Romantic Vacation for Two

In less than 3 weeks, My Beloved and I will be departing on our first (ever) solo vacation without our children. It's officially our 5th anniversary trip... even though our anniversary was back in January.

Now, I have mixed feelings about this whole leaving the kids behind thing, but I'm doing it anyway. Here are a few of the reasons:

1. We earned enough points on our Royal Caribbean credit card for a 7 night cruise. Hard to pass up!
2. My Beloved benefits from time alone together (as do I if we're going to be honest) and extended "no kid" time is a dream of his. With this "surprise" third baby on its way, this is the last opportunity for a while to come.
   
3. My in-laws are able to come from Michigan to stay with the children for the week! What a blessing!

This won't be the first time away from our kids. We were away shooting a wedding in NY this past summer and left the kids overnight... and again in November we were in VA shooting a wedding and were gone two nights. They do very well with others... and grandma and grandpa will be even better. I'm certain they will have a lot of fun and, if history repeats itself, won't miss us too much.

I do worry a little bit about Sweet Pea. She was very ready for Mommy to be home after our time away in November... and at her age she's changing so much each day. I just don't know what to expect. I am hoping that being at home, in her own element, following a somewhat normal schedule will be a big help. Sleeping in her own bed. Eating normal food in her own chair. Playing with her own things. Pottying on her own potty. You get the idea.

We're making some plans to be "present" for them as possible while away though. Here are a few things we have planned...

• I'm hoping to record the song I sing them each night so that they can still hear it at bedtime.
  
• We're paying for the 1 hour internet package on the ship so that we can be in email contact with My Beloved's parents and to send home pictures and little video clips of us and our trip.
  
• We're also planning to use skype with that 1 hour of internet so that we can "video conference" with the children a couple times.

I'll also be leaving detailed schedules and "activities to do" lists with grandma and grandpa... not so that they will follow them to the letter, but so that they are never left wondering what to do next. I'll try to share that with you when it's done... it can take a while to put together. I'm hoping I still have a draft of the one I made last summer!! And if it could be warm and sunny while we're gone, that would help too! Rain makes it hard to visit the park or go for walks each day as exciting time fillers!

There are still so many details to work out and prepare for before our departure... and so little time! Things like pre-making and freezing enough bread for them for the week, finding and purchasing summer maternity clothes for the cruise (thankfully I'll be able to use those all summer too!), finding a modest swimsuit for snorkeling and swimming and such, making that schedule for the kids, meal plan and make ahead recipes for our time away, packing, planning the trip, and so on and so on!

I'm actually thankful for so much to keep my mind busy before we go... it's when I slow a bit and think about it that I get sad about leaving my babies. I warned My Beloved last night that come departure time, I'll probably need a little extra TLC over missing my babies!! I can barely go out for dinner without wishing they were with us at least once!