When Mom Goes on Vacation

This weekend I crossed one of those really big mom milestones - I went on a trip ALONE.

Dun, dun, DUN!

Sitting in the window seat in an exit row! Oh the luxuries I didn't know I missed while traveling with kids!

But really, that's what seemed to be playing in every stranger's head while I answered the "where are you traveling to?" question. 

Their eyes get big when they figure out I have kids (their faces on my lock screen is a pretty dead giveaway.)

Landed in Texas to rays of sunshine breaking through the clouds and birds singing. Seriously. Can't make this stuff up.

"But what are the kids going to do?!"

The hotel with inside the Houston Galleria. It's a lot bigger and swankier than I recall.

Well I'm told they: went to the park, the farmers market, the store, for walks. They helped make pesto, fennel onion jam, and chocolate macaroons. They had their naps, meals, playtime, and snuggles with Daddy.

I am ready for Texas Independence Day! TexIce FTW!

I came home to sleeping babies, a clean house, food in the fridge, and less laundry than after a normal weekend.

Hubby done good!

This is JoAnn. We have a crazy number of similarities, and a shared love for our friend Mary, so we were wedding buddies! 

But, really, what needs to happen before we can stop our societal wide assumption that Dads are, by nature, incompetent to solo parent and keep a house running? It's not like I was born knowing how to do it either.

My beautiful little Mary is all grown up and happily married! *tears*

 Like any role in life, there was a learning curve. 

I generally work on the assumption that people are capable of learning, and I certainly want to give my spouse the assumption of competence. It just seems like the loving thing to do.

Semi-traditional pre-wedding Sidecar. It's a thing.

Caribbean station food! The wedding was travel themed, and all of the food stations were foods from places the bride and groom had traveled together. 

Of course it makes sense to set your spouse up for success.

I made some soup to have in the fridge so he wouldn't have to scramble to make a meatless dinner his first solo day. I made sure to tell him about how our day routine has been going recently.

I did not expect him to be telepathic and "just know" how to do things. 

The women of the "Mary's friends" table.

I am most proud of him for taking both kids to the Saturday evening mass. Entirely on his own.

Walked over to this church for the 7:30 mass. Yea for churches near hotels!

There was one bathroom break, but that was it. 

No one needed to be taken out for being loud or out of control.

They were a very sweet parish. If you were a visitor who needed a ride back to your hotel, you were encouraged to stop by the welcome table for a ride. Oh Southern hospitality how I missed thee!

 Well so much for needing Mom because I have never successfully pulled that kind of solo mass experience with the kids.

Connected through Vegas. It's an odd airport. Lots of neon lighting, slot machines everywhere, and special room where you can smoke inside. So. Weird.

 As nice as it was to have a break, I really did miss everyone.

How John narrates his entire life. When he wasn't there to be SUPER EXCITED about any little thing I found. How Therese "hugs" by throwing herself into your lap and you just have to surrender to all the baby love. How Matt would have danced with me and made funny faces the whole time.

I got back pretty late last night so I didn't get to see the kids until this morning. Here is my favorite John quote:

"First we gonna get dressed, then I gonna hug momma. Then we gonna SNUGGLE! Then we gotta eat our breakfast. Eat it up - mmm, mmm, good! - grow BBBBIIIIGGGG and STR-WRONG!"

Ahhh, home.