Back to Reality...and a kid that can walk!?

Where is my pool attendant asking if I want another mojito? Where is my maid to make my bed and clean up my room every day? There was no breakfast buffet with mimosas when I came down to the kitchen this morning...boo.

We are back from vacation. Back to reality. My husband is back to working 16 hour days. I am back to playing the role of Mama, Lady of the Manor, Keeper of the House. There is laundry that needs to be done, dishes that need cleaning, phone calls that need to be made, errands that need to be run, but I just feel like crawling up with a book, or going back to bed. Why am I so tired from a vacation that I spent mostly on my back (by the pool I mean :), reading. eating and drinking?

We had a wonderful time, but the 4 days and three nights we were in Puerto Rico felt like 24 hours. We spoiled ourselves rotten, as we knew it was not going to happen again for a long time, and loved every minute of it. It was the perfect amount of time though, as I was itching to get home to see M. And my heart just leapt as she and my parents were sitting on our front steps as the car pulled up to our house. She was squealing and kicking and flapping her arms with excitement...it was the cutest thing ever.

After hugs and kisses, and more hugs and kisses, I got to looking at her (as she was just in a diaper after getting herself al wet at her water table) and I was shocked to see that she had actually changed so much in 5 days!! She was definitely taller (this kid is growing like a weed on...something that makes it grow faster than normal!), and I felt like her face looked just slightly different too. And she looked at me and said "Hi Mama!" clear as a bell like she was 5 years old. I felt like I had been away for a month.

And an even bigger surprise was when I put her down to "waaak" around the house, she went off on her own!! Yes, she is 18 months, and we have been waiting with bated breath for her to take steps on her own...and she waited for us to come home from vacation to actually do it. It was the best welcome home gift ever. And it wasn't like she was just taking a few steps - it was like 20 at a time, all around the house. I felt such relief, as we have been to specialists about her delayed walking, and talked to our doctor about it many times. I was so worried something was seriously wrong with her, but everyone kept telling us "she is just being stubborn." And know I know they were right!

I think it will take a while for my brain to get out of vacation mode, but I don't have much time because on Friday we are off again. This time not to a luxury resort, but to my in-laws in upstate New York. There won't be a pool and cabana waiting for us, but there will be lots of loved ones, and plenty of delicious terrible-for-you treats.

Well, there is the dryer. Gotta go put another load in...mojitos...mojitos...mojitos...