baby's first beach vacation!

Another week of vacation is behind us and we are home, sweet home... sadly.  I could have used another week or 6 of beach and sunshine and warmth... maybe by that point it would actually start warming up here in Edmonton and I could leave the house in flip flops.  

We had a great first family vacation enjoyed by all three of us.  It was completely different than any trip we'd been on before, which was to be expected given the fact that the majority of our life currently revolves around a 7 month old.  There was no tequila (thankfully), no parasailing or snorkelling, and for the first time ever we didn't even leave our resort. We spent a lot of time in the shade and came back with only slight suntans. We went to bed early and spent extra time in our hotel room.  Before becoming parents, that would sound like a terribly boring holiday, but little did we know we'd have so many new experiences to make up for the ones that we could no longer do.  We proudly watched as our baby earned her first passport stamp, and watched the look on her face when we brought her into the ocean for the very first time.  We heard her squeal with excitement as she splashed around in the pool and tried to limit her consumption of sand on the beach. She chatted happily to the staff and other guests, thrilled with the attention that she received everywhere we went.  From the moment that we stepped into the Punta Cana airport, she was one happy baby.   

Of course, taking care of a baby isn't quite as relaxing as lying on the beach all day, every day, but I didn't mind.  Tired from the sun and water, Aaralee slept better than she had been back home and thus, so did I.  Being the considerate baby that she is, she even napped quietly in her stroller while Ryan and I enjoyed a delicious dinner on our anniversary.  Of course, there were a few meltdowns throughout the week... but that's pretty standard for a baby. These occurred mostly while trying to apply sunscreen, a hat, or failing to share our food and beverages with her. As a result, she spent a great deal of the vacation playing with empty plastic cups as it was often the only way that Ryan or myself could enjoy our cocktails without tiny hands trying to grab them.  

The week flew by as it always seems to and before we knew it we were headed home. After some delays, nearly missing our connection and trying to block out the sound of someone else's screaming baby for 2 flights, we were back in Edmonton. There was snow on the ground and it was cold, despite the myth that "spring" had arrived.  I was sad to be home, but happy to have had such a great vacation with my great little family.  I'm already looking forward to the next one!