Family Vacation Station

We did it! We had a totally American good old fashioned family vacation, just the three of us, to a city we have never been to, that didn't involve visiting other family, motorcycles or boats. And we had a blast.

I guess I kind of get it now why families do this. In the hectic day-to-day world of work, busy weekends, and personal obligations, you need to actually pack your bag and leave town in order to just look at each other and pay attention without thinking about what else you should be doing.

Sure its a lot of work with a one year old (especially when you are too cheap to buy the extra seat - why not take advantage of the rules?), but I actually found it more pleasant to travel with her than without her.

First, you get the family boarding lane for airport security, where you can bypass the masses and line up with the sweet old ladies in wheelchairs, who, if not totally senile, just looooove wittle babies and will keep you all entertained in line.

Then, when you get to the boarding gate, you can let little walker stretch her legs and run around a bit, maybe meet another cute one year old named Wyatt who would become her bestie for the entire trip there. Trade travel tips with other parents while you down your airport beer. (Always take the airport beer option.)

THEN, if you are on a decent airline, you get to bypass 65% of the population by boarding early. On Southwest this serves a good purpose because anyone who ends up next to us a) chose to do so willingly, or b) is the last person on the plane and can't complain.

Also, if your baby is well behaved and flashes dimples at every new person she meets, everyone will congratulate you on the behavior and demeanor of your baby while you travel. Anyone who doesn't is obviously an asshole.

The other surprise bonus is carrying a big stroller, which I insisted on for those all day walks around the city because then baby can sleep, and we can also change diapers in it. In the airport, you can put all your carry-on bags in the bottom of the stroller, check your big bags, and sail through the airport with ease, parting the seas of people with your giant pink stroller and be-dimpled baby.

We rented an airbnb space and a big old American car with a baby seat, so we had a fridge to put milk and beer and sundries in, a bath to clean up baby, and it was small enough that she could run around and we always knew where she was. I had some hairbands in my toiletry bag that I tied the cupboards together with.

But one lesson learned - might be worth it to get a babysitter for the wedding. Our friend Michelle got married and looked so beautiful but chasing after a new to walking toddler for 3 hours was really a distraction. Hard when you are out of town to arrange, but I will try next time for sure.  

Even though we argued about Matt's driving (Seattle is a very un-aggressive driving city and he is overly aggressive, and he also was not used to a brand new American car and its responsive breaks), we all agreed that we had a really great time exploring a new city and are looking forward to doing it again.

Maybe New Orleans? I hear its not 100% un-baby friendly!

And we gotta kid this kid used to travel, I think she is doing A-ok so far. (Thanks to Paula for the Yo Gabba Gabba tip.)

SAHM Again

Well, I did a good six month's stint there back at ye olde mothership. I was grateful for every renewal but I was starting to feel a bit too distanced. Especially after working one whole week and then going on my very first girl's weekend since bebe arrived, and then having to come home at 2am and go right back to work again. That was some freakin bull. I was a bit surprised to learn my gig was ending the next Tuesday at 4.30pm (even though I was really only booked through the end of that day), and then again, I needed some baby cuddle times STAT. And better to learn that your gig is over at the end of the day, so that you don't spend all day fretting and panicking trying to wrap up as much things as possible. Which is impossible anyway!

So here I sit, looking at airbnb options for our trip to Seattle next month, recovering from baby's first birthday party (keggers and Italian beef FTW!) and I am ok with being a stay at home mom for a wee while. Now, just to figure out how to get out of the house for a spell...

But the trip was good - I have to admit I had an undercurrent of anxiety the first few nights. I would wake up in the middle of the night just feeling sort of insecure. Is this some weird biological instinct that is implanted when mothers leave their babies, or am I some sort of big baby myself for being away from her? By the third day I was feeling better, missing her, but enjoying being able to explore Sonoma freely and relaxing with my lady friends. Unfortunately I got some major intestinal troubles the last night there (what, chicken wing and white wine dinner?) and had a very long day with the drive back to the city, the killing time over lunch and airport, and delayed flights and oooooh so sleepy from tummy waking me up before dawn. I tried to sleep as much as I could on the plane because I knew we weren't landing till after 1am and I had to work in the morning. I muddled on through, not knowing I would have the rest of the week off after Tuesday. If you can count having your in-laws in your house every day having the week off. They were great but definitely not quiet. 

Now I have everything. Quiet. Baby. One check still coming in. Shhhhh.

(But I need to work before my awesome nanny finds a new job. Damnit.)

Date Weekend With My Daughter

Playing single mom is HARD. I always give mad props to the single moms of the world when motoboy goes out of town. He hasn't really traveled without me since last summer's race season - and granted baby is a lot easier now, at 11 months and able to play on her own - then she was at 6 weeks when she would just cry constantly after 6pm. But yet, it's a long day when she decides to only take two half hour naps. And maybe that saison beer at lunch with S.W. tasted good, but didn't make for a lot of energy in the afternoon.

But I am so much happier now that the nanny issue has been resolved. We found Clara, from a posting on a mom site (I was only interested in other moms recommending their nannies they could use no longer) and she came over the same night, understood about my freelance life, and decided to take us on for the month of March despite it. I mean, it is cash money after all. And baby is pretty easy as far as babies go. The great bonus is that I can tell she just loves babies, and is so sweet to our girl. But even better than that is that she is restless - and can't stand dog hair, which we have plenty of to go around, so insists on vacuuming the rug and the hardwood floors. The first two days she was here she had the vacuum out both days. She also likes to do laundry - which is handy when you have cloth diapers. And she does the baby clothes too but I had to stop her at adult laundry. We need to have some chores for ourselves. (Like my mom said, 'don't take advantage and pick up after yourself still.' Aww MOM.) So hopefully I can keep her, but my current work might come to an end at the end of March.  So if I am a free agent in April, and there are a few weeks gap, it's possible she might find another full time job and I could not really blame her for that. EXCEPT. Her daughter had twins in California and I know she wants to go out and spend a few months with her. But maybe not until the summer. So maybe she would not mind staying with a casual job like I can offer. And maybe nanny J will be willing to take in charges once her little one is bigger this summer...and and...

See, the brain, and the childcare, it never stops churning.

I still have a twitch in my eye but I don't know if it's stress related still - I think I need a weekend morning lie in, which looks like it won't happen for some time. I hope motoboy is enjoying his motorcycling around the hills and deserts of San Diego. He better be ready for some baby times when he gets back.

E