there's no place like home.
Why do we fill our houses with exersaucers, door jumpers, bouncy seats, cribs, toddler beds, high chairs, toys, books, changing tables, baby bath seats, gyminis, a DVD library featuring almost every evil Disney Princess and a Tivo stocked full with every episode of Wonder Pets ever broadcast... and then leave it all behind and call it a vacation? It's like setting off on a trek into the wild with not even a compass or a packet of beef jerky. Yes, you can probably survive it. But why would you want to?
We just got back from a week in San Diego. We stayed in a lovely almost beach-front house. We were about a block from the beach, but only steps away from the railroad tracks. And in case you weren't aware, the trains run all. night. long. By the end of the week, it was kind of like watching the effects of an experiment in prolongued sleep deprivation. The first few days, Lucy would cheerily wave to the conductor and yell "Chugga chugga Choo choo!" at each train that sped noisily by. By the end of the trip, she took to covering her ears and diving behind furniture when she heard the now-familiar far-off train whistle.
We had fun. We did. We saw Shamu (although we had to leave early after Lucy tried to run away) and the beach (got a parking ticket and discovered that Lucy is now afraid of the ocean) and the Zoo and Legoland and a pumpkin patch with bounce houses and real-life Carnies. Those will be the memories we remember, not the nights requiring multiple late-night PJ changes (pee and poop for Tessa, some 4AM nightmare necessitating getting out of her PJs and into her favorite dress and leggings for Lucy - who am I to argue when it resulted in her being dressed for the day right when she woke up?)
And every trip we take is a learning experience, that's what's important to remember. This trip we learned a lot, too. We learned that short trips are better with small kids (or at least our small kids.) We learned that a beautiful Arts and Crafts style bungalow with expensive knick-knacks might not be the best use of our vacation dollar right now. And one night on the walk to our car after quesadillas at Chevy's (why go for authentic when you can go for the guaranteed preschooler-pleasing) with the tipsy parents of 12-week old twins, I learned something else: formula feeding moms have more fun. And apparently more margaritas, too.
Anyway, it's really, really nice to be home. Both girls are asleep in their own beds. I think our Wonder Pets missed us too.
We just got back from a week in San Diego. We stayed in a lovely almost beach-front house. We were about a block from the beach, but only steps away from the railroad tracks. And in case you weren't aware, the trains run all. night. long. By the end of the week, it was kind of like watching the effects of an experiment in prolongued sleep deprivation. The first few days, Lucy would cheerily wave to the conductor and yell "Chugga chugga Choo choo!" at each train that sped noisily by. By the end of the trip, she took to covering her ears and diving behind furniture when she heard the now-familiar far-off train whistle.
We had fun. We did. We saw Shamu (although we had to leave early after Lucy tried to run away) and the beach (got a parking ticket and discovered that Lucy is now afraid of the ocean) and the Zoo and Legoland and a pumpkin patch with bounce houses and real-life Carnies. Those will be the memories we remember, not the nights requiring multiple late-night PJ changes (pee and poop for Tessa, some 4AM nightmare necessitating getting out of her PJs and into her favorite dress and leggings for Lucy - who am I to argue when it resulted in her being dressed for the day right when she woke up?)
And every trip we take is a learning experience, that's what's important to remember. This trip we learned a lot, too. We learned that short trips are better with small kids (or at least our small kids.) We learned that a beautiful Arts and Crafts style bungalow with expensive knick-knacks might not be the best use of our vacation dollar right now. And one night on the walk to our car after quesadillas at Chevy's (why go for authentic when you can go for the guaranteed preschooler-pleasing) with the tipsy parents of 12-week old twins, I learned something else: formula feeding moms have more fun. And apparently more margaritas, too.
Anyway, it's really, really nice to be home. Both girls are asleep in their own beds. I think our Wonder Pets missed us too.
I always found it enlightening that when we would leave all of our "survival gear" at home, we found out how much of it we didn't really need. But how can you argue with the convenience factor of being able to stick a kid into an Exersaucer so you can cook dinner? And so the crap remained all over my house for several more years.
Welcome home. Your family created fun memories and new adventures, and next time you know to ask about lodging proximity to train tracks. It's all a learning curve, right?
Sweet post.
I feel compelled to offer you some babysitting so you and Mr. LongDays can go out without kids. I also feel compelled to offer you the use of my non-kid friendly house, with it's sharp table corners, small pieces of things, vases of flowers to take a nap.
My cousin (who has two kids) said to me "People who have kids don't go on vacations anymore. They go on trips." It sounds like you went on a trip. On your behalf, I look forward to your future vacations.
Welcome Home.
Welcome home!
I never travel with my two children without my ruby slippers.