This summer, Joe, my mom, my sister, and I took Sophie on her first vacation to the deep South where dogs are dawgs, the ladies--and the ice cream-- are peachy, and fireflies are lightning bugs. We flew to Atlanta to visit family (my entire extended family on both sides lives in Georgia), and then we drove to the gulf side of Florida for a few days of saltwater and sunshine.One of my good friends is taking her babe on his first beach vacation this weekend and asked me for tips. I have no tips. Really. I did whatever my mom (Sophie's Gammy) said to do and brought whatever she said to bring. Then she thought of everything else. That said, here is what I learned from Gammy and from our first time together during the long plane ride, long car ride, and long --but oh so lovely--days on the beach.

1. The popup baby tent was--by far--the best item we brought to the beach. Sophie napped in hers (similar to this one) by the ocean like the queen she is. See pictures below.

2. Waiting to plan the trip when Sophie was six months old (and could wear mineral sunscreen) made me feel better about taking her out in the sun. I tried three sunscreens, and the Think Baby brand won me over.

3. During the long car trip to and from Florida, we kept a giant bag of toys in the back seat for whenever Sophie woke up from her nap. Even though we stopped often to change and nurse and stretch out on the Cracker Barrel porch benches, Sophie fussed less when I was in the backseat playing or reading to her. (Sidenote: I get carsick. Real carsick. As it turns out, an hour of motion-sick-nausea is better than a screaming baby. Somebody give me all the gold mom stars. Sidenote #2: I always buy clove candy sticks at Cracker Barrels. Is that a thing?)

4. Reading The Pout Pout Fish to a babe at the beach is pure joy. Rapping The Pout Pout Fish to a babe at the beach is pure weirdity. We did both.

5. I was a real jerk and woke up my husband from a dead sleep on our last evening at the beach so we could take a few family pictures together next to the ocean. I didn't plan cute outfits for Joe and me because I thought we would just take pictures of Sophie in her VERY planned crab sailor outfit. My hair was wet. I wore a casual blue tanktop and shorts that probably look old-ladyish, but I don't even care-- because now we have a few family photos of our first trip to the beach. And, I'm thankful.

6. I read my "beach read" book for approximately 0 minutes while sitting next to the ocean. I did, however, read it later on in the evening, in the bathtub, while everyone else was sleeping. That, my friends, is going to the beach with a babe.

Thinking back to this past June, if I had to choose between going to the ocean and visiting my grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and family friends in Georgia, I would choose the latter every time. Sophie met her cousins for the first time, and they played for hours on the floor together. As it rained, I rocked my sleeping baby on my aunt and uncle's back porch, the same screened-in porch with its rockers and bench swing and warm, wooden floor I've loved my whole life. Joe and I took Sophie outside my grandparents' house during dusk and showed her the red barn on the farm that her great-great-uncle still runs. She saw lightning bugs for the first time, and she met her great-Gaddy.I choose people over beach. Every time. Thankfully, this time I didn't have to choose.^Real Magnolias. As opposed to the Steel ones.^The beloved porch. ^Sophie's great-great aunt and uncle who spoil her rotten at Belles and Beaus children's boutique.^Rocking Sophie on the back porch as it rained^ Fun fact: my great grandfather worked at the pharmacy that sold the original Coca-Cola.^Sophie felt rain for the first time.Beach Pictures:^Sleeping in her pop-up tent^Sophie's rolls.^Meeting the ocean for the first time.^Not a fan.^No caption needed.^She thought it was hilarious when Joe kicked both his legs in the air.^Right before she fell into the sand.^The Gammy who knows it all.^Four generations.^Relationship goals.^My Bebe, Sophie's great-grandma.^Lightning bugs.^First Father's Day^Note the peach outfit.