I love my kids, really. But I am not ashamed to admit that I needed a break from them. One can only live day in and day out with a whiny three year old who refuses to poop on the potty for so long without starting to go insane. And while it is exciting to witness the little miss's daily advancements in crawling, climbing, cruising and walking, it is exhausting to keep up with her and keep her out of the little man's reach.
Mr. Awesome and I just got home from four nights away. Oma and Opa Awesome came to stay with the kids and we took off. Four evenings with no bedtime battles, four nights with no crying wake-ups, five days with not ONCE having to sing Old MacDonald. And what's more, five days of no dishes, no laundry, no sweeping. Five days of time just for us. It was, to beat the proverbial dead horse one more time...Awesome.
We flew to San Francisco, rented a car and drove straight to Napa where we stayed for two nights before heading back into the city for the last two nights. We wined, we dined, we shopped, we walked, we talked, we reconnected.
I think sometimes in the heat of the whining, the pooping, the crying, the shoving, and the general melee that is life with young kids, we lose sight of just how fantastic these little beings are. Sure, I ALWAYS love them, but I'm not afraid to admit that sometimes, in the very worst times, I don't always like them. Time away gives you time to appreciate them, to miss them and to have the strength to deal with the next pants bomb with patience and love.
I will write more in a subsequent post about the actual trip - highlights, activities, my success at keeping active and not so great success at tracking my points. For now I just wanted to write about how important and fantastic it was just to get away for a few days. I have returned completely refreshed and recharged. I appreciate my kids more than ever and the whining slides off my back with ease.
Bring on the pants bomb. I can take it.
Hi Gillian,
ReplyDeleteI found you through Market Mommies. My sister and I are the owners of Annie & Isabel and we are the featured business of the week on Market Mommies!!! I loved reading the write up on you. So great that you were able to getaway for some couple time. You actually came close to our hometown and, actually, San Francisco is where my sister works :-) My husband and I have 4 boys from 3 to 12 years old and we recently went on a 15 year anniversary trip by ourselves to Italy. It was a much needed getaway for us. We were also lucky to have my parents to watch our kiddies for the 18 days that we were gone. Going away makes you realize once again how much you love your hubby and also how blessed you are to have your children. You appreciate them more when you are gone and then come home refreshed to deal with the everyday life again!!
Would love for you to check out our business. We actually have a breast cancer hospital gown named after our grandmother who eventually succumbed to her breast cancer.
Looking forward to following your blog :-)
Anna
www.annieandisabel.com