Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Palm Springs Redux

     It turns out that I have been blogging long enough that I am now able to write sequels. It is hard to top last years Palm Springs adventure (if you haven't read it yet, and want a good laugh, click here), so I won't try.
     After last years "success" we were far more gung-ho to go away this year than last. This year, both my sisters-in-law and their families came to LA for winter break and so the whole family was going away together. Everyone was going for 2 nights and 3 days. My husband and I decided that two days and one night was enough for our oldest. I did not want to take off to much time from work anyway, and so we decided that I would come home with him a day early. We came armed with our babysitter, plenty of snacks and technology and off we went.
     I drove with the kids and babysitter and my husband hitched a ride with one of his sisters. Happily, I employed a GPS this time and made it in great time (it helps when you don't drive two hours out of the way). The kids did great in the car, until the last 10 minutes, but I have no complaints about that.
     When we got there, my son needed some time to adjust to the new setting. He doesn't transition easily and was having a bit of a hard time, so I set off to the pool with the younger two and my husband took him for a drive and some ice cream. By the time he got back to the hotel he was ready to swim and enjoy. He did great the rest of the first day and even slept late the next  morning.
     The second day was a little more challenging, but overall, he did great. (The thing about him is that even when he is great, he is a handful.) I made sure to pack it in around 3:30 so we could leave on a high note. All in all, it was a great and hugely successful trip. My younger kids had an amazing time with their cousins and  my oldest did great. Yes, I did have to lie to him and tell him that both Monday and Tuesday this week were a holiday so that he would be able to get in the car and leave the city and not fear missing the mailman (that one may not work next year since he saw the mail when we got home and couldn't get over that the mailman came on a holiday). Yes, I had to feed him way to many snacks on the way so that he would be OK for the drive. But truthfully, he did great and I am really proud of him.
     The problem is that I am a glass half empty kind of girl. I wish I weren't, but sadly I am. As I got in the car to drive home, I was truly proud of his success but at the same time I felt myself tearing up. I was crying, because even though he was a total rock star I still dream of a "normal" life and a "normal" family. I still wished that we could be a family that could all go away together for 3 days and not two. I wished that I didn't have to end the vacation early in order for it to be successful. I recognize fully, that this is my problem and not his. I know that I should accept our family for who we are and not for what other families are. But it is hard. So while I am insanely proud of my son for being amazing and allowing us to have a nice family vacation, I still wish.
    Like I said, glass half empty...