vacationing a whole new way!

Yes, a whole new vacation experience. Thats what it is when you travel with a 9 month old or I should put it this way, when you travel with a child. So far I was used to just travel with Lance or by myself but those days have gone and what stays is the memory. Little did I know that one day I will have to share 2 thirds of my suitcase with my little man's stuff. I hardly even think of what I will be wearing but make sure he has all the right outfits (-; It does not seize to amaze me how many things such a little person already needs. whenever we left the hotel I could be sure that I forgot at least one thing. Pacifier, ricepuffs and teether are all essential items now but the worst case szenario is when I forget the diaper (-; Gone are the days that make you run towards the ocean to jump in once you reach the beach. Instead I better make sure that Liam is coverd with sunscreen from head to toe, keep him from taking off his sunhat and try my very best to keep him from eating sand! oh yes and sitting in the shade the whole day is a new experience for me too. Needless to say that I loved the moments of pure relaxation when we took the crib from the hotelroom and Liam actually took his naps at the pool. I am really not looking for compassion and for everyone that has seen our pictures I don't think that I would get any anyway. Of course we had a wonderful vacation and I would have missed Liam terribly if he would not have been with us but it is a totally different kind of vacation now and every parent has been there and knows that. I could just tell whenever I saw other parents pushing strollers or walking with their kids you smile at each other and there is this connection. It's like "welcome to our world". The best lesson of parenting learned so far is probably that there is no more "me, me, me!" but instead there is Liams needs first (as long as it is sleeping, changing or eating) and I am sorry Lance if I have not learned that in the past 3 and a half years we have been married(-;