We have returned from our week trip to the beach. Well, it was less than a full week because of Hurricane Irene who's visit forced us to put off traveling to the Outer Banks until Monday. But arrive we did!
I haven't been on a vacation like this as an adult, most of my time off has been to go visit family or long weekends to get something done around the house or whatever. This was my very first vacation! I was looking forward to it with mixed emotions. On one hand, I was excited, but I was worried about the amount of work involved in packing up everything (and I do mean everything) we would need for a week in a beach house. On another hand, I was feeling like I was expecting too much and it couldn't possibly live up to my hopes and dreams. On yet another hand, I was concerned about money and concerned about how Smug-Baby would do being off her routine and in a new place.
Basically, everything I was worried about happened. We spent too much money (mostly because when you plan on cooking at the house to save money you forget that you have to purchase everything that you normally already have on hand at home, like oil and salt and sugar and spices and...). We had to take everything, like sheets and towels and toilet paper and paper towels and everything for the beach and everything for the bathroom and kitchen towels and dish soap and, and, and... it was massive and it was a ton of work to get together and I was exhausted by the time I finished the list, let alone got everything into bags and suitcases. The car was jam packed full, so I couldn't have climbed into the backseat to hang with Smug-Baby should she have needed it. It was tight!!
Smug-Baby didn't sleep well and really hasn't slept well since we have been back either as I think she is cutting the 2 year molars at long last. The lack of decent sleep at night caused her to be cranky all day. She loved running around in the surf, however when a wave sprayed some water into her face she decided she was done with the ocean for the rest of the week. She liked playing in the sand until she noticed that her hands were dirty and then she decided she was done with sand castles for the week too. I spent the majority of the week back in the beach house trying to get her to nap.
I did, however spend just enough time on the beach to end up with splotchy sunburn and no nice tan at all.
Did I mention that I spent the week in the deep throes of PMS? I seriously told my husband that he needed to anticipate what I needed and just do it (read: read my mind) I was serious about it at the time, although now I see that I was being ridiculous! Sort of...
I didn't know it was PMS at the time, because I spent the week trying to talk myself out of taking a pregnancy test too soon. I was trying to get my head around being pregnant again and then I started my period and was crushed. I was sure that it would happen faster this time around and while two months of trying isn't anything like the two years of trying we had with Smug-Baby, I was still hoping for faster this time.
I know that by reading this you will think that I had a horrible time but I really didn't. I just didn't have an amazing time. I didn't feel rested and ready to face down the world and that was what I had expected from a week away from my life. I wanted to feel rejuvenated and I don't feel like it was all that different from normal life. You still had to make and clean up meals, make the beds, etc. The only difference was that you got to go sit on the beach for an hour or so in the afternoon before the baby needed a nap.
I think that my expectations were unrealistic. I was thinking that with my parents going with us and my sister's family going too, that I would have lots of help with Smug-Baby and I would be free to do some things on my own, like read a book or get a tan. In reality, Smug-Baby prefers me when she is uncomfortable and she was out of her element and teething so no one but mommy would do. And really, how can you complain about being number one!! She also started calling me "mum muma" over the week, so my heart was bursting with love!
We went shopping at the outlet mall one evening and I found some really cute outfits for her and she picked out a pair of shoes that she loves. She picked them out and handed them to me to put on her feet, then she ran around the store laughing and showing her feet to random shoppers. It was too cute, so I had to buy them. Then every time I told her to go get her shoes, she would find those and bring them to me. I love watching her little personality come through.
She actually did super great on the drive both there and back, sleeping most of the time and playing with her toys quietly the rest of the time. She did get really cranky about 90 minutes from home on the way back and we stopped and she nursed and ran around for a bit before driving the last hour home. That last hour was hard for her too, but she played with various toys and we sang songs and she made it without too much drama. I was really proud of her overall. Considering her teeth hurt, it could have been a lot worse.
She got sick and threw up all over the bed the last night we were there so that was fun. I think her stomach was upset from all the food that she isn't normally allowed to have (and since she is still nursing, all the food that I don't normally have either). She was fine after that and fine the next day, but I have re-committed myself to eating better and getting myself into healthy routines.
This first week back was nice, because we got home Saturday evening and had both Sunday and Monday off (Labor Day) so we had time to get things unpacked and laundry done and so on before the work week. It is also a short week, so I just need to get through today (Thursday) with both girls and tomorrow with Smug-Baby and all these appointments before the weekend will be here again and maybe, just maybe I will be able to get some rest :)
I haven't been on a vacation like this as an adult, most of my time off has been to go visit family or long weekends to get something done around the house or whatever. This was my very first vacation! I was looking forward to it with mixed emotions. On one hand, I was excited, but I was worried about the amount of work involved in packing up everything (and I do mean everything) we would need for a week in a beach house. On another hand, I was feeling like I was expecting too much and it couldn't possibly live up to my hopes and dreams. On yet another hand, I was concerned about money and concerned about how Smug-Baby would do being off her routine and in a new place.
Basically, everything I was worried about happened. We spent too much money (mostly because when you plan on cooking at the house to save money you forget that you have to purchase everything that you normally already have on hand at home, like oil and salt and sugar and spices and...). We had to take everything, like sheets and towels and toilet paper and paper towels and everything for the beach and everything for the bathroom and kitchen towels and dish soap and, and, and... it was massive and it was a ton of work to get together and I was exhausted by the time I finished the list, let alone got everything into bags and suitcases. The car was jam packed full, so I couldn't have climbed into the backseat to hang with Smug-Baby should she have needed it. It was tight!!
Smug-Baby didn't sleep well and really hasn't slept well since we have been back either as I think she is cutting the 2 year molars at long last. The lack of decent sleep at night caused her to be cranky all day. She loved running around in the surf, however when a wave sprayed some water into her face she decided she was done with the ocean for the rest of the week. She liked playing in the sand until she noticed that her hands were dirty and then she decided she was done with sand castles for the week too. I spent the majority of the week back in the beach house trying to get her to nap.
I did, however spend just enough time on the beach to end up with splotchy sunburn and no nice tan at all.
Did I mention that I spent the week in the deep throes of PMS? I seriously told my husband that he needed to anticipate what I needed and just do it (read: read my mind) I was serious about it at the time, although now I see that I was being ridiculous! Sort of...
I didn't know it was PMS at the time, because I spent the week trying to talk myself out of taking a pregnancy test too soon. I was trying to get my head around being pregnant again and then I started my period and was crushed. I was sure that it would happen faster this time around and while two months of trying isn't anything like the two years of trying we had with Smug-Baby, I was still hoping for faster this time.
I know that by reading this you will think that I had a horrible time but I really didn't. I just didn't have an amazing time. I didn't feel rested and ready to face down the world and that was what I had expected from a week away from my life. I wanted to feel rejuvenated and I don't feel like it was all that different from normal life. You still had to make and clean up meals, make the beds, etc. The only difference was that you got to go sit on the beach for an hour or so in the afternoon before the baby needed a nap.
I think that my expectations were unrealistic. I was thinking that with my parents going with us and my sister's family going too, that I would have lots of help with Smug-Baby and I would be free to do some things on my own, like read a book or get a tan. In reality, Smug-Baby prefers me when she is uncomfortable and she was out of her element and teething so no one but mommy would do. And really, how can you complain about being number one!! She also started calling me "mum muma" over the week, so my heart was bursting with love!
We went shopping at the outlet mall one evening and I found some really cute outfits for her and she picked out a pair of shoes that she loves. She picked them out and handed them to me to put on her feet, then she ran around the store laughing and showing her feet to random shoppers. It was too cute, so I had to buy them. Then every time I told her to go get her shoes, she would find those and bring them to me. I love watching her little personality come through.
She actually did super great on the drive both there and back, sleeping most of the time and playing with her toys quietly the rest of the time. She did get really cranky about 90 minutes from home on the way back and we stopped and she nursed and ran around for a bit before driving the last hour home. That last hour was hard for her too, but she played with various toys and we sang songs and she made it without too much drama. I was really proud of her overall. Considering her teeth hurt, it could have been a lot worse.
She got sick and threw up all over the bed the last night we were there so that was fun. I think her stomach was upset from all the food that she isn't normally allowed to have (and since she is still nursing, all the food that I don't normally have either). She was fine after that and fine the next day, but I have re-committed myself to eating better and getting myself into healthy routines.
This first week back was nice, because we got home Saturday evening and had both Sunday and Monday off (Labor Day) so we had time to get things unpacked and laundry done and so on before the work week. It is also a short week, so I just need to get through today (Thursday) with both girls and tomorrow with Smug-Baby and all these appointments before the weekend will be here again and maybe, just maybe I will be able to get some rest :)
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