A Family Vacation
We took a much needed family vacation last weekend. In fact, we even took a long weekend. We found an off-season hotel deal and decided to spend some time as a family. Our hotel room was amazing. We envisioned days of hiking and exploring as a family and adult evenings snuggled up by the fire after Baby MPB went to bed.
Here’s how it actually went down:
- Baby MPB screamed bloody murder through three consecutive nights. No healthy dose of Tylenol would help. A bottle did not help. Snuggles also didn’t help. This was beyond unpleasant, and something we hope never to repeat.
- We learned all about baby vomit. Baby MPB puked all over our bed on the second night at about 3am, during one of his ever so pleasant screaming sessions. Thankfully they had given us a room with two beds, so we just shifted to the other one.
- The next morning Baby MPB was determined to refuse Tylenol and puked it all up all over his last clean sleepsack. Having never experienced a puking baby before I never thought to bring more then 2 sleepsacks for 3 nights away. Lesson learned.
- As part of the hotel deal I took advantage of the spa (50% off any treatment). For the last month I had been looking forward to (i.e. dreaming about) my first massage in over 10 years, yet I spent the entire hour just praying to the baby gods to help Baby MPB nap so Mr. MPB doesn’t lose his mind to all the screaming.
- After my massage I spoke to the hotel to get clean bedding. They informed me there was a laundry machine in the our room and gave me laundry soap and new bedding. When I returned to our room, Mr. MPB asked me how my massage was, my response Who cares, I can do laundry – that just made my day, maybe my entire vacation! I have never been so excited to do laundry (i.e. eradicate the smell of baby vomit) in my life!
- There was 3am talk of drives simply to try to settle Baby MPB.
- There were also 4am talks of just packing up and driving home.
- After 2 nights in the hotel we found out there was a boil water advisory for the hotel. No-one bothered to tell us at check-in and no-signs were visible. We were livid as we had all been drinking the water! We spent the evening steralizing bottles to the soothing sounds of baby screams. We are still waiting to see if any of us are ill. (Remember we live in Canada were boil water advisories are not a normal occurrences so usually they are taken very seriously).
- Baby MPB cut through a tooth. One more is still working it’s way through. Teething has become our nightmare.
- The last morning, when Baby MPB woke up for the day, we simply started backing our bags in our zombie like state. Not a word was spoken between Mr. MPB and I, we both just knew we were checking out early and driving straight home. No last day of fun adventures in the mountains for us. We were done.
After this fun family vacation and our last weekend away to visit friends, we have decided we may never ever again attempt a family vacation.
Oh, in case you were wondering, there were no romantic evening fires.
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It’s hard when the baby is so young. I wanted to do a family vacation with when the adoption is final, but my husband thinks it is better to wait until the kid is 5 years old or so before we do anything overseas. Poor baby and poor parents.
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I’m starting to agree that overseas trips can wait until baby is a bit older! We actually had started to plan a more significant trip for next year and now we are definitly rethinking!
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Vacation is about the kids now. I’ve made it clear to DH that there will definitely be no romance on vacation unless we go alone (which I don’t want to go vacationing without the kids) so he can set his expectations accordingly. We had escaped vomit on vacations until our trip last week which resulted in both kids puking and Tru throwing up all over bedding, blankets and towels for 5 hours one night. Fun times.
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I agree, no point on going for a vacation without kids, it’s just so much fun to see the world through their eyes. And, I just love spending time with our kid! 😊
As for romance, we now get that too!
Sorry you also had a pukefest on your most recent vacation! So not fun!
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I feel you. Traveling with kiddos is an adventure all on its own. After our trip with Chick to Amsterdam, I was never no happy to be HOME.
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How old was chick when you went to Amsterdam? We are considering a similar trip when Baby MPB will be about 17 months. Not sure if we should just put it off for a few years….
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10 months. This was strategic because I wanted to get a trip in before he was fully mobile. 😉 The thing about traveling with kids… If you wait until they are older, you will spend years not going anywhere. Yes, it is different, but I’d rather see the canals of Amsterdam with a 10 month old who refuses to be in his stroller than not see the canals of Amsterdam at all.
Pro tip I wish I had known at the time: In larger cities, there are companies that rent out things like cribs, car seats, strollers, etc. You don’t need to haul all that crap with you.
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Uuugh that is so unfortunate… Poor baby MPB! This is exactly why I get anxiety about going on car trips anywhere with the baby. Babies are terribly unpredictable… I hope he is feeling better now and I hope neither of you got sick from the water!
What part of Canada was the boil water advisory in? You’re right, it is a rare occurrence and I’m super curious as to why…
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I am completely and utterly sick. So far Baby MPB and Mr. MPB don’t seem sick from the water.
British Columbia. The boil water alert was just for a small resort area that runs on its own water system not a municipal water system.
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Oh no!! Poor you 😦
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It hit me like a brick wall in the middle of the night. I’m definitely less then happy at the moment.
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Our pediatrician subscribed a weekend away from Matthew before he turned one. We didn’t get that done, but we did go in his second year. It was WONDERFUL. You don’t need to do it now, but think about scheduling a trip for just the two of you. I read the comments above about not wanting to travel without your kids, and I felt the same way, but leaving him was the best thing we did. It’s good for EVERYONE! Husbands need alone time with their wives (I think wives, for the most part, don’t have this need for intense spousal attention once kids are in the picture) and I have to say, I’m glad I give that to him with an annual trip away because it’s FUN to still do adult things. Traveling with young kids is not for you… It’s for them. Everything revolves around them and eventually, husbands accept this (moms go into it knowing that) and quit thinking it’s going to be glorious. 😉 But remember, you really like Mr. MPB and wouldn’t it be fun to take a trip with just him next year, even just a weekend? 😊
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Our sons will be 5 in January, and we have yet to go away for a weekend without them. It really bothers my husband. However, we simply do not have anyone we can trust who can also handle both children (and they would freak out if we split them up).
We have traveled very little with our sons. IMO, it’s not really fun: they are out of their routine, away from their familiar surroundings, and usually fussy as a result. Definitely not my idea of a “vacation.” 🙂
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My inlaws now say they can’t handle ours, and I think they just don’t want to. Which is fine. We’ve found friends to pay to watch them who we trust. That said, we still have yet to schedule something. My kids are really, really good so I don’t know what my MIL’s issue is (my FIL says they would love to stay with them).
We really enjoy traveling with the boys now. They’re 3 & 5 and are super fun to take on trips. I’m taking them to Chicago Thursday on my own, meeting my husband there. They even handle the drive well now (6 hours, no naps, no technology… Weird). The longest we go, though, is 3-4 nights!
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We took our sons on our first family vacation (the first trip we’ve taken with them “for fun” vs. to visit family) in August, and it wasn’t too bad. Still not quite my idea of a vacation pre-kids, but doable. I wouldn’t even have considered attempting it two years ago. 😉
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I’m so sorry!! As I said in my email we had our own version of vacation hell this weekend. However I want to say I am proud of both of us for trying!! Some people wouldn’t even attempt a weekend away and you did!! Even in your tired state be proud! Here’s to hoping the next weekend getaway is peaceful!
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We started vacationing with each of our kids when they were 8 weeks old. I told my husband that, “we’re doing it so we can say we did.”. Trying is the key! Yes, be proud! Surviving is the only goal at this stage! 😉
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Ahhh…a trip that will not be forgotten. One day hopefully u can look back on it though and still manage a few smiles thinking of the craziness.
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Im so sorry! Xxx
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Wow – that sounds like some “vacation”. I’m sorry that what sounded like it should be a special time was but not in a way anyone would hope for.
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We were camping this weekend and I lost count of the number of times I thought, “We are NEVER doing this again.” I feel you, friend. I really do. We did have fun, but the fun was much easier to find in retrospect–I was really struggling to see silver linings in the midst of things!
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Oh my…that sounds….ugh, I’m sorry. I hope you find some relaxation in the regular routine of life instead. Also, laundry in the room? Huzzah!
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Noooooooo. Honestly, vacations with little ones are super hard. They seem to do ok when really tiny but as they get older they notice the difference in environment more and lose the plot. Sounds like baby was a bit under the weather too. Hope he is doing better. My baby screamed for 3 hours last night so I have some idea in what that’s like. I think I got too cocky introducing food. *sigh*
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Oh Dear. I totally can relate to puke fests! Jonathan is a puker when he’s upset, but he’s never been one to spit up or anything. I’m so sorry it turned out this way! If it makes you feel any better, it gets easier! We’ve gone on several trips now and J handles it better and better every time! (((hugs)))
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teeth are just a bunch effing jerks. i empathize so hard with you mama. many, MANY sleepless night have taken place in this household due to those bastard little pain spikes that are just going to FALL OUT in a few years?!?!?! grrrr. maeve has teethed and cut teeth for 16 of her 18 months on this earth.
i’m sorry all of you went through that on a family vacay 😦 we didn’t do a couple of end of the season camping trips this year because of the likelihood of sleepless nights in a 13 foot camper. you live and you learn!
i hope baby MPB gets some relief for a bit once that second one pops through.
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Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that it didn’t go quite as expected. It’s so hard to travel with babies. I vowed that I would never fly longer than 4 hours with the babies again because our flight to Vancouver was so awful. What was Baby MPB’s puking from? Teeth are the worst. They’ve seriously been the bane of my existence too. Sending hugs.
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If he’s at least 6 months old, infant ibuprofen is your friend now! Less volume than Tylenol.
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TRIP. I thought were covered this! 😂😂. Traveling with kids is called a trip, not a vacation! So sorry it was miserable.
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Oh wow, you poor things! I’m sooo sorry that you had such a terrible time – it sounds super stressful! And now you’re sick! I hope you have recovered since writing this. Sorry I am a bit behind as was away on our holiday (no babies so much easier!). Sending you get well hugs. Xx
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