I am lucky that, with the line of work I am in, we are slow around the holidays and I am afforded long vacations during these periods. Having been gifted with 3 weeks off over the end of December/beginning of January, I had planned an 8 day trip to California to visit family. Being 6 and a half months pregnant, I had not planned on bringing my 2 year old along on this trip. However, at the last minute, I started having anxiety about being away from my precious boy for that long and decided that I simply must take him with me. Of course my family and friends thought I was nuts for taking on this amount of work and all tried to assure me it could not be done. Well, fortunately, I am the type of person that, when determined to do something, only becomes more determined the more people try to assure me that what I want to do cannot be done…
So, at 6am on a cold Monday morning, I headed out for the long drive from Portland, Oregon to California w/my half asleep baby in the back seat. I drove for about two hours while he slept peacefully. With my cup of coffee close by, a full tank of gas, my GPS securely in place and my CD player cranking out my favorite tunes, I felt peaceful and free. Giovanni woke up at about 8am and we stopped for breakfast at a place called Joe’s Café in Harrisburg, Oregon. The portions were huge and tasty, the food was cheap and Giovanni kept me entertained by pointing at a man with a long white beard sitting near us and occasionally yelling “Santa Clause” at this stranger. After breakfast, we took a stroll through a little country store filled with souvenirs and snacks and I let Giovanni pick out some goodies for the road. Once back on the road, I drove for about an hour and a half before stopping for gas, getting in a quick diaper change and letting Giovanni run around on a strip of lush green grass set away from the road. I couldn't help but laugh as my baby skipped and cooed happily while investigating each leaf, drop of dew and dandelion intently. Our next stop a couple hours later was in Roseburg, Oregon where I pulled up to an indoor shopping mall. Giovanni had me cracking up laughing when he looked out the window, saw the mall and exclaimed, “Mall, we’re at the mall!!!” As if of course that explained this long drive perfectly. Stopping in a rite aid bathroom for a diaper change where they had no changing table, I reluctantly laid my jacket on the bathroom floor and placed Giovanni on top of it while his trusting, happy gaze thanked me for my selflessness. During our stop at the mall I bought him snacks, refilled his sippy cup and gave him a handful of quarters to put in the candy and prize machines. We stayed a the mall for about an hour and a half before beginning our trek to our stop-for-the-night destination of Ashland, Oregon. We got to Ashland around 3pm and checked into our hotel. I put on Yo Gabba Gabba on the Ipad for Giovanni while I brought our luggage in and then we headed out to Lithia park, a gorgeous park in downtown Ashland where Giovanni got to chase ducks, stand on a bridge overlooking a river bed and check out a mini waterfall. After Lithia park, we walked around downtown for a bit to enjoy the amazing 65 degree weather (in January!!). All of the quaint shops were still decked out in beautiful Christmas lights and Giovanni was fascinated. When we had had our fill of sightseeing, we headed back to the hotel for pizza, cartoons and a trip to the indoor heated pool. At first, Giovanni was afraid of the pool but I sat him on the first step and let him jump into my arms. Once he would jump I would swoop him up in my arms and twirl him around the pool. All the way back to our room (and for half the night after that) he excitedly talked about the pool with a big smile on his face.
The next day we enjoyed a continental breakfast in the hotel lobby followed by more Yo Gabba Gabba while I packed up the car. Once we were all ready, we hit the road for Redding, where we stopped at the Turtle Bay Exploration Center. Giovanni was fascinated by the amazing park and wildlife inside of the exploration center and by the beautiful Sun Dial Bridge adjacent to the center. We took a bunch of pictures and I couldn’t believe that 3 hours had passed by the time we got back in the car. Next stop was In N Out where we met my uncle that lives in Redding before hitting the road for my moms house in Concord, Ca. We got to grandmas house at about 7pm and got Giovanni bathed, fed and in his jammies so he could begin unwinding for the long drive.
Throughout our whole stay in the bay area, We were blessed with beautiful, sunny, 75 degree weather and the days seemed endless as we visited with family, went on trips to the park and out to eat, visited the beach in Santa Cruz and even squeezed in an impromptu baby shower. Giovanni’s teen aged cousins showered him with attention and he got to bond with his grandma who just could not get enough of his dimpled smile and funny, outgoing personality. Giovanni also got to spend time with both his great grandma Dee and great grandpa Lou who adore him. As for me, I was blessed with this amazing, once in a lifetime experience of true one on one bonding with my only son before his little brother arrives in just a few short months. A memory that stands out in particular is of Giovanni and I napping at my moms house one afternoon. When he woke up, he was turned away from me and started to fuss. I whispered his name and he turned towards me, smiled and gave me the biggest hug while nodding his head up and down as if to say, “yes, now this is just right” J
I could not have asked for a more perfect time and I will treasure always the memories of signing songs to him while on the road, waking up each day at my moms to his happy sounds and his angelic face smiling at me from the pack N play and feeling his soft, warm, toddler arms around my neck when he would stop to hug me during the day or as he drifted off to sleep at night. Was the trip a lot of work? Definitely! Am I exhausted? You know I am. Would I have changed one single minute of it? No way!
Since we have returned home it has been torture to tear myself away from Giovanni for even a few hours to go to work each day but the thoughts of our amazing trip still burn bright in my mind, helping me through the dreary hours away from home and giving me something to look forward to when I return each night and get to hold my baby tight and rock him to sleep at night. When baby Isaiah arrives in April, I have no doubt that he and Giovanni will be the best of friends and that, once again, my heart will expand to a level of love and bonding that I didn’t know I was capable of. But, in my heart, my mind and my soul, I will never forget the smiles, the memories, the love and the closeness that my first born and I shared, just the two of us, on this very special trip.
All the love I have, I give to you, my sweet baby!
-New Mommy in Town
So, at 6am on a cold Monday morning, I headed out for the long drive from Portland, Oregon to California w/my half asleep baby in the back seat. I drove for about two hours while he slept peacefully. With my cup of coffee close by, a full tank of gas, my GPS securely in place and my CD player cranking out my favorite tunes, I felt peaceful and free. Giovanni woke up at about 8am and we stopped for breakfast at a place called Joe’s Café in Harrisburg, Oregon. The portions were huge and tasty, the food was cheap and Giovanni kept me entertained by pointing at a man with a long white beard sitting near us and occasionally yelling “Santa Clause” at this stranger. After breakfast, we took a stroll through a little country store filled with souvenirs and snacks and I let Giovanni pick out some goodies for the road. Once back on the road, I drove for about an hour and a half before stopping for gas, getting in a quick diaper change and letting Giovanni run around on a strip of lush green grass set away from the road. I couldn't help but laugh as my baby skipped and cooed happily while investigating each leaf, drop of dew and dandelion intently. Our next stop a couple hours later was in Roseburg, Oregon where I pulled up to an indoor shopping mall. Giovanni had me cracking up laughing when he looked out the window, saw the mall and exclaimed, “Mall, we’re at the mall!!!” As if of course that explained this long drive perfectly. Stopping in a rite aid bathroom for a diaper change where they had no changing table, I reluctantly laid my jacket on the bathroom floor and placed Giovanni on top of it while his trusting, happy gaze thanked me for my selflessness. During our stop at the mall I bought him snacks, refilled his sippy cup and gave him a handful of quarters to put in the candy and prize machines. We stayed a the mall for about an hour and a half before beginning our trek to our stop-for-the-night destination of Ashland, Oregon. We got to Ashland around 3pm and checked into our hotel. I put on Yo Gabba Gabba on the Ipad for Giovanni while I brought our luggage in and then we headed out to Lithia park, a gorgeous park in downtown Ashland where Giovanni got to chase ducks, stand on a bridge overlooking a river bed and check out a mini waterfall. After Lithia park, we walked around downtown for a bit to enjoy the amazing 65 degree weather (in January!!). All of the quaint shops were still decked out in beautiful Christmas lights and Giovanni was fascinated. When we had had our fill of sightseeing, we headed back to the hotel for pizza, cartoons and a trip to the indoor heated pool. At first, Giovanni was afraid of the pool but I sat him on the first step and let him jump into my arms. Once he would jump I would swoop him up in my arms and twirl him around the pool. All the way back to our room (and for half the night after that) he excitedly talked about the pool with a big smile on his face.
The next day we enjoyed a continental breakfast in the hotel lobby followed by more Yo Gabba Gabba while I packed up the car. Once we were all ready, we hit the road for Redding, where we stopped at the Turtle Bay Exploration Center. Giovanni was fascinated by the amazing park and wildlife inside of the exploration center and by the beautiful Sun Dial Bridge adjacent to the center. We took a bunch of pictures and I couldn’t believe that 3 hours had passed by the time we got back in the car. Next stop was In N Out where we met my uncle that lives in Redding before hitting the road for my moms house in Concord, Ca. We got to grandmas house at about 7pm and got Giovanni bathed, fed and in his jammies so he could begin unwinding for the long drive.
Throughout our whole stay in the bay area, We were blessed with beautiful, sunny, 75 degree weather and the days seemed endless as we visited with family, went on trips to the park and out to eat, visited the beach in Santa Cruz and even squeezed in an impromptu baby shower. Giovanni’s teen aged cousins showered him with attention and he got to bond with his grandma who just could not get enough of his dimpled smile and funny, outgoing personality. Giovanni also got to spend time with both his great grandma Dee and great grandpa Lou who adore him. As for me, I was blessed with this amazing, once in a lifetime experience of true one on one bonding with my only son before his little brother arrives in just a few short months. A memory that stands out in particular is of Giovanni and I napping at my moms house one afternoon. When he woke up, he was turned away from me and started to fuss. I whispered his name and he turned towards me, smiled and gave me the biggest hug while nodding his head up and down as if to say, “yes, now this is just right” J
I could not have asked for a more perfect time and I will treasure always the memories of signing songs to him while on the road, waking up each day at my moms to his happy sounds and his angelic face smiling at me from the pack N play and feeling his soft, warm, toddler arms around my neck when he would stop to hug me during the day or as he drifted off to sleep at night. Was the trip a lot of work? Definitely! Am I exhausted? You know I am. Would I have changed one single minute of it? No way!
Since we have returned home it has been torture to tear myself away from Giovanni for even a few hours to go to work each day but the thoughts of our amazing trip still burn bright in my mind, helping me through the dreary hours away from home and giving me something to look forward to when I return each night and get to hold my baby tight and rock him to sleep at night. When baby Isaiah arrives in April, I have no doubt that he and Giovanni will be the best of friends and that, once again, my heart will expand to a level of love and bonding that I didn’t know I was capable of. But, in my heart, my mind and my soul, I will never forget the smiles, the memories, the love and the closeness that my first born and I shared, just the two of us, on this very special trip.
All the love I have, I give to you, my sweet baby!
-New Mommy in Town
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