We are deep into Jarrah's "off week" between camp and a new preschool year (her last!) and I am torn. Can you help me, Readers? I have to decide today.
David is off to Amsterdam soon--very soon--for a conference related to his work. He has asked me to go with him. My parents--brave souls that they are--have offered to host Jarrah at their place for a full week, possibly more depending on travel.
So why am I not leaping at the chance to fly off to Europe (for the first time since 1991, I might add) and explore a new city (which is supposed to be beautiful, interesting and easy to navigate)? Argh. Who knows?
There's the fact that it's very far away. I'm not a great traveler, and no doubt I will be very tired. David will be working part of the time, so I will need to amuse myself (can I still do that, I wonder?) It's also VERY soon, and when I think about everything that has to be taken care of, I find myself going into avoidance mode.
But the part that's freaking me out the most is Jarrah has never been apart from us for anything close to a week before. Never. She's also never stayed with my parents before. Oh, she knows them really well--we visit all the time--but she's never stayed over. I keep trying to imagine them together for a whole week and I...can't quite do it.
Am I a fool? Should I throw caution to the wind and jet off on this adventure, let the details take care of themselves? (Now trying to imagine myself with the personality for that...) Or should I be responsible, let my husband take care of business in a faraway land while I keep the homefires burning?
Also please answer this: why don't I have a gut instinct pointing me in one direction or the other? I almost always do. Not this time.
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The old me would say NO! but the new me says GO NOW! which is somewhat similar sounding, but obviously not the same.
Jarrah will have more fun with them than you anyways.
Amsterdam is charming...from what I remember of it. I was 16 and wasted most of my short time there trying to buy weed off of the local artists. I can understand a little Dutch because I know a little German and they weren't happy about my grandiose solicitation. When I finally understood that they had shops for that, I was actually wasted and not just wasting time.
My second trip to Europe I skipped Amsterdam to stay in Heidelberg an extra couple days (my favorite German city)...and third trip I was pregnant with Rose and didn't feel like taking the train. Stayed in Paris for ten days instead.
Oh. What was my point? GO NOW.
Go, Mama. A week will fly by. We're never READY to leave the babes...but let the first time be fun, and not an emergency.
Don't you dare leave your child.
TOTALLY kidding! I so feel your pain on this one. For our tenth anniversary, Max surprised me with a week long Alaskan cruise. (my opinion about cruising another time) I had never left my kids--well, only when I was at the hospital popping out the next. My baby was only about ten months old. It was torture for me.
But then I went. Sad at first, happy mid week, missing them by the time the cruise was ending. I am really glad I went and learned to trust others to watch my child.
I'm sure if your parents didn't want to, they wouldn't have offered. Let them be grandparents and watch her. It will be good for them all. Who knows--it might become a yearly event.
Take your Kindle. Eat. Relax. Explore.
I look so forward to the post you can to about Europe. FUn.
BTW, I would still have reservations if I had to choose again. It's hard work leaving a child (or four!)
Is there time for Jarrah to have a sleepover at her grandparents before you leave as sort of a test to see how it goes? I know that I loved staying at my grandparents' house when I was little. I'd hate you to miss out on Amsterdam because it is gorgeous, especially this time of year. When I went, it was in September, and the weather was perfect. You don't have to worry about entertaining yourself, because its so pretty, just walking around is nice.
DO IT!!! No idea about your gut...maybe you are just torn. I say have a practice sleepover and hit the road...or the air rather! Have fun!!
Totally do it. We've left Ernie while we travelled for a long weekend- she was kind of miffed at me when I got back, but she was 2...and had way too much fun with Nana to really mind me being gone :)
But yes, I would try a trial overnighter too, just so everyone knows what to expect :)
I've got to agree with the other folks: DO IT!! Go. Jarrah will have fun with the grandparents. And even if something happens--a temper-tantrum or whatever--it's not as if something WASN'T going to happen just because she was at home with you.
That was supposed to be a positive statement I just made; I hope it came out that way. :)
When is this trip anyway?
xoxox,
Tee
Thanks, everyone for all this encouragement! I was just about convinced, but now it sounds like David just has too much business to attend to and I'm no longer invited. :(
Awwww....Bummer! That just means that the two of you will need to take another vacation without Jarrah. Maybe even a mini vacation. :)
Darn!
But if the option arises again, go for it! One of my Facebook friends (hush!) posted something wise the other day -- that regret is almost always the result of NOT doing something. (Only she phrased it better.)
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