Mommy & Me Getaway

A week and a half ago my friend Christie called and asked if Adam and I wanted to get away with her and her son Ryan for a couple of days. Of course we said YES! and set about discussing destinations and dates. I had a few freelance projects up in the air so the timing was loose, but when Tuesday rolled around I texted her asking, "Wanna go TODAY?"

It is ASTONISHING how much two Moms need to pack when traveling with a 14-month old and an 8-month old! With 2 car seats, 2 strollers, 2 pack-n-plays, 2 overnight bags, 2 lunch bags of baby food/snacks, 2 portable booster seats, 2 camera bags and 2 all-purpose/toy/beach bags stowed away in the Chevy Tahoe (thank goodness for big cars!), we hit the road and headed West to Naples on the west coast of Florida.

Naples is only two hours from home, but it really felt like we were away. Our hotel was right on the beach, and we loved how peaceful it was here. Everything seemed to have a park-like quality and the water was amazingly smooth.

We had possible plans of going to the zoo or the gardens, but they didn't pan out. I guess that's how relaxing vacations are -- just go with the flow. Instead, we explored Old Naples (which, to us, seemed quite New -- lots of shops and galleries and restaurants for blocks), walked the Naples pier, saw dolphins in the wild, walked to the park, and tried to see sunsets but the clouds didn't cooperate well.

But our favorite time was spent at the beach with our boys. The calm water is perfect for kiddos. Ryan could walk out into the water and stand without getting beat by waves. He could see shells on the bottom and pick them up. Adam could sit where the waves came in without getting knocked over. There is hardly any ocean noise since the waves are small, so it's the perfect place to sit and play in the water. This was Adam's first swim in the ocean and his first taste of sand, too. (It was inevitable!)

Here are a couple of pics from our two nights in Naples:

Beach Boys!

Want a Sand-wich?

Toes in the sand

Mommy and Adam time

Who needs the beach when you have a hotel mirror?