I just read about how vacationing with twins is not a vacation.
It got me thinking… they might be right.
We Could Have...
For one, the packing. Since we’ve embarked on this mission a few days ago (I know it’s last minute, I’m an edge-of-my-seat seat-of-my-pants kinda girl), I’ve been up in the middle of the night, listening to my husband softly snore (is softly snore an oxymoron?), making mental notes of everything we need for the two weeks we’ll be in Mexico. Two weeks… Ay. Ya. Ya. We might as well be moving there for a month or a year.
While I know this is going to be fun, I do feel like I’m planning for war. Or at least a battle when travelling with twin babies. *sigh* Operation Sayulita, counting down the hours. I had all these different little piles of stuff and perpetual To-Do notes, trying to remember everything I need to bring. Instead of our usual backpack carry-on, we have a large rolling suitcase with us. It’s different with babies. I bought expensive sunscreens and pricey kids’ bug spray and medicines that I never would normally take.
Practicing using the sun tent
As I’m bringing my little hand blender, I’m wondering if I should bring a squash too. Is it illegal to bring in squash to Mexico? I’m sure squash is there but I don’t want to risk it not being there just the same. Squash is like the perfect packaged food for babies really. [Note: After much discussion with the husband, I've been banned from packing a squash.]
We had two choices of where to stay. One a very slick and glam villa, and one very simple and tucked away. We chose the simple studio with a garden and small dipping pool, rather than the sophisticated two-bedroom. It has a little grassy section at the entrance, which is safer for the boys trying to stand on than the ubiquitous large clay tiles making up the patios in most of the other rentals. It’s at the far end of town but worth it for comfort to two crawling and standing boys.
We Did
The hubby and I have no assumptions about sitting around in lounge chairs and casually sipping lime margaritas. We know we literally have our hands full, until the babies’ nap-time. We will always be wearing or holding a baby. I don’t think Ryan would like being in the packnplay unless he was sleeping, but that is a possibility during the day if we went for a nano-dip in the pool. I imagine I will have to cover the hard clay floor with the mattress and little sofa cushions creating a big floor sofa for the boys to walk on.
A useful tip from that article was that you should board the plane last, not first. That is possibly a good idea, as long as our seats are checked in. But I still think I will board first and take advantage of that time to chill out with babies and try to get all of us on one row. Some airlines have only one extra oxygen mask per row. That means we have to sit one behind the other for two of our connecting flights. There is one stop in Seattle to change planes and back off again. Better than driving the five hours to Seattle, but still tiring.
INSIDE the Tent, Logie
I worry about their little ears when landing because when I was young my ears hurt all the time during long flights, they felt like they would bleed! sometimes. I hope their ears don’t hurt, or I will need to nurse them on take-off and landing. Although thinking back, I also had many ear infections when I was young, so that could’ve contributed to the pain. Horrible things are ear infections. Wouldn’t wish an ear infection on anyone.
Which is another thing. I bought travel insurance for the first time. Never bought travel insurance before. Now it’s important. Also bringing a full first aid kit. Generally I bring a little aloe vera and tea tree oil, but you have to be extra careful with babies. Now it’s electrolytes, thermometers, and baby Tylenol. My little munchins. I love them so much. I can’t wait to hang out and play with them and watch them grow on this adventure in the little fishing town by the sea.
Travel Insurance is the BOMB! Had to use it for Oak in Chang Mai when he got the Swine Flu. But you guys are so healthy and will have the best time. enjoy.
Nooo, dude, the Oakster got Swine Flu? Holy scary batman!