Babymoon bliss

I realized that in my flu-induced haze, I haven’t updated you on our recent babymoon. In a word, it was fabulous!

Our plan was to meet up with friends in Boston for a surprise 40th birthday celebration. Even though Boston is only a six-hour drive from Ithaca, we decided to fly. Leaving Aaron with his grandma, I admit I felt a bit teary.

We got to the airport in time to grab a quick lunch and hop on our flight. That’s when I started to feel antsy. For the first time in a long time, I had no to-do list, no one depending on me for food or entertainment, and nothing to clean. It felt downright awkward. My husband settled into the airline magazine crossword puzzle, and I gazed out the window thinking, “What am I going to do with myself all weekend?” (In hindsight, it was clear proof that I needed to get away.)

Once in Boston, we checked into a swank boutique hotel, watched a little TV, and Paul sipped on a glass of champagne. At that point, even without the bubbly, I was feeling absolutely giddy. That evening, we surprised our friend at a dinner in Boston’s North End, which is known across the country for their amazing Italian food. It felt so comforting to connect with good friends that I hadn’t seen in a long time.

For the rest of the weekend, we just hung out. I took leisurely trips to the hotel gym with my girlfriends in the mornings. We had slow, delicious meals with lots of great conversation about everything from religion to politics to whether men should wear skinny jeans. (Our verdict was no.) We window shopped and took afternoon naps before dinner. It was complete bliss. Even though my feet were the first to get sore, walking around in the city pregnant certainly felt like less work than chasing after a toddler pregnant.

On Sunday, Paul and I were the last of our friends to leave town. We spent the afternoon strolling around the city before grabbing a bus to the airport. It was then that I started to feel wistful for home. Two short flights later, I was peeking into Aaron’s room to tuck him in. And feeling like a much more refreshed and centered mom – certainly better prepared for the joys and challenges that will come with two little people in our house.