So.. it has been a while. A LONG while. Life kind of caught up with me, and I had every intention of blogging and writing lots of funny stuff whilst I was away (and leading up to it of course). Now – please forgive me if I use swearwords in this post. I normally try not to, but well… it is the school holidays after all!
Firstly, we had a lovely holiday. We went to Nice, and ended up arriving the day after the attacks. I have posted on my personal Facebook page about some the emotions we went through, especially having to explain to my then 4 year old what had happened.
Now I say it was lovely, and it really really was. It was hot, there were beaches and there was sea (the temperature of which was warmer than at home, so I really wasn’t complaining), but there were so many things no one warned me about! I will now list these as tips and or advice, or possibly complete failings…
1 – there was absolutely no complete warning or disclosure about the amount of sand that would end up lodged in my nappy bearing child’s bottom. Or my non nappy bearing child’s bottom for that matter.
2 – putting sun cream on two children, after they have already sat down and/or rolled around in the sand is the equivalent of just getting some sandpaper and rubbing it up and down their poor soft skin. (at least they were better exfoliated than mummy)
3 – your oldest child will ABSOLUTELY NOT want to stick to any sort of bedtime routine, and accordingly will not want to wake up in the morning. She was only 4. I think she takes after someone other than me…
4 – when your loving husband is kind enough to come out and get you to drive you all back, try not to book the wrong flight (for the same day but two weeks later) and then blame it on the poor soul.
5 – although you are on holiday in body, your mind is in overdrive trying to keep 2 children from running in to the sea and attempting to drown themselves at the same time (slight exaggeration, most of the time the sea was really calm and shallow for a long way out).
6 – your youngest decides she might be ready for potty training, in the middle of a market and whips her nappy off right there. Make sure you have another nappy before you put the (completely dry and ok) nappy in the bin, because otherwise you have to deal with a swim nappy in the car, and they certainly do leak.
7 – the copious amounts of wine/alcohol you MIGHT want to drink to get through the rest of the holidays is actually impossible when you are the only one there. (granted that was just short of 1.5 weeks)
8 – when you are on a hot summer holiday, your child will see your boobies. When you then get home, be prepared for the youngest to say ” I want boobies” and when you tell them when they’re older and they reply “I want big ones” try not to cry in to your glass of wine.
All in all, we had a fabulous time away. The only wish is that it a) could have lasted longer and b) daddy was there for more of the time.
Thank you to my wonderful mum for letting us stay in her flat, and to my amazing in-laws for keeping the place at home running smoothly (and ensuring my tomatoes didn’t meet a fate of doom).
xxx
