Our getaway to Puerto Rico was so very sweet. Beautiful memories were made that I will cherish forever. I am beyond grateful for the the moments where I literally felt like rainbows, butterflies, and glitter would burst from my happy heart. I promise my next post will be a photo overload of the beauty that was our #llvgoestopuertorico adventure. I actually started uploading all the photos when I stopped and realized that I wanted to be honest. I don’t know about you but I like to receive bad news before someone gets to the good stuff. It just makes me feel better. So here we go.
> Lucas is a born and bred city kid and we walk or take the train just about everywhere. My mom lives in the suburbs and we keep the car seat with her for trips and such. The poor boy could not get used to being strapped in for long periods of time. My phone was ready with fun and exciting apps. Nope. He would shut them off and hand the phone back to me. Not even Siri, his main squeeze, could save the day. Disney dvd’s on rotation? Ain’t nobody got time for that. To be fair, he was content most of the time. But at a certain point, usually the 20 minute mark, the only thing that would help was a bottle of a milk and a little prayer for a nap. Oh yea, then there was the one time I forgot his bottle and we drove 30 minutes with a screaming toddler. Good one mom.
>You have to carry a lot of shit. Everywhere you go. At home I’ve stopped lugging around everything we own and only pack the essentials. But on our daily vaca adventures? At times I had no idea where we’d end up and was nervous I wouldn’t be able to get what we needed in case a of a toddler emergency. So the most logical idea seemed to be to chuck everything in a bag. Most of which we never used. Go figure.
>Another shocking revelation? Toddlers don’t care if their mommies get a tan or sit poolside with a cocktail. The nerve! I don’t even know why this came as a surprise to me but it did. Don’t get me wrong. I loved splashing in the baby pool with my boy and watching him kick and squeal. It truly melted my heart. But every now and then as I was sitting in an unflattering indian position in 12 inches of water I’d see a childless woman strut by with a fruity concoction and stare her down with an evil/envious glare.
>Lucas is in a “mommy only” stage which is understandable since I work from home and we spend every waking moment together. I’m pretty fond of the kid myself. But sometimes I need a breather and daddy is an acceptable stand in. My hubby had to sit this trip out because of work and he was missed. I longed for our goodnight kisses and sleeping snug in his arms. But most of all I missed his help (we’re being honest here, right?). I missed having my teammate. Inconsolable toddler? One taps out and the other jumps in. I thank the heavens my beautiful mother was there to help change poopy diapers, sing songs, and dish out hugs when needed. I really am grateful, believe me, but there is nothing like having your partner with you. Someone who knows when you just need 5 minutes alone without ever having to utter a word.
>I love the feeling of sand beneath my feet. A luxury for this city mama. Lucas on the other hand hates it. Apparently this is common among toddlers (or maybe everyone was just trying to make me feel better). What did this mean for our beach trips? A baby cub clinging to me for dear life. He loves the water, but sand? No cigar.
> I bet you didn’t know that toddlers DON’T CARE that a vacation must is sleeping in. Shocker, I know. Lucas normally goes to bed around 8:30pm and wakes up anywhere between 7:45 and 8:30am. For 9 days Lucas refused to go to sleep until he decided he was good and ready. Usually around 10pm. For 9 days Lucas woke up at 6am. 6am people! His nap schedule was also all out of wack until our fourth day in. He was clearly ignoring the angry messages I was sending him via mommy brain waves to go the f to sleep.
>Something Lucas was really, really good at: sleeping on a plane! Don’t hate me for this one. I don’t want to rub it in but he slept both ways from take off to landing. Throw me a bone, ok?
In conclusion, traveling with little ones is hard. You need help. Lots of it. Things don’t always go as planned and you need to roll with the punches. BUT. It’s worth it. I got to witness the joy in my sons eyes as he met new family members, was showered with love, experienced new foods and adventures, and for goodness sakes, went down a water slide for the first time! I wouldn’t change a thing. Except for maybe smuggling Ivan into my suitcase. So tomorrow get ready for a post full of photos of one very cute boy on a Caribbean island and a few tips that I hope will help on your travels with the kiddos. I’m pretty sure you will agree that I saved the best post for last 😉