Grammy and Grandpa Nick had their first (and hopefully not last) experience babysitting Sophie and Jack for a few nights while Eric and I took our very first (and much needed) trip together since before Sophie was born. It's hard to believe that it's been that long since we were alone together without having to worry about the ins and outs of childrearing. We drove down to the beach in Sandestin, Florida for a few nights of R&R.
Grammy and Grandpa Nick came a couple of days before we left so we could break them into the kids' routine - and perhaps give them one last chance to back out should they decide that it's all just a little too crazy. But anyone who knows them also knows that their OWN lives can sometimes be described as crazy, so why not add a couple of toddlers to the mix?
The week consisted of lots and lots of fun for the kids. It all began with lots of time playing outside in the front yard. Grammy and Grandpa Nick had several "tricks" up their sleeves, including a bag of plastic frogs and lizards that they hid throughout the yard and had the kids discover them. Even the neighborhood kids loved this game. When my Mom and Nick pulled out 2 chairs to sit in while the kids played, I smiled to myself as I thought about how miraculous it would be if they could actually sit in those chairs at the same time. While Sophie is finally into the swing of the outdoor thing, Jack is in that adventuresome stage that requires someone following him most of the time. This is no easy task as he tends to "run" (especially away from the person who's chasing him) wherever he goes rather than casually enjoying the great outdoors.
Sophie enjoyed a day all to herself with Grammy and Nick at the zoo, while Jack hung back with his favorite babysitter Rhiannon. Some of the highlights from the zoo were seeing the giraffes, petting and the goats, riding the carousel, and, of course a little ice cream at the end!
The crew visited a few of our local playgrounds and even ventured out to Target for a change of scenery, where Sophie got gardening gloves and a small trowel to help Grammy plant flowers.
Needless to say, Grammy and Grandpa Nick were pretty exhausted (yet very fulfilled) by the time Eric and I returned (Thank Goodness Jack slept through the night the whole time we were gone!). They said 3 nights and 4 days was "just enough"and I quickly gave them a pitch about how much easier it will be in just a few months.
We love our kids dearly, but I must say that one of the most pleasurable aspects of getting away was knowing that we could have a real conversation rather than exchanging the sound bites that typify our usual day to day communication. We had a great time and we know we left the kids in great hands. If Grammy and Grandpa Nick are ever hard up for cash, we could probably rent them out to several of our friends in the neighborhood and this could become a retirement gig for them :).
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