Back to Reality

We spent all last week in Florida where we swam in the ocean, dug in the sand and laughed ourselves silly. Part of the reason for getting the mini-van was in preparation for the 18 hour trip to southwest Florida. The ease that it made traveling totally made up for any angst Milo and I felt making the switch. We were able to spread out, watch DVDs and enjoy a quiet ride. It made two days each way in the car with a two-year-old not so bad.

Once at our location, we had a simply lovely time. I was really hesitant to travel with Milo last year, but this year went quite smoothly and we all had a great time. It probably helped that he is a year older and a bit more flexible with his routine, but I think the key was having reinforcements with us. Some of Milo's favorite people (and mine too) were on the trip with us and between the five of us there was always someone to entertain and or keep Milo from walking off the end of the pier.

Some random things about our trip:

• Have you seen a baby sea turtle? I love them. I almost turtle napped one from the aquarium we visited. Poor little guys only have a 1 in 1000 chance of survival.
• Toddlers can evidently live on fries alone. And ketchup too of course.
• Milo started really talking during the trip. He picked up tons of new words and was less shy about using them. There was so much to see and do and so many people around to talk with that he just got right down to it.
• Part of this meant he wanted to order his own dinner when we go out at a night. FRIES please.
• At one restaurant, he so charmed the people around us that whole tables would wave and tell him goodbye upon leaving.
• The Gulf of Mexico is one of my favorite bodies of water. Milo jumped right in and would happily proclaim himself to be FLOATING while splashing around with his swimmies on.
• We had a breakthrough in sleeping arrangements on this trip. Milo has never when traveling wanted to sleep anywhere but with me, but this time he slept on his own little cot and was quite pleased about it.
• I already miss the beach and all of our family time spent together.