We are home and glad to be here. Yesterday afternoon, about an hour outside of Atlanta, Jude decided to take his shoes off on the airplane. Piles of sand fell out, and his sandles were still wet from our morning walk on the beach. It’s much of the same at home as I’m unpacking bags. Sand making its way all over our floors here, too. Grainy little reminders of some really beautiful memories we made last week.
We did a lot of nothing, in the best Caribbean way. Lounging on the beach while the kids played a little, playing with them in the pool, then coming inside so Norah could nap. Jude seems to be past that when even hours of playing in the water couldn’t convince him to sleep in the afternoons. So we’d set him up with a movie while she slept, and then we traded off parenting duties so one stayed in the room with them while the other got some time and vice versa. It’s a set-up that worked well for us in Costa Rica, and it allows for a little parental relaxation, too.
Because I want to be clear about one thing: traveling with two little kids is not all roses. They are young and don’t always behave the way we’d prefer, but the way I look at it, that’s what happens at home too, so we might as well hit the road every now and then despite any challenges. They might not remember moments of this trip, but we do. And there were some great ones.
Like everything else in life, it seems you just need to remember the best and shake off any obstacles you encountered along the way. I do love seeing new places with this bunch.
Norah was undountedly more difficult to travel with than Jude is. I think that’s a combination of both age and personality. She wasn’t crazy about the sand, so we had to keep her little blanket spread out on the beach. She’s not crazy about sitting in high chairs either, so there was a lot of lap bouncing to make it through dinners. But it’s hard to complain when she’s so tiny. I know one day she will walk next to me and exploring new places will be easier. Until then, I can do it this way though. Her little grin is a sweet reward for those frequent trying moments.
And then there’s my Jude. I’ve seen four countries and two west coast trips with this one, and he is probably my favorite travel companion. He’s so good at rolling with new plans and experiences.
It wasn’t as scenic and adventurous as our last beach trip was – partly because of the nature of the destination and partly because with two little ones we just stayed around the resort everyday rather than taking day trips of any kind. That said though, I think it was exactly what we needed at this time. The insanity of the past couple months with home renovations and buying and selling and some other stressors was balanced by such a lazy week. It was perfect.
Suitcases of dirty laundry and a mountain of tasks are calling my name, and I already wish I could bottle up a few moments of last week. But I guess that’s why vacations retain their splendor. We can’t quite hold that feeling for too long and need another reset button soon enough. For right now though, I am feeling full and grateful and looking forward to what is to come.
Mama the Reader 