I’m dying over here. OK. That’s a bit melodramatic. But it’s been nearly SIX YEARS since my last vacation (which, as it so happens, was my wedding and honeymoon trip). Well, there was that one time when my husband and I left our then-20-month-old daughter with my parents for 19 (yes, I was counting!) hours and stayed in a hotel in the same city where we live. I know. WE LIVE DANGEROUSLY.
Our daughter is now four and our son is a year and a half. My parents are older now and can’t chase the kids around like they  used to. It would be impossible for them to keep the kids for any length of time so my husband and I could get away for a few days. We have no other nearby family or friends who’d be up to, or interested in, the job either. So I suggested to my husband that maybe one of our great, reliable babysitters could hold down the fort for a few days while we took a trip to have some time alone.
Let me preface this by saying that my husband is usually the laid-back half of our relationship. He doesn’t worry or fret and he works hard to keep me from freaking out about every little thing. But you would have thought I’d suggested that a roving band of gypsies move in and teach our kids to panhandle. His reaction was that strong against my idea. He thinks our children are too young and need too much care for us to leave them for any length of time.
I suppose he’s right but I still can’t help daydreaming, constantly, about white, sandy beaches, boat drinks and more time than I’ve had in four years to do nothing but read and sleep. Oh, and the romantic stuff with my husband would be cool too.
How old were your kids when you first left them to take an overnight trip? Did they survive? Did they thrive? And will I ever get to take a vacation again???
[Photo credit: White Island Resort]
