Vacations- Post by Aimee

Vacations

Bill and I like vacations. We love car trips and have taken several. We’ve driven with the kids to Yellowstone, New Mexico, Wyoming and twice to Oregon.  People ask if we have a DVD player in the car. We do not. Most people seem perplexed as to what four people in a car would do all day, especially with a kid like Sophie. Let me tell you these road trips are pieces of pure gold. We laugh, listen to NPR radio shows, I read aloud to the family and we share secret jokes that only the four of us know. Vacations are special to me.

This year we’ve decided to come to Palm Springs for a few days.  This should be super simple. Two hours away. A hotel Sophie is familiar with and likes. No problem.  So why do I feel like taking a trip is like climbing a mountain with a shoestring instead of a rope?

 Let me begin with the anxiety it provokes in Sophie. She becomes so worked up that the time leading up to the foray is akin to be questioned by FBI. Where will go? When will we go? How long will it take? When will we go? What room will we have? How long will it take?  You get my drift. Packing is a gargantuan mission. I have to remember the medications, the toys, the night lights. Let me tell you that I have forgotten the underwear on more than one occasion, hers and mine!

Upon arrival there is much jumping, sniffing of me and others, pacing the room, smelling things in the room, questions about the lights and if they can be kept on all night. I try and unpack as quickly and as efficiently as I can all while Sophie is asking me rapid fire questions if I hesitate when answering it leads to more questions along the line of why are you ignoring me? Don’t you love me? She is pulling on my clothes this whole time and more than once I get choked by my shirt as I try and move towards the dresser.

 Once settled we decided to go for a swim. Bathing suits on, sunscreen was applied and flip flopped feet set off for the pool. Since it is well over one hundred degrees the pool is the place to be. We locate some lounge chairs and prepare to sit down but first I need to locate Sophie’s goggles, she has not yet put her face in the water, help her off with her shorts, get her some ice water and put her hat on.  She walks to the “baby” pool. I sit down making sure I can see her and as soon as I lean back she calls “Mom, I need my water”  I take the water and come back preparing to open my magazine and hear, “Mom, I am hungry”  “Mom, I have to go to the bathroom” “Mom, I need more water” “Mom, watch this” Mom, Mom, Mom. I want to change my name.

Dinner time is next. Please note that Sophie enjoys only ONE restaurant; Islands. Islands is a chain of burger joints with a surf theme. My mom takes her there every Wednesday and she always orders the same meal; Tortilla soup no cheese add a side of jalapeno peppers, tortilla chips and a small spoon. Naively we decide a Mexican restaurant is a good choice since they may have tortilla soup. WRONG!

The place is very charming but also very loud. This causes Sophie to stim, flick us, smell us, make high pitched noises and bounce up and down. Then I remember the little gem I packed into my purse……Earplugs! After a few minutes of debate she allows me to put them in and it’s incredible. She becomes mild, her hands quiet, her bouncing slows and we are able to have a meal.

For the next five days we live somewhere between the deluxe land of pampered hote  life and meltdown reef. It is balancing act but isn’t so much of life? Don’t we all strive to hit the sweet spot between working and home life, health and indulgence and dreaming and reality?

Taking Sophie on vacation is not easy but boy is it worth it. If we had not been on vacation we would have missed her putting her face into the pool for the first time. We would not have had tickle fights on the big hotel bed and we would not have had the chance to add more memories. Most importantly we would not have had the opportunity to help Sophie grow and experience things out of her comfort zone.