1. It was my first vacation as a Mom. Vacations aren't quite the same when you have children. I collected a stack of magazines before my trip that had been piling up pretty much since Stella was born - they're still sitting unread. I still got up every morning at 6 am to my child who I swear has a hallow leg. But it was amazing. I got to witness Stella's introduction to the ocean; her first time in a swimming pool; her first time seeing a Monet, Warhol and Van Gogh. I got to pick sand out of all of her rolls and watch her create such happiness with everyone she encountered. It got me far, far away from my day job and my millions of electronic devices at home. It reset me.
2. This vacation marked my first vacation with extended family in a long time. This time, it was with my husband's side. It was so much more than I even expected. It was so great spending real time with them and having Stella bond with each and every one of them. It is a trip I will never forget.
3. And lastly, it taught me that it's okay to turn the reigns over to someone else. Due to the fact that I am a Type A personality and the fact that I work in the medical field, I am a complete and utter control freak. I have a very hard time letting people do things for me. This has become especially worse since Stella was born. In fact, it's kind of ridiculous. But being around 20 people who wanted to spend time with her forced me to let go. Let go of the fact that I have to be the one to feed her (I'm not the only person on earth who knows how to warm her food), I'm the only one who can put her to bed and if you're tired, it's okay to dare I say it, take a nap (I took a few on our trip!)! I am not cured by any means, but it was nice to learn to let go.
On our way back, we stopped in Washington DC for a day and Pittsburgh for lunch on the way home (mmmm.. Primanti Brothers). Here are a few pieces of what we experienced on our amazing first trip as a family.
