...are WONDERFUL!

So, I am sure by now you have gathered that our little family attempts to practice a mixture of attachment parenting and common sense. Jimbo and I are planning a trip to Cancun in September. His best friend is getting married and has ask Jimbo to officiate. His best friend married us. So we have been slowly planning this trip. We will be gone for 5 nights. I am totally freaked out about leaving the littles for that long.

Our 5 year old has recently started spending the night at his aunties house a few blocks away every couple of weeks. So he should be fine. Our 2 1/2 year old spent the night away for the first time last weekend. He was with his big brother at his aunties house and he was the one who insisted on staying the night. He is still nursing, but we have night weaned. I have been gone for 3 days at a time for births before, but this is for pleasure and I feel a little differently about leaving for that long. I am totally not even worried about the 13 year old.

So this weekend, Jimbo and I have decided to give our little vacation from the boys a test run and leave for the weekend. We are driving up to Eugene Or. to celebrate the Summer Solstice with a good friend of ours. We totally trust our baby sitter and the Auntie will be just a few blocks away. Also our parents live sort of close by. Have any of you folks vacationed away from your little ones? If so, do you have any tips. Really I think I am the one who will have a hard time not them.

Sasy, first of all have FUN, you so deserve it!! Please don't feel guilty. I totally did the attachment parenting thing so this advice is from that perspective, but since little one has been ok for 3 days at a time before, and you've night weaned, I think this will be just fine for everyone. As you note, they'll be ok, YOU'RE the one who will be struggling! Just don't let it damper your fun, and most importantly, don't let it keep you from enjoying the alone time with your husband. That's precious. Soak it up now and you'll coast on it for awhile through the craziness of family life.

Ia gree! Your test runs are well-planned, and should make your 5 day trip easier. Yes, they will miss you (and you them), but they'll be fine.

I feel like I have planned well for this trip and for the one in September. I suppose I just need to relax and trust that they will survive. Thanks for the words of encouragement.

So jealous!

Have fun. They are in good hands. And know that missing somebody is okay. It makes it that much better when you're back together.

So far, we've only had one trip without the boys in 6 years (since N was born). That was 4 wonderful days in Paris last year while visiting Mr. S's youngest sister in England. She offered to keep them so we could get away during the middle weekend of our trip. And it was great--I love that woman.

We're also planning a few days away in August. Again, courtesy of Mr. S's youngest sister and her husband. They've basically saved our anniversary vacation (I bitched about the husband's older sister ruining that a few months ago). I'm very much looking forward to it.

Since before Mo was born until last November we lived either with or a couple miles from my parents and 45 minutes away from his parents. This meant four very willing babysitters.

Yet we hardly ever did nights away. The first time I did the night away from Mo was my bridal shower/21st birthday bash. My MIL took Mo for the night while I got drunk on Whiskey for the first time ever.

I don't think we've been away from Max for over 24 hours. The first time I left him with the MIL he was almost a week old. It was horrible, a close friend of ours died three days after Max was born. Very out of the blue, he was only 34. So the MIL took the boys for a couple hours while we attended the visitation.

I was also going to say that we went away when Mo was 2. We made a point to call once a day around dinner time. More than that and my parents would have to deal with the "miss Mommy Daddy" every time we called. But once a day around dinner time and we would talk about his day and ours then he got to eat so he didn't have time to be sad.

I can't speak for all kids but mine are happy when I leave them with their grandparents where they get spoiled and veggies are optional. They are happy when I get back but leaving was harder on me then them...but I got over it.

Next week I'm taking the boys to my in-laws and going to meet my sisters for a long weekend in Memphis and I can't wait!