The Amos-Hallford Life

Tag: family

  • Our First Family Vacation: A Reunion, a Road Trip, and a Whole Lot of Memories

    This year, our much-anticipated first family vacation kicked off the way all great adventures should—with family, laughter, and just a hint of chaos. As tradition goes, we started our journey with our annual family reunion, always held around the 4th of July weekend. It’s a time filled with a fish fry and lots of catching up to do with the extended family.

    But what was supposed to be an 8-hour drive to our vacation destination turned into a 14-hour odyssey filled with detours, unexpected stand still traffic, and a lot of “Are we there yet?” moments. It wasn’t quite how we imagined the trip beginning, but it certainly set the tone for an unforgettable week.

    You may be wondering, why in the world did your trip take 14 hours? Trust me, we were wondering the same thing. As I normally do in times of confusion (and slight panic), I turned to my favorite search engine—TikTok. I typed in something like “What the heck is happening in Pell City, Alabama, and why am I not moving?!”

    Sure enough, the mystery was solved: a tractor-trailer had flipped over, and they had to bring a crane onto the interstate. A crane. And get this—it happened five hours before we even got close to that stretch of road. By the time we reached Pell City, traffic was still at a standstill. We moved a grand total of 0.4 miles in three hours. That’s not a typo. We could’ve walked it faster. Crawled, even.

    And just when we thought everything was dandy—we were only 30 minutes from my Memaw’s house, dreaming of pillows and praying that Henry would make the magical transfer from car seat to bed without waking up—I glanced down and saw it: 21 miles till empty. No big deal… until I realized the closest gas station in the direction we were heading was 39 miles away.

    Cue the panic.

    So! We took a major detour—about 30ish minutes out of the way—to find gas. And while it felt like an eternity at the time, driving down pitch-black, winding dirt roads in complete silence made us very thankful we weren’t stranded out there with a baby, an empty tank, and zero cell service. That little detour easily added an hour to our already too-long trip, but it may have saved our sanity.

    Finally, we pulled into Memaw’s driveway. We were exhausted, bleary-eyed, and ready to collapse. And just as Andrew and I let our heads hit the pillow, Henry—who had been an angel in the car—decided he was fully rested and ready to party. Our prayer for a smooth bedtime? Yeah, it didn’t even make it past the roof of the car.

    After what can only be described as a barely-there night of sleep (thanks, Henry), we slowly came back to life the next morning and made our way over to Grannie’s for the family reunion. It’s always the heart of our July 4th tradition—good food, familiar faces, and stories that somehow get more dramatic with each passing year.

    But this time, it felt different in the best way.

    It’s hard to believe that just last year, Henry was still in my belly, and we were imagining what it would be like to bring him into all of this. And now, here he was—the star of the show. Everyone wanted to hold him, see him, talk to him. He was crawling across the floor, giggling, and playing with his toys like he owned the place. And honestly? He kind of did.

    There’s something really special about seeing your baby in the same space you grew up in, surrounded by people who have loved you your whole life—now loving him just as much.

    After the buzz and happy chaos of the reunion settled down, we made our way across town to visit with my dad’s side of the family. It was a quieter moment, but just as special. My Aunt Vicky, Uncle Frankie, and Cousin Jessica finally got the chance to love on Henry in real life—and after almost nine months of only seeing him through a screen, it felt like a long overdue hug for all of us.

    There’s something so powerful about watching your child connect with people who’ve known you your whole life. Seeing them light up when they held him, hearing their laughter as he babbled and crawled around—it was one of those full-circle moments that you don’t forget. It reminded me how important it is to make the trip, however long and chaotic it may be, because this is what it’s all for.

    The next morning came quickly—because time always flies when you’re with family. We packed up our bags, soaked in a slow breakfast with Aunt Vicky, Uncle Frankie, and Jessica, and then hit the road once again—this time heading for Long Beach, Mississippi.

    Even though we were tired, and maybe still recovering from the 14-hour trip that should’ve been 8, there was something exciting about getting back on the road. A new destination, a new part of our first family vacation. We didn’t know exactly what the rest of the trip would hold, but with Henry in tow and coffee in hand, we were ready for whatever came next.

    After the travel drama on the way in, we were more than a little nervous to get back in the car—but thankfully, the drive to Mississippi was an absolute breeze. Henry napped for most of it (can we get an amen?), and it felt like the travel gods were finally giving us a break.

    Breaking up the trip home was hands-down one of our smartest decisions. Instead of trying to power through one massive drive, we gave ourselves space to actually enjoy the journey. Windows down, good music, and a peacefully snoozing baby in the back seat—it was the calm after the storm we didn’t know we needed.

    We rolled into Long Beach with just enough time to settle in, grab some groceries, and finally kick off the relaxing part of our vacation. Within a few hours, we had our toes in the sand, the ocean breeze in our faces, and Henry experiencing the beach for the very first time. Pure joy.

    After a quick beach stop, we headed to the pool to cool off and unwind. It felt surreal—just 2 days earlier we were crawling through traffic in Alabama, running on fumes (literally and emotionally), and now here we were, soaking in the sun with our little beach baby.

    There’s something about the mix of salty air, baby giggles, and the slow pace of a beach town that makes all the travel stress worth it.

    But let me be frank—Henry absolutely HATED the sand. I mean, full-body shivers, pick-me-up-right-now kind of hatred. The water? Total bliss. Splashing in the waves and the pool? He was all in. But the second his little toes touched the sand, it was game over.

    Still, I think it’s safe to say he’ll grow to love the beach more and more each time we go. And if it’s up to me? That’s going to be every single year. Because despite the chaos, the traffic, the baby sleep battles, and the sandy meltdowns—this trip was everything I hoped it would be and more.

    Our first family vacation was far from perfect, but it was perfectly ours. And I wouldn’t trade a single second of it.

    Now that the blog part of this post is officially over…
    Please enjoy the endless photo dump. 😄

    From beach days to backseat naps, baby giggles to sandy meltdowns—it’s all in there. And best believe, there are loads more where these came from (shoutout to my camera roll for being 90% Henry these days).

    Thanks for coming along for the ride—chaos, cranes, and all. 💛

    Digital Camera Used

  • Summer Time Is Here!

    There’s something incredibly special about watching your baby experience something for the first time—and lately, for us, that something has been water. Over the past few weeks, we’ve had the most beautiful weather, and it’s made for the perfect backdrop to enjoy some sunshine, catch up with good friends, and let baby Henry explore the simple joy of splashing around.

    At first, it started with dipping his toes in at a friend’s house, just testing the waters (literally). But once Henry realized how much fun it was, he lit up with excitement. Seeing his face light up, hearing his little giggles, and watching him splash around with so much joy—it melted my heart. It’s like watching a whole new world open up to him.

    That moment was all it took for us to go out and get him his very own little pool for the backyard. Now, it’s become part of our sunny-day routine. He could spend hours kicking, splashing, and playing in the water, and honestly, I could spend just as much time watching him.

    What makes it even better is that we’ve been able to enjoy this time with friends. There’s something about hanging out in the sun, sharing laughs, and watching our little ones play that makes these days feel even more meaningful. It’s the kind of simple joy that fills you up in the best way.

    Now, with a beach trip planned for July, I’m counting down the days. If he loves a little kiddie pool this much, I can only imagine how magical the ocean will be for him. The waves, the sand between his toes, the endless horizon—I can’t wait to see his reaction and start building beach side memories that we’ll carry with us for years to come.

    Summer is just beginning, and already it feels like it’s shaping up to be one for the books.

  • The Birth of Henry Carson

    The Day We Met Henry Carson

    It’s taken me some time to find the words to describe the day we met our son, Henry Carson. Maybe it’s because those moments are etched so deeply into my heart that putting them into words almost feels impossible. But today, I want to share the story of how our beautiful boy came into the world — not because it was easy, but because it was ours.

    After 3.5 long days of being induced, my body just wouldn’t progress past 1 cm. The pain was constant, exhausting, and defeating. I remember lying there thinking, I just want my baby. Every hour felt like a lifetime, and every failed effort chipped away at my strength. When the doctor finally came in and explained that they wanted to start the induction process over, I broke. I cried and cried — more than I thought I could. I was physically and emotionally done. And in that moment, I made the decision that changed everything: I elected for a c-section.

    And you know what? My c-section was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.

    Every single nurse in that room was kind, compassionate, and reassuring. They made me feel safe when I felt vulnerable. Andrew held my hand the entire time — steady, calm, and full of love. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt so connected to him as I did in that operating room.

    Then came the moment. When they pulled Henry from my belly, the entire room lit up. The doctors and nurses immediately began talking about how beautiful he was, how chunky his cheeks were — but all I could hear was his cry. That tiny, perfect cry. It was the only sound in the world that mattered. I just needed my baby.

    And then — they placed him on my chest. And everything stopped.

    He settled immediately. Not another cry left his tiny mouth. It was as if he had been searching for me, too. That stillness, that peace — it was the most overwhelming moment of my life. He was warm, soft, perfect in every single way. The most beautiful baby I had ever seen.

    Growing up, my mom used to talk about the smell of a newborn’s mouth — how it was the most pure, perfect scent in the world. I never really understood what she meant until that moment. The very first thing I did was lean in and smell Henry’s breath. I still can’t describe it, but she was right. It was everything.

    After a difficult, exhausting 3.5 days, I had the most beautiful cesarean birth. And I met the most perfect little boy. Henry Carson, you were worth every single second. I would do it all again — a thousand times — just to hold you for the first time.