I Will Survive!

 

Hi mommies! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I didn’t get to post last week because we were actually out of town. Did our lil Nuggy join us? Sadly, no. L

 

Yes, that’s right mommies….I took my first trip away since Sofia Grace was born. I thought I would dedicate this post to what I experienced and how I survived (yes it was that dramatic).

 

Every year my husband and I take a ski trip. Now last year we were unknowingly pregnant on our ski trip. In fact I discovered I was pregnant about a week later! Anyhow, this is a trip we both look forward to every year. So we planned a trip for this year just like any other. Now keep in mind these plans started before SG was born and were finalized right after so at the time I didn’t think being gone would be that difficult and the trip was almost five months away which I thought sounded like years away. Well in the famous words of Julia Roberts, “Big mistake, HUGE!” About a month before our trip I started to have major anxiety about leaving SG. Almost daily I would ask my husband if he was sure he wanted to go. Now granted, after one of Sofie’s all-nighters I thought going on a trip sounded like a great idea but any other time I just did not want to go. I even tried to cancel a couple of times. But my mommy friends all told me that it would be important for my husband and I to get away and refresh ourselves. I could tell my husband REALLY wanted to go so I reluctantly kept our plans.

 

The plan was as follows…my parents would stay at our house and Sofia’s nanny would be there each day as always to help with the transition. Then my in-laws would come and stay WITH my parents over the weekend. Thank goodness our parents get along so well! I knew between everyone SG would definitely get plenty of love and attention and be well cared for. The night before I literally slept three hours! I spent the night prepping for our departure. Now pre SG I would have been packed two days early….however, post SG…I didn’t start packing until 10 PM! I was running around the house labeling everything I thought our parents would need as well as typing out VERY extensive instructions (don’t laugh…remember I am a Type A personality). I even laid her clothes out for the entire week for two weather scenarios (hot and cold---Houston weather is so unpredicatable). I must admit, I did this mostly because if left up to my amazing mom, SG would be wearing some “interesting” outfits to say the least. I know, I know, I am ridiculous but hey, I also love fashion. I prepped bottles, set up a medicine basket, set out her clothes, labeled EVERYTHING and literally planned every detail for every scenario possible. By 11:30 PM I was just about ready to dig into some work emails when “Wuahhhhh…..” Seriously? Sofia Grace decided she didn’t feel like sleeping. So from about 11:30 PM-3 AM we were dealing with a restless baby---I think she was secretly punishing us for going on vacay without her, lol. Finally, after a bottle and LOTS of rocking she fell asleep. Ahh….finally time to get some rest. In what seemed like two minutes it was time to wake up again. I had finished packing and Sofie was her usual happy self. I wanted to spend as much time with her before I left but you know all those last minute details before a trip (printing out the boarding pass, feeding the dog, double checking your luggage, taking out the trash, etc.)? Well they kind of got in the way. Before I knew it, it was time to go. I held SG for as long as she would let me…she was fussy because it was her nap time. I squished her over and over and over and kissed her about 1,000 times. All she kept doing was pushing me away because she wanted to take a nap---heartbreaker.  I finally gave her to her nanny and she took her upstairs for her nap. My heart just sank and I thought to myself, “I do NOT want to go…I am going to stay.” But my husband tugged my jacket and we left. I was pretty proud of myself because I only teared up a tiny bit in front of SG. Our nanny told me not to cry in front of Sofie and to leave with a smile. I put on my brave face and did this. I made it to Starbucks about two miles away and finally broke down…you know the ugly cry…boogers running down your face, mascara smeared…yup that was me. My worst fear was that she would wake up at night screaming wondering why her mommy wasn't there to comfort her.  Oh my heart was so broken. 

 

 

Fast forward five LONG days and I was more than ready to come home.  In fact, I could have come home by day two or three but I tried to stick it out for my husband's sake. Thankfully, my parents took LOTS of pictures and videos and even posted them to You Tube so I could watch them whenever I wanted; which was almost every hour. I was that annoying person who was constantly on their phone. Just staring at pictures of SG that I had seen 100 times over. Every night I would turn in early so I could get in bed and watch videos of my little angel. I moved our flight to an earlier flight so I could get home early---best idea ever. 

 

 

Finally, yesterday at exactly 5:06 PM we arrived home. I walked in the anxiously walked through the door ready for my baby girl to see me and leap into my arms.  Not the case.  Instead I found my lil Nuggy fast asleep in her nanny’s arms. I couldn’t help myself so I snatched her up and then my sweet lil girl opened her big brown eyes, looked up and smiled…then fell fast asleep again. LOL, I had visions of her waking up and laughing and giggling with pure joy and excitement to see me.  It didn't exactly happen that way but at least I got a sweet smile. She finally woke up and we played, danced, laughed and giggled. The world was right again!

 

Sofia Grace did awesome and I survived.  She was surrounded by more than enough love and attention and I don't know that she even noticed we were gone.  Moral of the story...it's ok to take a trip away from your lil one and you and your spouse need alone time to reconnect and recharge.  It won't be easy but taking time away will only make the bond with your lil one that much stronger when you return. Oh and they don't forget who you are---my second biggest fear.  So don't be afraid to plan a night or two or more away, I promise you WILL survive (insert Gloria Gaynor song) and your lil one will do just fine.  Case in point (excuse the low res photos...these were mostly from my mom's phone)...

All smiles with Grandma and Grandpa

Second night, I was already ready to go home.

 

Always a happy lil Nuggy

 

Dinner time with Grandpa!

 

 

 

A few tips for those of you contemplating your first trip away.

 

• Make sure you have arranged someone who baby is familar with to watch them (a few weeks ago, SG wasn't too familiar with her grandparents so we had them visit with her a lot before the trip to make sure she was super familiar with them)---now is probably not the best time to have someone new watch your lil one
• If possible, have your caretaker come to your house where baby is familiar with her surroundings; if this isn't possible then try taking baby to her caretaker's house a few days early to help her get used to her surroundings with you
• Take a laptop, iPad or your iPhone so you can either Skype or FaceTime with your sweetie
• Take lots of pics of your lil one with you, I PROMISE you will look at these 100's of times during your trip
• Leave behind a blanket or t-shirt that smells like you for your lil one to snuggle with
• If you are like me (a bit OCD), type out a list of instructions, schedules, tips, etc. for your caretaker---mine was more of a short novel but then again, I tend to focus a bit much on detail, lol
• Don't forget to leave an insurance card just in case of an emergency
• If possible leave your car with your cartaker so you don't have to reinstall a carseat or caseat base; this way you know the carseat you are leaving is properly installed and you don't have to reinstall baby's toys, mirror, etc.
• Make sure your mommy friends are on standby for your sad moments...a few of my awesome mommy friends checked in on me daily to make sure I was ok and to offer support
• Enjoy yourself, if you are feeling anxious sit back and have a glass of wine, take a hot bath and think of the 7+ straight hours of sleep you will get (that alone should help ease the pain)

Good luck mommy, you can do it!