And We're Back... Florida 2011

And…We’re Back

We returned on Saturday from one glorious, sunny, relaxing week on the beach. I have to tell you that prior to leaving I was so consumed with the logistics that I really didn’t have time to worry about big things like airport security, the actual plane ride, the trip from the airport to Longboat Key or anything else. As we were driving to the airport, Glenn told me I was awfully quiet, which is not normal behavior for me, and that is when it sunk in that I was flying with a toddler alone.

Were there mishaps? Yep. Were there moments that I wondered if maybe traveling with a toddler alone was a bad idea? Yep. but there even more moments where I was grateful . For simple things like the sun, my parents, the sunsets, the morning run to Starbucks each day, the fresh seafood and the fact that my husband got to see his son running in to the ocean and giggle as he dumped buckets of water on himself? This week was about being a mama, a wife and a daughter and I drank every minute of it up.

Let me start with the lowlights:

Saturday, March 26^th- After getting the airport with ease, I was the RANDOM security check. Yes, with my toddler in tow, I was scanned, finger whatever, and frisked. As was my toddler’s sippy, his stroller that had to be folded up to go through the scanner as the diaper bag was being destroyed.

Sunday, March 27^th and Monday March 28^th- A good thunderstorm always makes me relax. Not this one. The lightning, the thunder and the rain were so violent that Brady was awakened and I am not sure that any of us slept more than one hour at a time. He refused to go back in his crib and nothing settled him down. So, my ma and I slept with him and it was a ROUGH night.

Saturday, April 3^rd- The flight down was so great that I wasn’t worried about the flight home. I was wrong to get too confident. We sat on the runway for quite some time since the navigation system was not working. Between the heat on the airplane, the bottle Brady drank going up, and the sippy he drank no, demanded as he snacked with our seat mate his diaper was quickly filling up. I went to the bathroom and realized there was no changing table. I asked a flight attendant and she told me that my seat was the only option or the floor. So, I begged his diaper to hold. It didn’t. It was a geyser shooting straight out of his diaper when he peed twenty minutes before we landed. My legs were soaked. My shorts were dripping in his pee. His shorts were so wet that you couldn’t tell they were wet because there was no part of them that were dry. I begged our seat mate not to notice. Off the plane and after waiting and obtaining our stroller I quickly hustled into a bathroom where I changed his diaper to only realize I did not have a change of clothes. So, I pushed him through O’Hare in his diaper. Mom fail.

Now, let me give you the highlights:

Saturday, March 26^th- Brady traveled like a rock star. Sure he took a #2 right when we got the airport but he slept most of the flight, watched Sesame and sat happily in his car seat from the airport to the condo. Then I watched as his eyes lit up with excitement when he realized the pool was one big bathtub.

Sunday, March 27^th- We woke to brilliant sunshine, we walked the beach, scoured it for shells, built castles, and jumped in the waves. All in all it was a day that was perfect that I etched in my mind.

Friday, April 1^st- I watched as my boys played in the sand and dumped water on each other. It is magical to be a mama and a wife and to watch the two most important people in my life enjoy the small things, the simple things- sunshine and each other.

Other Things That I Will Always Remember from Florida 2011

Brady learned to track planes in the sky.

Brady pointed trucks out on the street.

Brady learned to say HI and WOW! (That’s a lot for 17 month old that says very little!)

Brady ate real fish sticks.

Brady pushing the elevator door and giggling as it started to move.

Brady locking and unlocking the car for us every time we drove somewhere.

Brady sitting with my mom at the Beachhouse listening to the live entertainment.

Brady sipping a Starbucks cup with a straw.

Brady playing with the water spicket where you wash off when you come off the beach.

Brady getting a bath from my dad.

Brady swimming with my dad and trying soooo hard to say 2 when we counted to three before he jumped.

Brady turning the fan on each morning.

Brady looking at the bird in the entry way of the condo making a "woof" noise insisting it was a dog.

Brady walking St. Armand's Square.

Brady eating his first ice cream cone at Kilwin’s.

I am sure I missing plenty more but more importantly, it's only Tuesday and I am missing the sun, my parents, the undivided attention and time I had with my boys and the ability to stop and just enjoy it all.