First weekend without baby
Parents all know how hard mothering and fathering can be. We all put in the early mornings and late nights, sacrifice social lives and hobbies, wave bye bye to simple joys like eating at a restaurant
without having macaroni thrown in your face or making huge, eye-roll inducing messes in public. But I think we can all agree, no matter how hard it is, no matter how exhausted or how dirty our hair is, it's all worth it. Each little hug, snuggle or my favorite, the 5 am wake up smooch, makes it all seem ok.
However, because the day to day can be so damn rough, its important for us to find time to refresh and recharge, all without baby. Our first baby free trip was supposed to be over the Independence day weekend at the very experiential art festival I had met my husband at 5 years prior! It was meant to be 3 nights at an with 20 of our closest, best looking and coolest friends. Sleeping in a rustic cabin, frolicking in a forest, swimming in a pool, wearing cool outfits and generally being care-free and making merry.
I lasted 2 nights. I didn't have one cocktail my last night there and could not wait to get home to my babe. CC is 9.5 months old and I am part-time nursing. When it came time to come clean that I wanted to go home, I blamed my aching breasts and the inconvenience of hand pumping but the truth is, I wasn't in the mind set for a party or art or music. I missed my boy.
I realized what I had really wanted these last few months was time with my husband alone. A long nap, a pedicure, and perhaps the freedom to watch smut and perhaps a long nap and a pedicure. I'm sure this will not be the case for forever. I think I am just too attached during this nursing stage and also feeling a bit out of place, trying to reconcile my new life/body/priorities with the things I used to do and love before baby.
Either way I am happy we went, happy we had the experience and looking forward to longer trips away from baby in the future. 3 cheers to recharging!