Key Largo

After a couple years off from our sunny holiday trips, we were glad to get back to the beach.   Instead of Mexico, we decided to try the Florida Keys this year.  My understanding is that Key Largo is most popular for scuba diving, but in the 70s there were several man-made beaches created to attract more sand and sun vacationers.  Our hotel had one of these private beaches and it was perfect for Oliver.  He was able to play in the ocean and enjoy the sand.  Plus, we could walk down to the beach right from our hotel room, and Oliver loved seeing the "pink" sunset and sunrises from our room.  We had two cool and windy days and the other two days were sunny and good beach weather.   The rooms were nothing fancy and the hotel restaurant was okay, but the short flight, easy access, and private beach made this the perfect holiday get-away for us.

On the coolest day, we made our own beach with some sand and rocks in the room, did crafts, bundled up and headed to the park, and went for pizza.  There is not much in the way of shopping in Key Largo, so I will confess that before the park, we stopped by the main shopping center (Kmart) to pick up a hot pink fleece and socks for me, a hot wheels bulldozer for Oliver, diet coke for Joe, and craft supplies.  At the park, we played in the sand, explored the grass, pushed the stroller, and rode the swing.  We could see the moon.  While swinging, I asked if he was going high, and he responded "high, moon" and pointed to the moon.  He then started talking about airplanes, astronauts and rockets....

Oliver making the best of a cool windy day in our hotel room.

Happy to be outside. 

Drawing, stickers, painting, glue and scissors.

 As for the sunny days, it was all about the ocean and beach!  His fingers were constantly pointing and he wanted to tell us about everything he was seeing.  

Water was cold, but he jumped right in.

He was more into destroying sand castles than building them.

The dump truck was his constant companion.

"Mommy, go."

His favorite thing to ask Mommy to draw: "draw, bus, please!"

We saw boats, jet skis, parasailers, seagulls (ack), seaweed, rocks, sand, etc.

We spent the morning of our last day at the beach before heading back to Miami for the aquarium and our late flight back home.  He played so hard that he fell asleep on the beach chair while eating his lunch, we carried him back to the hotel (soaked and sandy).  We took off his wet clothes and wrapped him in towels and he did not wake up.  He finally woke over an hour later in time to take a quick bath and check out of the hotel.

 Like all good vacations, it went by too fast.  But, I loved every minute of my holiday with my two favorite boys.

Miami

We collected a few memories on our way to the Keys, and our first stop was Miami.  We started our day at 3:30am, up and dressed, moved the luggage to the car, and then woke Oliver.  When Bonnie went in and woke him up, his first words were "airport", "gate", and "runway," and he was all smiles. He knew exactly what we were doing and what was happening (due to Bonnie’s days of pumping him up for the trip).

He did not sleep one wink on the way to the airport, nor during the process of getting on the plane. He was glued to the window while waiting for the plane to take off, and as we started to roll back from the gate, he was literally bouncing in the seat.   Basically, describing to us everything he saw....he stayed awake for another two hours excited and looking out the window.  Finally, 45 min before landing he fell sleep, cuddled as sweetly as can be in Bonnie's arms.

He managed to sleep while Bonnie carried him off the plane, to jet bridge and during the walk towards baggage claim but that was all. Too much to see!  Now Bonnie is telling him we will be going to the Museum in Miami.  So he can’t stop talking about the airport, planes, Miami and museum.

We headed toward the Miami Children's Museum.  Ever since Bonnie told him we were heading there, he kept asking, "mouse?"   This is because at the Madison Children's Museum in November, he got to pet a mouse.   After Bonnie responds with "maybe" several times, he seems satisfied and manages to lose his battle with sleep on the way to the museum.

The Miami Children's Museum was great.  One highlight was that when we arrived there were two school buses parked out front.  He spent some time in awe of the big buses and their wheels.  

"Bus...wheels...BIG!"

The first exhibit we saw was a big ship.  Below it was a fountain, populated with fish that the kids could catch with fishing pools (they were magnetic).  The first try he was interested, but the second time he was intent on catching a fish—worked at it with total concentration for at least 20 minutes.  

"Boat, Wheel"

"Fish"

 Among other things, he climbed through the tunnels and slid down the slides, enjoyed the Wizard of Oz exhibit including the farm animals, hugged the big bears at the teddy bear exhibit, and loved the life sized fire truck and animal hospital.  They also had a craft area, where Bonnie and Oliver spent some time drawing and Oliver decided to dip his feet in what he deemed a "letter pool", which was full of magnetic letters.

Ocean sounds tunnel:  no fear, just jumped in.

"Cow, milk"

"Let's Go"

"Open door"

"Letter Pool"

From the Children's Museum, we had a 1.5 hr drive down the coastal hwy towards the first "key" or island in the Florida Keys.  Interesting note:  a cay or key is a small, low landing consisting mostly of sand and coral, thus the Florida Keys.

So we are on this single lane hwy, Oliver is clearly stating he is "done" with driving and being in the car seat.  I have the bright idea if convincing Bonnie to let Oliver play with my iPhone to distract him for the remaining 30min.  Wrong move.

After about 5 minutes with the iphone, our son looks at Bonnie and verbalizes, "Done, No, No, No...." And proceeds to projectile vomit all over.  Bonnie does an excellent job of not over-reacting. I pull over; we strip him down; and clean him up, and as I am walking around the car, I hear another scream.  I rush back to the rear passenger side door only to find my son pointing at his mother's boob and saying "bee!"   Bonnie in as calm as anyone could be and is saying,  "shit, shit, shit…."  I open the door, and the bee flies away.  Oliver has learned another new set of phrases, which launches him into them deepest of belly laughs and 10 minutes of repeating the phrases "Mommy, bee, boobie" and “shit, shit, shit..."   Thankfully, I think that this was eclipsed by his evening at the beach in Key Largo.  We made it just in time to see the sun set, rush with no hesitation into the ocean for a walk, play on the beach, and see the moon. 

Wisconsin

For us, Wisconsin is usually referred to “going back home.”  Obviously, this was home to Joe for many years, and for me, it feels like a place you would go back home to.  Joe’s family is the main reason, but we have also come to view our trips back as a good way to reset our balance as a couple and now as a small family.  We try to slow down and leave some of our city life behind.  We also try to reconnect with old friends and family.  And when possible, we rest.  

This trip, we enjoyed watching Oliver fall in love again with his grandparents and Aunt & Uncle.  Joe and I had a date night (dinner with friends AND the musical Jersey Boys).  We spent time with our nieces, and they got to spend time with their cousin.  We saw a few sunrises.  Oliver learned some new words and spoke his first two-word phrases.  We ate a lot.  He rode in a real tractor, a real dump truck, and a real Digger.  He played in “fresh” dirt and breathed some fresh air.  We saw lots of the moon.  Oliver did not have to share his mama with work for most of the trip.  We visited the Madison children’s museum.  He met up with his friend August and practiced sharing.  We celebrated Christmas early.  Oliver remembered that airports and airplanes are so cool, learned that he lives in "DC", and realized that Grandmas really do bake cookies like in his books.   

Lots of snuggles and giggles with Grandma and "Gramp"

In the digger with Grandpa

Don't let the expression fool you, he did not want out--"again!"

Running through tunnel on suspended-bridge at the Children's Museum

Favorite exhibit by far: the large mini-Madison town with cars and trucks (intently played for well over a half-hour until we convinced him that there were real animals upstairs to see)

Very gently petting a mouse at museum--"nice, nice"; we also saw quail, turtles, fish, frogs, a snake (no, no) and chickens ("bock, bock")

Wisconsin is COLD

Sharing (also called "Neu...Lama, Lama" by Oliver per his favorite book about sharing) is not so bad

Quietly, checking out the goods

Grandpa won the prize for giving the most adored gifts--"thanks"

Nana even came up for a day to visit

Family