We Did It!

We took (and survived!) our first vacation without our children.

I cried for the first 36 hours or so. Not 36 hours straight, but every time we saw a little one who was about the same age as one of our kids, or every time I thought about them,...... and I have to admit that I even called my Mom at 7.30 am from the Philly airport (weeping) as we were about to board the plane just sortov hoping that she would say that she needed me to come home immediately :). She didn't, and we went.

We had a fabulous few days away. I pumped, I had left MORE than enough milk (I had to laugh at myself and my worries of Julia starving when I came home to over 100 oz of milk still in the freezer). I came home to a baby who happily nursed away as though we had never been apart. This trip reinforced to me how important and treasured my nursing relationship with my daughter is. I feel so lucky to be able to have that precious time with her, and so lucky that it persevered our time apart.

The resort was fab. Dinners eaten at a leisurely child free pace were wonderful. The golf was truly amazing. The Pittsburgh Steelers were in town playing the Jags and they stayed at our hotel.........and boy, are those guys big. Playing the Stadium Course at Sawgrass is a memory that I will always treasure. Seeing Nate par the famous Island Green on 17 made me so proud (I did NOT par it, and did my part by putting it in the drink.) I see why people say that it is important to take vacations. It's so easy to get caught up in "Mommy and Daddy" mode ~ and simply getting to be "Melissa and Nate" was wonderful. Knowing that our kids were spending time with both of their sets of Grandparents brought me great joy.

I was like a little kid on Christmas morning as I anticipated getting home to my children today.

I am so honored to be a Mother. I am so honored to be a Wife. Getting away reinforced how grateful I am to be both.

Thank you to my parents, and to Nate's parents, for the love and care that you showered on our kids.