Thursday, January 26, 2012

Happiness Is... Kidless Caribbean Getaway

Okay, I swear, this is the last time I will gloat about my kid-free Caribbean holiday.  After I flaunt these photos, I'm done.  (Promise.)

Cayo Leventado, Dominican Republic

I learned a few things on this trip.  First, it's always "happy hour" in the Caribbean when someone wants to sell you something.  Second, anywhere tourists convene in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas, you will find a Senor Frog's, where they boast that no one goes home sober.  Third, stores, churches, and public places in the Caribbean are still adorned with Christmas decorations in mid-January.  Island time, baby.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Also?  When you have to rely on other tourists to take pictures for you, you will end up with a whole bunch of pictures like this:

But occasionally, if you adjust the settings just right, and spend a few minutes giving a fellow cruisegoer a few tips on how to use your camera, give him time to play around with the focus, and maybe teach him how to focus and recompose, you just might end up with a photo like this:


(give or take a few touch-ups, of course)

But the most important thing I learned was that it's okay to take "us time," even in a significant chunk.  I thought it would be hard, leaving Lilah behind and not planting my special brand of smushy kisses on her cheeks for 9 whole days. I thought I wasn't ready to leave her for that long - this was an enforced kid-free holiday, after all, being that it was technically a work convention for the Hubs. But, ummm... you want the unadulterated truth? (Promise you won't judge?)   It felt so good just to be "us as a couple" instead of "us as a family of three" for a week. Knowing that she was in good hands with people who love her made it virtually guilt-free.  Even so, by the final days of the cruise, the Hubs and I were both itching to get home to those perfectly squishable cheeks and to our own familiar space. 

And the Lilahbility?  She was fine.  Better than fine, actually.  We skyped with her on one of our first nights on the cruise, and after about 60 seconds of talking to us on the computer screen, she got bored and told us she was going to go watch TV.  And I breathed a huge sigh of relief.  She was fine.  And when we came back, we all just picked up where we left off, except that the Hubs and I were more rested and better equipped to deal with the constant negotiations, sticky fingers, and occasional tantrum - at least for the first day.

PhotobucketLet's BEE Friends

14 comments:

  1. Sounds lovely! We've done 2 Hawaii vacations just the two of us. I loved the downtime and being able to reconnect in a way that isn't as possible or feasible when you are the parent. Of course, our son was also a big subject of our conversation haha.

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  2. You both so amazing and so relaxed in those pics. You are so right in what you say. Taking time as a couple is so key to making a marriage work and those kiddies always do better then we think when left with the grandparents etc...good on you for taking the plunge. Xxx

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  3. You look SOOOO relaxed, good to hear you remembered how nice it is to have a break, a VERY well deserved break :)
    Stacey

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  4. It's wonderful to have some time alone together, to regroup. It's funny you don't realize how much you enjoyed being a couple until you have a kid!

    You also got some amazing photos.

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  5. I loved all the pictures. It hurts to see how good looking you both are! My eyes, my eyes!

    I look forward the day I can go kid-free for longer than two hrs.

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  6. These are so stunning. I am so happy looking at your happiness. You go and share many more. we will keep swooning!

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  7. I'm SO jealous! I want a kid-free vacation too!
    Love all your photos, your purple evening dress, your hair and how you described Lilah's squish-able cheeks!

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  8. So great that you got to do this. You look amazing in your photos!

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  9. Awesome vacay! Flaunt away! Sounds like a fabulous time. 9 whole days! Woo hoo!

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  10. Beautiful pictures (especially that last one of you two, so gorgeous!). I'm so glad to hear that it went well, I told you you'd all be fine! It seems like just yesterday I was enjoying the same post-vacation enthusiasm - the old routine definitely settles quickly :)

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  11. I am so totally jealous! What I wouldn't give for just a day or so without the kids. Husband and I haven't had "us" time like that in a really long time.

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  12. Our 10 year anniversary is this April &, assuming my husband's schedule cooperates, we will be on an island while Klaw hangs out with Mema & Nana on the mainland. Couple-time is a good thing. Glad y'all had fun!

    <i

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  13. This is so fabulous! What a great way to spend a vacation. I've never been on a cruise but, my Dad has and he swears by them. It sounds like the perfect way to travel sans bebe and not have to worry about a thing... except maybe what to wear! Couple-time is huge... congrats on such a SCORE of a week away!

    And thanks for linking up for Sunday Funday!

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  14. So much fun! I'm so glad that you got to have an awesome kid-free holiday! I am so jealous!

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