Spring Break

Ava had off for a week so we decided to take a trip to Fort Lauderdale to visit friends.  Cameron stayed home with Mimi and Grammy Gwen.  I had a lot of guilt about this decision, but after the trip I realized it was by far the best decision I could have made.  We left on a Monday and came back Thursday.  Monday evening we went over to the Stevenson's house for dinner.  Even though we spent a week with them in Disney last year, the girls acted all shy and did not speak to each other for the first hour.  The next hour they spent running and screaming through the house...what's up with that?

Tuesday Hannah and Kara came to our hotel and spent the day with us at the beach and pool.  It was super windy and a bit chilly.  But dad was a trooper and spent lots of time in the pool with both girls.  Hannah is not yet swimming, but Ava was a total fish.  I was completely shocked.  She swam all over the pool with Ed in sight.  Diving, trying to do handstands in the swallow end.  I guess those lessons have finally paid off.  It was really nice not to have to have her clinging to us in the water.

Tuesday night I went to dinner with my old boss who has turned into my wonderful friend!  I miss her very much...just love her company!!  We had a great time playing catch up, I haven't seen her in 3 years.  Ava and Ed spent the evening having a candlelit dinner by the beach, with chicken nuggets and strawberry ice cream :)  Ed loved it!  It was Ava's choice of restaurants.  He tried to take her for pizza, but she wanted to eat by the beach!  Too cute.

Wednesday morning Hannah, Kara, and Karen came back to the hotel.  We played at the playground on the beach, and then went back to the pool.  The weather was nicer and the pool felt much better.  Then Ava, Ed and I met up with Chris for an afternoon boat ride.

We showed Ava our old house (which I really miss), and took the boat up to Boca Lake.  We anchored for an hour, then went down the intercoastal for dinner, then wrapped it up.  Ava was not super impressed with the boat excursion.  Too much relaxing for her, and too confined, even if it was a 50 ft boat!

Doing some silly moves....the trip fatigue set in and she was off the wall...

What I did not mention were the challenges, and there are many of them with these children!  Ava woke up on the Monday we left with a raspy voice and cough.  It got worse over the next 48 hours and she spent the first 2 nights in the hotel coughing ALL NIGHT LONG.  During the day she would cough off and on, her nose was filled with snot, and there was some wheezing.  I don't understand why we can not take a vacation without someone getting sick.  Luckily the pool and beach kept her mind somewhat off of her cold and congestion,  but there were still many moments where she was on the verge or a pure meltdown.  The airplane rides were much better than I had anticipated.

Looking back, it wasn't too bad.  Was it relaxing, no.  Was it nice to get away, YES!  So that's what I need to remember.  I'm so ready to travel with the kids, but they are not ready to travel with us :)  What I realized from this trip:

1.  We need to vacation with another family because Ava needs constant entertainment and playmates
2.  It would be best to stay somewhere where there is a beach and pool right at the hotel...and kid friendly restaurants.
3.  2 double beds makes everyone uncomfortable.  We need a king and pull out sofa or something along those lines.
4.  Cameron can not come along until he is potty trained AND will eat off of a kids menu (he'll be staying home for many years to come at this rate).