stare at and study strangers who talk to you, and sometimes grace them with a smile), you seem to have developed just a touch of stranger danger. There have been a few times when someone a tad unfamiliar tries to talk to you (like your grandmas!) and you will bust out crying. It’s pretty funny, but I do feel badly for the grandmas!
Physically, you seemed to reach several milestones this month. One day, you couldn’t roll over from back to belly, but that night, we went into your room to find you sleeping on your stomach—which is certainly not how you were when we put you to bed! You then went through a short stage when you forgot how to roll the other way—in other words, you could no longer roll from belly to back! But, a week or so ago, you put it all together, and now you can roll clear across a room. Only in one direction, though! You always roll to your left. It’ll be nice when you start going the other way. Sometimes, you wake up crying in the middle of the night because you’ve rolled up against the crib rails and you’re “stuck” on your back. We have to go in and roll you back onto your belly, and then you go right back to sleep. If you learn to roll back to the right, you’ll be golden!
You’re also a pro at playing with your toys now. You grab everything, you grip and touch objects, you put them in your mouth. You pull on the toys hanging from your car seat and bouncy seat. You’ve found your toes, and you can’t stop grabbing them and bringing them up toward your mouth. You’re fascinated with our food and drink. If we attempt to sip something (a glass of juice, bottled water, a bottle of beer) while holding you, you reach up and grab at the drink. It’s terribly cute, but it also means we have to be really careful! When we eat with you nearby, you seem to watch every bite go into our mouths. And you LOVE watching me brush my teeth; you look at me like it is the most fascinating thing you’ve ever seen.
Every month, I’ve told you how blessed we are to have you sleep through the night on a consistent basis. You’ve continued to do so, and this month, you’ve started to become a stellar napper as well. We can pretty much count on you taking a 1.5-2 hour morning nap these days, and you’re well on your way to doing the same in the afternoon, too (it’s just not quite as consistent yet!).
Also, you no longer sleep swaddled. At your four-month doctor’s appointment, we talked to your pediatrician about swaddling, and she told us not to worry about it. But when I mentioned that you had been repeatedly busting out of it, she said that maybe you were telling us it was time to give it up. That weekend, we moved you out of the swaddle and into a sleep sack, and you did way better than we ever expected. Now, it’s no big thing. It seems like you’ve been out of the swaddle forever!
For five WHOLE months now, you’ve been exclusively breastfed. I am proud of us and so happy with how you have grown. We had to take you to the doctor earlier this week because you had a fever and an upset stomach, and you were weighed… you are 12 lbs., 1 oz. While you’re still a tiny peanut, you’re growing healthy and strong, thanks to Mommy’s milk! Although I have had a fantastic, “easy” breastfeeding experience with you, it’s still hard work (pumping three times a day is annoying!), but it’s so worth it. I plan to continue to breastfeed you, but it’s likely that we’ll introduce you to some solids within the next few weeks. I’m excited to take that next step with you, but it’s also a little bit sad to have you “graduating.” You’re getting so big!
You still don’t fit into the majority of your 3-6 month clothes. It is so funny. Last week, we attempted to put a 3-6 month outfit on you, and the pants were falling off of you—even with your fluffy cloth diapered butt! Some brands are starting to fit you, but there are many that are still waiting to be worn. We’ve certainly gotten good use out of your 0-3 month clothes, but I have to admit to feeling pretty sick of most of them at this point. I look at all of the new 3-6 month stuff and wish you could wear it! But I know you will grow into them all too quickly, so I cherish how tiny you still are.
Today, we’re celebrating your 5-month birthday (and Daddy’s 30th) in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s your first trip away from home, and we look forward to many more in your future. You did so great on the plane; we’re so proud of you and your ability to adapt and handle any situation. Thank you for being so laid back and flexible! I hope those are characteristics that you carry throughout your life.
We love you so much, Nora. We could not be more proud to be your parents. I could gush all about you for hours, and jump at the chance to do so. The other little girls at daycare with you call me “Nora’s mommy” and it is the most wonderful name I’ve ever had.
Here’s to another month down, and the start of yet another new one in your little life. I look forward to every day of it. Every minute, really.
Smooches,
Mommy
About
I'm Heather. I'm 33 and have been married to Michael for seven years. Together, we have two beautiful little girls we love more than anything, and a miniature dachshund who drives us crazy. I'm a full-time working mom who has very little time for my own "stuff" these days, like home improvement, cooking/baking, cake decorating, and photography. Despite the team not making the playoffs since 1999, I'm STILL a Buffalo Bills fan, which I think speaks to my loyalty AND sense of humor. I can't wait to pick up the pace with travel again some day... you know, when we're done being ruled by tiny fists. Welcome to my blog.
