Travel Log May 27, 2011

Well seeing as we can't seem to keep up with this blog, I thought I might as well use the tool to jot down some memories from our first vacation as a family of 4. I wasn't planning to to keep a travel log but so much happened today that I didn't want to forget so here we are. Let's see how committed I am by the end of the trip...

Today is my Dad's birthday. It's the third one since he passed away and its always a sad day. It was nice to have the distraction of our trip to Washington and Oregon to distract me. Since I'm on the topic of my dad, I also don't want to forget (in a way) how upset Violet was a couple of days ago. We were talking about how Missy used to beg at the table. Violet got so upset when she remembered that Nanny's dog had died and then she got really upset about missing her grampy. It's a strange thing, she was 2 when he died so she doesn't actually remember him but I think she knows so much about him that she understands that she is missing out by not having him in her life. She sobbed in a way I have never seen before, it was tragic and beautiful all at the same time.

But I digress, on to a lighter subject - travelling with two children.

Firstly, how is it possible to take SO DAMN LONG to pack for 4 people?! In the end it feels like we just have a bunch of random crap in some bags, what the hell were we trying to be so organized about. This thought occurred to me as I was shedding my puke covered clothes (after only 3 hours, a car ride, trip to the grocery store and lunch at The In Place in Forks Washington) and remembered that I only packed one pair of jeans because I am so super mommy efficient at packing now...  Let's hope I realize just how much all the effort is worth later in the trip 'cause you and I both know that there is no likely scenario where Jon and I would NOT trying to be organized and strategic about our packing :) Sad, I know...

Secondly, now I have two crazy lunatics to travel with. That would be Jon and Violet. Jon has always been like a little kid when he travels. He is so excited, he can hardly sleep the night before (not such a problem these days with the sleep deprivation at the Gleed household) and he gets anxious and excited about every little detail to the point where you want to smack him over the head to make it stop. (he is going to effing kill me for writing that down :) but eventually he calms down and just focuses on squeezing every single morsel of enjoyment out of our vacations which is part of what always makes them so special. Now Violet has joined the madness and has shown us that she has a 'travel version' of herself. It never seems to stop moving, talking, asking questions or solidifying in her mind the events before her including what is she going to get and will there be treats. I have to say travelling with two people who love to experience new things so much is truly joyful. I sometimes share their enthusiasm and I sometimes such watch in wonder.

Greta is her own force to be reckoned with. At nine months, I'm not sure travel is her thing. She is trying very hard though. The highs of her day today included, unlimited people watching/flirting, lots of time with her big sister, slurping up an entire package of fruit puree and crawling all over a new floor in our cabinny kind of thing we are staying in. Her lows would be driving in the car (tomorrow being our longest driving day should be so so excellent), her sister being very annoyed at her dislike of being in the car, throwing up the pureed fruit as well as a nice big feed of breastmilk and falling face first off the couch in our cabinny kind of place.

As we took a ferry, crossed a border and settled into a place to stay today, a lot of the day was waiting and filling time, picking up stuff and eating but there were two moments that truly stand out. The first was after we quickly pulled off the road on the incredible national park drive in northern washington to clean and nurture our puking baby. Standing there with her naked and snuggled into my sweater, not knowing if she was truly sick or just had an upset tummy and really not knowing if there was a chance of ever getting her back in her carseat, I thought "so this is why people said we were brave for taking the kids on a road trip. perhaps we were not thinking clearly and we should just pack this shit up and go home"

The second was late in the day. The glorious sun had broken through an incredible rainstorm in one of the rainiest parts of North America. We were at the beach, soaking up the sun (no hats or sunscreen - how 1970s of us - but seriously, we weren't to know there would be sun with the weather we had when we left the car) with our shoes and socks off just enjoying a new place together. Violet was creating castles in the sand, Greta was eating it and Jon and I were just marveling at the ups and downs in the day we had just spent as a family.

Time for wine and some research on our next adventure...