Blues Traveler
Warren said: There used to be a time when Jenn and I could pack a couple of bags and take off for the weekend without a care. Or, if we received a last-minute invitation to a birthday party (not wholly unheard of in my family) we would put aside whatever it was we planned to do that weekend and off we’d go – up to Albany or back to Boston or whatever exotic locale (sans the exotic) someone had chosen for aforementioned party.
This is so not the case anymore.
As I’m sure you all know, just picking up and taking off at the drop of a hat becomes a thing of the past when you have a child. Doubly so when a second arrives on the scene. I’m not even going to begin contemplating what it’s like when you can field a basketball team. And we all know that will never be the case where we’re concerned. (Um…scratch the never – don’t want to piss off karma.)
I bring this up because we have some interesting decisions to make in the next couple of days. Jenn’s cousin is getting married and he lives out on the West Coast. She has another cousin getting married in Italy who is then throwing a big to-do in Dublin. Three years ago I imagine we would have flown to Ireland, stayed for a few days, partied, consumed gallons of Guinness and then winged our way back. A few weeks later we would have been on another plane, hung out with the beautiful people in LA and Santa Monica, maybe zipped over to Disneyland to rub elbows with Mickey and come home via Las Vegas. I can hear Babs singing Memories in my head.
We would love…loooooove…to do both. I/We really want to go back to Ireland and, since I’ve never been to the LA area, I want to do that as well. Unfortunately, it’s one or the other. In order to go to Ireland, however, we would have to get an expedited passport for the baby and pray to every airplane and flight god/goddess known to man that both children would tolerate an overseas flight (no layovers in the Atlantic). A cross-country trip eliminates most of that and having a layover somewhere along the way goes a long way to avoiding meltdowns at 30,000 feet.
I wrote we need to make decisions, but I think they’ve already been made. Doing both is just not in the cards. We will, as a family, more than likely head to the coast for the wedding. Jenn and her sister (and possibly their father) will do a quick trip to Ireland for the shindig in Dublin. And all familial obligations will have been met.
Kids. You gotta love 'em even when the put a damper on your jet-setting lifestyle.
Jenn said: I can't lie...I'm conflicted.
Like the Mr. said, had this happened three years ago, we'd be going to the wedding in Italy or the reception in Dublin...we'd also be jetting off to the coast for wedding #2 and would probably be hitting Hawaii or Vegas (like my sister & brother-in-law are thinking of doing). But it's not three years ago -- we live in the here and now. We have a 23-month-old 'lil Dubya and a 6-month-old 'lil Dubyette and although yes, theoretically we could bring them along, is that really fair to them? Um, no -- it's not.
So, as Warren mentioned we are probably going to do a family vacation in California where we'll go to the wedding but also spend a few days doing some kid-friendly things -- Disneyland, maybe Legoland or Knotts Berry Farm.
These days, vacations are less about "eat, drink and be merry" and more about where can we go that is kid-friendly...not even just kid-friendly...baby friendly (there is a difference)
One option he didn't mention is that my mother offered to take the kids so that W & I could both do a weekend in Ireland.
Man, is that tempting...and she's great with the kids -- she loves them, they love her -- she's more than capable of handling them (although, she'd be a bit tired at the end.... who wouldn't?)
I'm just not ready...we've never both been away from them overnight....and I'm not sure I can do it...never mind leaving the country. I feel bad enough thinking of leaving them with Warren for a few days…let alone having both of us leave them.
So, I guess that's what we'll do...California here we come.... God help you!
This is so not the case anymore.
As I’m sure you all know, just picking up and taking off at the drop of a hat becomes a thing of the past when you have a child. Doubly so when a second arrives on the scene. I’m not even going to begin contemplating what it’s like when you can field a basketball team. And we all know that will never be the case where we’re concerned. (Um…scratch the never – don’t want to piss off karma.)
I bring this up because we have some interesting decisions to make in the next couple of days. Jenn’s cousin is getting married and he lives out on the West Coast. She has another cousin getting married in Italy who is then throwing a big to-do in Dublin. Three years ago I imagine we would have flown to Ireland, stayed for a few days, partied, consumed gallons of Guinness and then winged our way back. A few weeks later we would have been on another plane, hung out with the beautiful people in LA and Santa Monica, maybe zipped over to Disneyland to rub elbows with Mickey and come home via Las Vegas. I can hear Babs singing Memories in my head.
We would love…loooooove…to do both. I/We really want to go back to Ireland and, since I’ve never been to the LA area, I want to do that as well. Unfortunately, it’s one or the other. In order to go to Ireland, however, we would have to get an expedited passport for the baby and pray to every airplane and flight god/goddess known to man that both children would tolerate an overseas flight (no layovers in the Atlantic). A cross-country trip eliminates most of that and having a layover somewhere along the way goes a long way to avoiding meltdowns at 30,000 feet.
I wrote we need to make decisions, but I think they’ve already been made. Doing both is just not in the cards. We will, as a family, more than likely head to the coast for the wedding. Jenn and her sister (and possibly their father) will do a quick trip to Ireland for the shindig in Dublin. And all familial obligations will have been met.
Kids. You gotta love 'em even when the put a damper on your jet-setting lifestyle.
Jenn said: I can't lie...I'm conflicted.
Like the Mr. said, had this happened three years ago, we'd be going to the wedding in Italy or the reception in Dublin...we'd also be jetting off to the coast for wedding #2 and would probably be hitting Hawaii or Vegas (like my sister & brother-in-law are thinking of doing). But it's not three years ago -- we live in the here and now. We have a 23-month-old 'lil Dubya and a 6-month-old 'lil Dubyette and although yes, theoretically we could bring them along, is that really fair to them? Um, no -- it's not.
So, as Warren mentioned we are probably going to do a family vacation in California where we'll go to the wedding but also spend a few days doing some kid-friendly things -- Disneyland, maybe Legoland or Knotts Berry Farm.
These days, vacations are less about "eat, drink and be merry" and more about where can we go that is kid-friendly...not even just kid-friendly...baby friendly (there is a difference)
One option he didn't mention is that my mother offered to take the kids so that W & I could both do a weekend in Ireland.
Man, is that tempting...and she's great with the kids -- she loves them, they love her -- she's more than capable of handling them (although, she'd be a bit tired at the end.... who wouldn't?)
I'm just not ready...we've never both been away from them overnight....and I'm not sure I can do it...never mind leaving the country. I feel bad enough thinking of leaving them with Warren for a few days…let alone having both of us leave them.
So, I guess that's what we'll do...California here we come.... God help you!
posted by mr. big dubya at 2:29 PM
6 Say it:
it's so true that nothing is easy once you had a kid... or more (i guess).
if it was me- i'd go to DUBLIN! because when else will you get the chance to go there and be a part of that.. and well, HOW FUN!
and california isn't going anywhere, and you can ALWAYS go there- make a family trip out of it.. you know? you could go to LA for a long weekend and take the kids to disneyland.
i vote for ireland. DO IT!
PS- you have to leave the kids sometime. seriously. they'd be okay and so would you. lol
i wouldnt trust getting your passports even if they are expidited.....but i still say ireland would be the choice
We should probably clarify -- my parents are from Ireland, and still have most of their brothers & sisters there, so I spent quite a lot of time there as a kid.
We can go there any time we want and stay for free (grandmother's house is still available) so, even if we don't go this summer -- we'll probably go next year.
I vote to leave the kids and go as a couple! Of course I would prolly have a hard time doing that myself, but it's easy to say to you. Can't you leave the kids to go to Dublin alone, and then come back and grab them to go on a family friendly vacation? Everyone wins!!
Yes, vacations are truly verrrry different once the kiddies make their appearance, eh? I know that when I was a first-time mother I couldn't fathom leaving my child (even with Nana) for more than six hours! Eventually I relented to an overnight stay in the city albeit rushing right back to my little bundle by lunchtime the very next day! All was well despite my inner mommy conflicts. Looking back on that now, and after having baby #2, I realize that it really IS okay to take time away from them (especially as a couple). Sure it's a little weird at first but kids learn to deal with things very well and (in my humble opinion) are better off in the long run because of it.
Although it sounds like a draining trip I think you should do both trips. It'll be good for you all as a family to have that memory, you'll all be there for once-in-a-lifetime-weddings, and in a few years you'll be able to tell your kids that at such a young age they sipped Guinness AND hobknobbed with Mickey & the gang!
Good luck!
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