Back in September I travelled to Alberta after my Aunt died to attend her memorial and see my cousins. It was a quick trip. Driving straight through staying a few nights and flying home. I felt bad that Craig could not join me and that I was leaving him home alone with the girls for three nights (despite the fact that he has had to leave me with the three girls while he travelled for work). I decided to take one of the girls with me.
The decision wasn’t as hard as one might think since Piper had school and Quinn was a bit young to sit in a car seat for 15 or so hours. I took Davilyn. We drove with my parents and my Aunt and Davilyn was … Amazing.
Even though the reason for the trip was heartbreaking, that time with Davilyn was awesome. I spent three nights and four days with her. I didn’t even mind that she slept in the same bed as I did even though our hotel room had two. I was happy to have that time with her.
We visited with family. Went shopping. Had meals in restaurants and she had my undivided attention. Which is extremely hard to come by in a busy family of five. I am sure she loved it but not as much as I did. I wish I could do that with each of them.
When I was due with Quinn, life at home was hard for a bit. I wasn’t very productive and really couldn’t do much. I spent about three nights in the hospital when I was about 33 weeks and a week when she arrived at 35 weeks. I knew my girls at home were missing me and I thought Piper needed me the most. She was old enough to be aware that she was actually missing me.
So a few months after Quinn arrived, I booked a hotel room and Piper and I went out for the entire night together. We had supper out, went swimming, went to a movie and stayed up later than usual watching television. We had a wonderful time.
It is so hard to carve out that one on one time. We try to do it on a regular basis. Craig or I will take Piper to a Jets game. Or simply one of us stays with one while the other runs errands with two of the others.
It’s a juggling act and I wish we could do weekends away more often. That was extra special.
