BabyMoon
Whoever thought of a babymoon was a genius! I guess it is a pretty straightforward idea...taking some time out alone with your spouse before the baby comes and turns your life upside down! It makes good sense. I don't think I'd exactly compare it with a honeymoon...but it has been very good for my husband and I to get away before each of our children was born.
When we were planning a getaway for the end of this pregnancy, I was still in my 2nd trimester and feeling great. We tossed around the idea of flying somewhere, visiting a new city and doing some sight-seeing. Then, I really thought about it, and considered that by 35 weeks pregnant, I might not exactly feel like walking all day or have the energy to tackle sightseeing in a brand new place that I would for sure want to explore. So...my husband and I decided to go the more realistic (& economical!) route: a long weekend away at the coast, where we've been several times, and where our relatives have a beach house that we were able to use for the weekend. I'm glad we had the foresight to choose this option, as this past weekend, I was really in need of lazing around with no agenda, free to take naps whenever, and no feelings of guilt for not getting out and "doing" or "seeing" more. My parents graciously took care of our other 2 kids for while we were gone, which we are SO grateful for. Thank you!!!
So for the sake of documenting...after dropping off our eldest at school and our daughter at her grandparents, we hit the road. We took a round-about way to the coast. Without kids, we felt so much freedom to stop at road-side stands, and to explore restaurants and stores along the way. With 3G access to Yelp, we felt like we could go anywhere! We had a lovely lunch on Thursday in San Juan Bautista at La Casa Rosa. I would have passed this place up thinking it was a typical Mexican restaurant, but not the case! We ate out on the patio in the garden and were served soufflés that were quite yummy. They also featured homemade jams & chutneys... The owner was super friendly and chatted it up with us...very fun!
We continued on to the Gilroy Outlets (a dangerous place) for some shopping, then kept on driving to the Bay Area where we shopped at a few stores we don't have access to where we live (The Container Store & IKEA). Remember what I said about not having energy to be on my feet much? Well, I guess that doesn't apply to shopping! Actually it was so nice to have time to browse in stores without kids and also have my husband to bounce ideas around with, since we are in the process of reorganizing and restructuring several areas within our house. After 10 years in one place, and adding 3 kids, we gotta clear a lot of junk out and get things running a little more smoothly!
We did arrive at the beach house before bedtime on Thursday night, and Friday...we did NOTHING! It was beautiful. Slept in, went for a long walk on the beach, bought sandwiches for lunch...took a nap in the afternoon and went out to pizza for dinner.. We even stopped at Redbox and got a movie for the evening. Saturday was more of the same, actually. The weather was overcast our first two days there, which was a welcome relief, knowing that it was 3 digit weather back home, we totally enjoyed the cool weather and wearing long sleeves. My swelling was much less over there too, I could actually see the bones in my ankles again! After another long nap on Saturday afternoon, we actually did start the car and drive somewhere. We went into Capitola for dinner, at a restaurant my husband's co-workers had recommended: Shadowbrook. It was in a really neat location, built on the side of a hill, creating 6 different levels for dining. It was wooded and green and the views were of gardens and a river/jetty coming in off the ocean. They even have a "hillevator" to transport guests from the parking lot down to the restaurant. This was obviously a very nice restaurant, & our little splurge for the weekend. It was a nice way to celebrate this new baby's arrival.
After dinner, we drove into Santa Cruz and walked up & down the boardwalk. That definitely took us back to our younger years! We had a lot of fun reminiscing & even played a round of DDR for old times' sake. Then, we walked around downtown in Santa Cruz, which offers lots of fun places to see. Most notable was the Penny Ice Creamery. I was so intrigued by this place that supposedly employs a professional forager to help create their ice cream flavors! Their ice cream is all-natural, organic and made from scratch in house. With flavors like strawberry pink peppercorn, Earl Grey, Balsamic Fig, & Blackberry Corn, wouldn't you be intrigued? I went with the Earl Grey, and it was fantastic!
One thing we did talk about a lot over the weekend was how we are feeling about having a 3rd child and how we anticipate it affecting us. We also are still debating names! Girls' names have always been harder for us to agree on, but we think we are down to our top two or three names. This weekend was a good chance to focus on this child, without being distracted by the others! Through this pregnancy, life has been operating at a much faster pace than when I was pregnant with my first two kids, so I've felt guilty that this child hasn't gotten as much hype or attention. I feel like the pregnancy has gone very quickly and that I haven't had much time to reflect on the reality that we are becoming a family of five, that God has amazing plans for this child, as well as how she will impact and change the rest of us. It's still hard for me to wrap my brain around the idea that my heart will be expanding yet again to love another child as much as I love my first two children. Perhaps this is nothing that my brain will ever understand, it will just happen. At any rate, it was good for my husband and I to have some time alone with this child, and to anticipate what's in store for us. It wasn't that long ago that I wondered if I would ever get to be pregnant at all, let alone to have a second or third child. And I'll be honest, there are plenty of fears and anxieties too (not looking forward to childbirth and sleepless nights!) but I am humbled really, to be a Mama. I think this one is going to be an emotional one for me.
Back to documenting...Sunday was a beautiful, clear, sunny day! We went for a last long walk where the waves were coming in so quickly, my shoes and ankles got soaking wet. Then, we made a small detour on the way home to Gizdich Farms, recommended for their you-pick fields, and they are in the middle of apple season now. SO, we spent a small fortune picking apples (come to find out the price was basically no different if we just bought them in their store) and bought a piece of dutch apple pie a la mode....MMMM! Then back home...where we were eagerly greeted by our kiddos. It was good to see them & give them big hugs. Now, back to life and waiting...
When we were planning a getaway for the end of this pregnancy, I was still in my 2nd trimester and feeling great. We tossed around the idea of flying somewhere, visiting a new city and doing some sight-seeing. Then, I really thought about it, and considered that by 35 weeks pregnant, I might not exactly feel like walking all day or have the energy to tackle sightseeing in a brand new place that I would for sure want to explore. So...my husband and I decided to go the more realistic (& economical!) route: a long weekend away at the coast, where we've been several times, and where our relatives have a beach house that we were able to use for the weekend. I'm glad we had the foresight to choose this option, as this past weekend, I was really in need of lazing around with no agenda, free to take naps whenever, and no feelings of guilt for not getting out and "doing" or "seeing" more. My parents graciously took care of our other 2 kids for while we were gone, which we are SO grateful for. Thank you!!!
So for the sake of documenting...after dropping off our eldest at school and our daughter at her grandparents, we hit the road. We took a round-about way to the coast. Without kids, we felt so much freedom to stop at road-side stands, and to explore restaurants and stores along the way. With 3G access to Yelp, we felt like we could go anywhere! We had a lovely lunch on Thursday in San Juan Bautista at La Casa Rosa. I would have passed this place up thinking it was a typical Mexican restaurant, but not the case! We ate out on the patio in the garden and were served soufflés that were quite yummy. They also featured homemade jams & chutneys... The owner was super friendly and chatted it up with us...very fun!
We continued on to the Gilroy Outlets (a dangerous place) for some shopping, then kept on driving to the Bay Area where we shopped at a few stores we don't have access to where we live (The Container Store & IKEA). Remember what I said about not having energy to be on my feet much? Well, I guess that doesn't apply to shopping! Actually it was so nice to have time to browse in stores without kids and also have my husband to bounce ideas around with, since we are in the process of reorganizing and restructuring several areas within our house. After 10 years in one place, and adding 3 kids, we gotta clear a lot of junk out and get things running a little more smoothly!
We did arrive at the beach house before bedtime on Thursday night, and Friday...we did NOTHING! It was beautiful. Slept in, went for a long walk on the beach, bought sandwiches for lunch...took a nap in the afternoon and went out to pizza for dinner.. We even stopped at Redbox and got a movie for the evening. Saturday was more of the same, actually. The weather was overcast our first two days there, which was a welcome relief, knowing that it was 3 digit weather back home, we totally enjoyed the cool weather and wearing long sleeves. My swelling was much less over there too, I could actually see the bones in my ankles again! After another long nap on Saturday afternoon, we actually did start the car and drive somewhere. We went into Capitola for dinner, at a restaurant my husband's co-workers had recommended: Shadowbrook. It was in a really neat location, built on the side of a hill, creating 6 different levels for dining. It was wooded and green and the views were of gardens and a river/jetty coming in off the ocean. They even have a "hillevator" to transport guests from the parking lot down to the restaurant. This was obviously a very nice restaurant, & our little splurge for the weekend. It was a nice way to celebrate this new baby's arrival.
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| The "hillevator" |
After dinner, we drove into Santa Cruz and walked up & down the boardwalk. That definitely took us back to our younger years! We had a lot of fun reminiscing & even played a round of DDR for old times' sake. Then, we walked around downtown in Santa Cruz, which offers lots of fun places to see. Most notable was the Penny Ice Creamery. I was so intrigued by this place that supposedly employs a professional forager to help create their ice cream flavors! Their ice cream is all-natural, organic and made from scratch in house. With flavors like strawberry pink peppercorn, Earl Grey, Balsamic Fig, & Blackberry Corn, wouldn't you be intrigued? I went with the Earl Grey, and it was fantastic!
One thing we did talk about a lot over the weekend was how we are feeling about having a 3rd child and how we anticipate it affecting us. We also are still debating names! Girls' names have always been harder for us to agree on, but we think we are down to our top two or three names. This weekend was a good chance to focus on this child, without being distracted by the others! Through this pregnancy, life has been operating at a much faster pace than when I was pregnant with my first two kids, so I've felt guilty that this child hasn't gotten as much hype or attention. I feel like the pregnancy has gone very quickly and that I haven't had much time to reflect on the reality that we are becoming a family of five, that God has amazing plans for this child, as well as how she will impact and change the rest of us. It's still hard for me to wrap my brain around the idea that my heart will be expanding yet again to love another child as much as I love my first two children. Perhaps this is nothing that my brain will ever understand, it will just happen. At any rate, it was good for my husband and I to have some time alone with this child, and to anticipate what's in store for us. It wasn't that long ago that I wondered if I would ever get to be pregnant at all, let alone to have a second or third child. And I'll be honest, there are plenty of fears and anxieties too (not looking forward to childbirth and sleepless nights!) but I am humbled really, to be a Mama. I think this one is going to be an emotional one for me.
Comments
It's been fun this morning catching up on other families' happenings. So glad you and Alan got time together alone before #3!