Ever since baby #4 wonderfully came into our life my husband and I started talking more and more about doing some weekend aways. Yup, minus children…just the two of us. We’ve never done that EVER in the last 5 years since we’ve been on the baby-making path…can you believe it?! I think it has always had to do with not really having any close family around, breastfeeding each child for well over a year, getting pregnant every other year and consequently nauseous and sick as can be for at least the first 4 months of each pregnancy, and then having them so close in age that there was always some milestone we were facing…”oh, you’re just getting teeth in? what you want to start jumping out of your crib at night? hey, let’s bunk two of the kids in one room! Cool, everyone is throwing up an hour before our date night starts” Good but very busy times.
Anyways, we finally decided that starting in 2012 (and once I started feeling well again!) that we would take one weekend a month and go away…anywhere…just the two of us. We figured the kids all seemed to be in a good place and Noah and Penny are actually old enough to be really good helpers so they could tell anyone visiting exactly where their snacks are and how their bedtime routine goes, etc.
A few weeks ago, we did it. We left for a long weekend with no children. We headed into Chicago since we thought it would be a great beginners trip for us. You know, in case we had to rush back home because someone needed an emergency appendectomy we weren’t too far away (seriously, isn’t that the way it always seems to go?) Plus there are always a million things we want to do there that never seem fun when you have three little ones. Can you imagine heading to the Museum of Modern Art with my three kids…ummm, no!
Clif made a reservation at a super swanky hotel. Did the hotel have a pool? How would I know, we didn’t have our kids!! Our room was filled with modern art and very funky furniture. Definitely glad it was just us or our hotel bill would have dramatically increased with the amount of damage they would have done in there.
Of course it snowed a big scary meteorologist’s dream snow right before we left but that wasn’t going to stop us, hey we made reservations! Of course Eloise would just happen to come down with the croup two days before we left (really?) but we felt our babysitters (grandma and grandpa) could handle it, and they did. All went very well, hooray!
Clif and I were able to spend lots of time talking, holding hands, and just enjoying being with each other. It was perfect. ‘Hey guess what? I can hear you without you needing to yell‘ oh, it’s the little things!
We ate lots of delicious foods…chocolate almond croissants with chai tea for breakfasts…
Grown-up ham and cheese with Gruyere, Aged White Cheddar, and Brie for a lite lunch out.
Eating out without our 3-ring circus might have been my favorite part! I love them all so much, but… 🙂
Of course we had to stop at Sweet Mandy B’s on the way home to pick the kids up something special just for them. These cupcakes were a hit.
I love this bakery. If you are ever in the Chicago area you.must.go. It is full of those yummy sweets and treats you ate as a kid, the recipes aren’t doctored with so everything tastes just like you remember it. I took home a peanut butter rice krispie bar the size of my head…okay, my hand, but it felt like it was that big!
And of course, since we didn’t have any children with us, I just had to ask Clif to make one last stop our way home. Yup, home of the blue and yellow and so much more fun to browse when you can actually think clearly 🙂
What a great and needed long weekend away.
It made coming home to their smiling faces awesome. And getting back into the swing of things the following Monday not so bad. I suppose all of us parents need that every now and again, right? Not sure why we waited so long to do it.
Do you ever get to do fun things like that with just your significant other and you?
Now the big question is where should we go next?
XOXO,
looks like you had a great time. As a mom of 3 kiddos, I too know how crazy-hard it is to have a few moments alone with your spouse. I live in Aurora, just 35 miles west of Chicago. If you’re not too far from the area, Geneva or Galena are fun towns to visit too. Lots of cute shops and bed and breakfasts. 🙂
I totally understand your need to get away with each other!!! Around Christmas we did a day trip to Ottawa, and it was heavenly!!!
So glad you found time for yourselves. I havent had a date with my hubby in 3 months and it shows. Love how clif is looking at you in his picture. He loves you very much.
Clif looks at you with so much love. It’s great to see that!
We have three children, they are 5 and a half, 4, and 2 and a half. There is just under 3 years between the oldest and youngest. In the last 5 and a half years we have had 3 weekends away together and a handful of dates.
I have to say, it sounds like you had a wonderful time. Our dates normally feel odd, and our weekends away normally turn out quite badly for the first day at least. Generally they get better. I think it takes us time to adjust to each other as people, rather than just parents.
I hope you get to keep up your weekends away.
Yay for Grammy and Gramps for taking on the duty! And what a nice weekend you had…..the first of many, many more! And yeah, I’d be heading for a museum, too; always better at a slow and quiet pace! :o)
I think we once talked via email how similar our lives are: We had 3 kids in a little over 3 years. Our oldest is about to turn 5 and we have never been anywhere without them – unless I was in the hospital delivering one of their siblings! In 2 weeks we will be going away for the first time. However, it’s only for 1 night. I told M that I really don’t care where we go as long as we go together, but it would be fun to do things in our town even.
So glad you got to do this. It’s supposed to be the best thing you can do for your marriage!
We just had our first night away too! We left our ten month old with grams and gramps and only ventured 15 minutes away to a little bed and breakfast. It was heaven, and much MUCH needed. So glad you and your hubby got some wonderful alone time. Looks like you had a blast 🙂
Glad you got away! Looks like a perfect weekend date! 🙂 We didn’t leave Ansley for a long time due to the colic/teething/feeding/screaming/no family close thing. She’s so much better now, thank goodness! 🙂
Weekend getaways are a must! So glad you had a great weekend!
On our first weekend alone a few months ago (our daughter is almost 2), we also went to IKEA! It was amazing to actually be able to wander around like we used to.
Also, it looks like you stayed at a hotel just down the street from where I am sitting right now! My work is two doors down and one floor up from that little seven eleven you can see in the bottom corner of the second photo. Of course I associate this area with work, so it’s not a place I would want to go for a break. But there certainly are a lot of thing to do around here. So glad you enjoyed yourself!
Looks like you had a brilliant time. Looks like you had some amazing food.
Sounds lovely and much needed!
I might be slightly jealous 🙂 That weekend sounds fantastic. Our youngest will be 1 soon, so I’m hoping a little weekend away might be in our not too distant future. Right now I’m just excited that my husband ACTUALLY has a night off next week and we are going to get a date night!
Good for you! Looks like you had a great time! My husband and I are getting ready for # 6 in about 4 weeks. And we’ve come to the realization that we NEED to do this kind of thing more often. Just two years ago, when my oldest was 7 and my youngest 18 m.o. we took a trip out of state! I couldn’t believe it, our first after 7 + years! And LOVED every minute of it. So, yes we NEED these little getaways, have fun and can’t wait to see what you do next =)
Oh how nice. Ikea without the kids, a weekend away. Sounds sublime, and all those food shots made me hungry too. 🙂
A weekend away sounds heavenly!! And ikea sans kids? Amazing!