having a baby does something to your brain. something horrible.
vacations suddenly change from welcoming lights at the end of the tunnel into foreboding storms looming on the horizon.
you find yourself thinking: "oh god, not vacation."
your mind turns into a constantly running checklist.... "must bring pack and play, portable high chair, jogging stroller, a bazillion toys, a bazillion changes of clothes, baby sunscreen, baby hats, snacks for the car..." so much gear. so much preparation. mind becomes hazy. mental checklist is pushed to the back of your brain as you reach for the wine.
oh god, vacation. anything but vacation.
billy was in the kitchen the other night and made the mistake of making small talk with me about vacation.
billy: "hey babe i checked out usair they've got some really great flight deals right now to wilmington."
meg: "WHAT!?"
billy: "yeah they're only like..."
meg: < hysterical high pitched laughter >
billy: < turns pale >
meg: "ARE YOU CRAZY!?!?! WITH FINN!? YOU WANT TO FLY WITH THE BABY!!! WHAT ABOUT THE HIGH CHAIR? WHAT ABOUT THE STROLLER? WHERE DO WE PUT A CARSEAT? WHAT ABOUT HIS TOYS? WHAT ABOUT THE ..."
billy: (quietly to himself) "people fly with kids all the time..."
meg: "CRAZY PEOPLE! CRAZY PEOPLE FLY WITH KIDS!!!" < hyperventilating > "WHAT ABOUT TUCKER! WHAT ABOUT THE DOG!? HOW DO WE TAKE THE DOG TO MY PARENTS IF WE'RE FLYI..."
billy: < backs slowly away >
meg: < brain explodes >
i wish very frequently that i was a non stressing non list making mom who threw a floppy hat and a towel in a beach bag and jumped into the car without a second thought.
(billy's mom tells me stories of driving from new york to florida in a station wagon with 4 adults and 6 children under 8. and flying to hawaii with twin two year olds. there's more trip stories but i can't remember them because the oxygen stops reaching my brain halfway through.
what?
how!
where did... how did... when did....
*blacks out*)
we're going to the beach for a nice relaxing family vacation over labor day.
i've been chewing my nails and organizing clothes and eating boxes of homeopathic anti-anxiety pills for a week just to get to the comfortably frazzled mental state that i currently reside.
vacation? hahaha, oh vacation! yes we're going on vacation!
the good thing about this upcoming vacation is that it's going to be of thanksgiving and christmas proportions in terms of the amount of family per square foot. when things reach this level of chaos i normally short out, my brain resets, and i'm completely fine... except for the facial tick i get whenever i have to go pee and realize i'm sharing a bathroom with 6 pre-pubescent boys. funny enough, it's at this crazy point when i throw in the towel and commit to riding out the wave of vacation on auto pilot that billy typically loses it. talking him off the ledge helps me maintain some mental clarity, so it actually works out. (look who's crazy now, sucka!!)
despite the pre-trip packing stress, all the little details to remember, the enormous amount of family, the smell of the bathroom, and the baby to take care of, i am feeling strangely excited about this vacation. finn hasn't been on the beach since he could walk, so i know he's going to have a blast. and i'm really excited for him to be surrounded by cousins and loved ones and chaos for a few days... he tends to thrive in that environment. i feel so blessed that we have the opportunity to go on this trip, and i'm looking forward to the memories we'll make.
i think we're gonna make some good ones.
even if we have to start to drinking bloody marys at 9 a.m.
7 comments:
I would be interested to hear your opinion and thoughts on whether people should fly with babies as they existed prior to your having become a Mother, versus your take on flying with a baby after having done so AS a Mother. Maybe you would be kind enough to regale us with a blog post on the subject after your flight? We get to hear all about how annoyed people have been over having had a screaming child on their flight all the time because they usually feel totally comfortable blasting that experience all over social media after it happens. It would be interesting to me to hear an account from a Mother's point of view. It's certainly annoying to hear a baby scream on a plane, but it doesn't seem fair to me that new Mothers with their children are just slightly more popular, when boarding a plane full of people, as, say, your average Al Qaeda member.
As usual, after reading most of your posts, I'm rolling on the floor laughing, tears running down my cheeks. Then I stop, think slightly, then realize I past this obsessive behavior on to my "this will never happen to me, my mom is crazy", daughter. Can't wait to see you as you fly by MD, to and from NC. Meem
I think this post was a little misleading. We aren't actually flying, we are driving and had been planning on driving for awhile when my sweet husband happened to mention that flights were cheap. I definitely shot that idea down! I am putting off flying with Finn until we absolutely have to, and I'm hoping that isn't until he is old enough to reason with and follow directions!
By the way, you can rent some baby equipment at a lot of places. I am a little iffy on some things being rented, but a highchair wouldn't be bad. (I have also heard of people buying items and then returning them after the weekend - I am still trying to figure out how I feel about that one though)
- Kristy
Enjoy your trip! We've traveled a lot, and it's not easy, but doable. Hope that you have a fun weekend!
hahaha I soooo relate to this. And maybe this is a just because I have a girl, but I take FOREVER to pack for her. I have to have every little perfect outfit and millions of accessories and five pairs of her shoes just to go away for a weekend!
I am 99% sure I was in that crazy station wagon aunt Peggy was referring to...
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