The Weekend of Boat Love and Dog Years

This weekend was our annual trip to Mystic, Connecticut. We normally spend the majority of our time at the Aquarium but this year it was all about the boats for a certain young man in our family.

But let’s back up a moment. We couldn’t just leave town Saturday morning as originally planned. Oh no, that would be too easy. First we had to make a pit stop at the pediatrician’s office for Ellie, because I had a sinking suspicion she’d finally caught the strep that we just seem to be passing around the family. Thank goodness for Saturday hours because yup, she has strep. So it was a quick pause at the pharmacy and then we hit the road.

Leo in travel garb.

We made decent time in spite of the late start and arrived in time for lunch at one of our favorite spots.

Leo could not stop talking about the boats. He was basically furious at the young family who parked their boat next to the dock of the restaurant. Leo could not understand why he too couldn't join them when they left.

That's when we decided to skip the Aquarium and opt for the Seaport.

This year’s visit was much different than last year. A certain little girl is now mobile and quite opinionated. She did not understand why she couldn’t walk along the docks (you know, the ones next to Open Water) without a held hand. I’ll just cut to the chase: I’m a Nervous Nelly. I fully admit. I am terrified of kids and water, particularly my kids. There’s Leo, who doesn’t listen and is prone to unpredictable, quick movements, and there is Ellie who is, well, a month from turning two. Enough said.

So since playing by the dock wasn’t scary enough, we went back to the hotel to go swimming in the pool. Seriously, that was fine. Ellie basically squealed with happiness for the first ten minutes in the pool. One glitch: the part where Leo switched gears from jumping into Erin’s arms and managed to make a break for the hot tub, located right next to the pool. Thank goodness for the nice family that was in the hot tub who caught him and kept him from going completely under. Heart attack special, that’s all I can say about that.

The hotel room was trashed within minutes of our arrival. Leo and Ellie are worse than any rock band when it comes to quick destruction. All the telephones were swiftly unplugged, small appliances hidden.

We decided to lay low the rest of the evening.

The kids were tired. We were more tired. There was room service pizza, “Finding Nemo” on cable and finally, bed.

Waiting for dinner to be served.

Make that, attempted bed. Ellie had other plans.

Seriously, Ellie? Refusing to sleep in a big queen bed with Mommy? (Erin and Leo bunked in the other bed, no way we were all going to be in one bed and live to see morning.) Choosing instead to roam around a dark room, chatting to yourself while your moms pleaded with you and your poor, hysterically overtired brother literally cried himself to sleep? That was the night that felt endless, interminable, yes, a night that could be counted in dog years. I’m being a bit dramatic, I know. It only took her about an hour to settle down before she finally just passed out. I knew she would, but there is that irrational fear of What If? What if she never goes to sleep? What if I’m awake all night?

Just remember:
“Going away with kids is not a vacation, it’s a trip.”

On to the evidence:

The captain of our ship at Mystic Seaport.

More boat driving at the Seaport's playground, located right next to the wonderful little Children's Museum. A great find!

A suspicious stowaway

A cranky captain

Lunch at Seaview Snackbar . Yes, heartburn on a tray but TOTALLY worth it.

Lastly, the back view of the t-shirt I stupidly didn't buy. I've been regretting it since we left.