A Break From Reality

Our Trip to Punta Cana

Baby T, Big T and I spent last week in the Dominican Republic for some much needed R&R. I think it goes without saying that it was amazing. I didn't think about work until Tuesday, when all I thought was, "Wow--people are working right now, and I'm not. Ha!" And then I continued to down my pina colada and bask in the sunlight.

We met up with my parents, and my sister and her kids. It was a blast. I don't think I have ever seen Baby T happier. He loved everything: the water, the beach, his cousins, his aunt and grandparents.

Our little guy is quite the swimmer. The pools at the resort were the kind you could wade into, with a sloping bottom. Perfect for Baby T. He would crawl around in the shallow end, and when he got too deep and his face went under, well, he would try to keep going. He never inhaled any water or choked. He knew that he needed to hold his breath. And the best part was, he didn't care that his face was in the water! I think we have the next Michael Phelps on our hands (only better looking). And with more of a potbelly.

On the beach, Baby T was so independent. He loved playing with the sand toys and smashing sand castles. He didn't care that he had sand up to (and in) his ears. When his cousin A gave him a great big hug (i.e. tackled him and pushed him face down into the sand), he came up smiling.

He grew up a lot on this trip, too. The baby who was barely eating solids before we left ate just about everything I offered him at every meal. Since it was buffet style dining, and we sat down to 3 meals a day together (ok, we pretty much spent the entire time eating if we weren't at the pool or on the beach), I think Baby T got used to seeing people eat. And he wanted to eat too. The little man is still a huge fan of bananas, but tried beans, grilled chicken, lamb (loved it), plantains - fried sweet ones and mashed savory ones, mashed potatoes, carrots... He also became a big fan of the snack trap. So did I, for that matter. Did you know that a snack trap and some cheerios can keep your baby entertained for hours at a time?

Baby T also perfected his waving and pointing skills.

Everyone at the resort--employees and guests alike--would stop in their tracks when they saw him. They would wave to him and say hello, hug him, kiss him. It was unbelievable. So he figured out that he could sit by the edge of the pool and wave to everyone that walked by. He would raise his hand and yell "AH!" (which means "hi" in  Baby T speak). If someone walked by and didn't say hello (which happened rarely), he would keep his eye on them, wondering what their freaking problem was. "Um, hello? I'm cute over here?" The little man loves attention. It's possible that he's practicing for a future in politics. Or as a religious leader.

TANGENT--When T was 3 months old, I brought him to my friend's wedding shower. A 3 year old there kept calling Baby T "Baby Jesus". I have no idea why.Then, a few weeks ago, at a restaurant, a woman stopped in her tracks and commented on "What a little angel" Baby T was. At the resort in the DR, one of the employees called him "An angel from God". And when we got back, when my neighbor was watching Baby T on Tuesday, I guess he was talking up a storm and waving his arms around, and her 4 year old son said, "He's preaching!" Is someone trying to tell me something? Maybe my little guy is just going to be quite influential. Maybe he'll be the next Stephen Gaskin. I always wanted to live on The Farm.../TANGENT

Now that we're back from our vacay, reality has hit us like a ton of bricks. I'm not a fan. The boogers are back, laundry and dishes are piling up, idiots keep calling complaining about their free stuff, and I keep forgetting to buy cat food. Bring me some sun and sand and a pina colada, though, and I'll be fine.