Last week, Tim, Rain, & I went to Florida so Rain could meet her great grandparents. Tim took the entire week off, but we chose to go to FL for only three days. The truth is, Rain is almost a year and a half, so I had to ask myself, "How long can two decent elderly folk deal with a teething toddler?" I know Rain's great grandparents probably wished we had stayed a bit longer, but I had no idea how Rain would behave. It was just too risky. Would she cry over seeing strangers? Would she scream on the plane? Would she tear Grandma & Grandpa's condo apart?
Prior to our departure, the endless opportunities for certain disaster occupied my thoughts. Mixed with other issues on my mind, it was too much. One morning I woke up and informed Tim my right eye was hurting. For no reason at all, the muscles around my eye felt strained and bruised. I would love to tell you that later I found out my eye ache was medical (pinkeye, anyone?), but when my eye later healed after one trip to a Florida beach, well, I knew the injury had been stress-related.
At the time, all I could imagine were the many ways Rain would lose control. Then her great grandparents would see what a terrible job we were doing raising her, and the jig would be up. I felt in my bones they would ask us to leave early or perhaps stay in a hotel, and oh the shame!
Even after Rain behaved well on the plane ride to Florida, my hopes were still modest. The flight was an early one, so Rain was only half-awake for it, anyway. Later at lunch, she showed her great grandma how well she could use a fork and how she was certainly not a picky eater, but I still wouldn't allow myself to believe things might work out. When presents and treats piled around Rain, did she throw them against the wall or horde them? Nope. She showed interest in each and played quietly. Her manners were spot on, and she didn't hide from the new faces at all.
She was good, really good. The one time she had a meltdown, she had it when only the three of us were together at a zoo, so who cares? By the time we packed for our trip home), I thought, "I can't believe we made it--an entire trip without incident!"
Then three hours before our departure ...
Prior to our departure, the endless opportunities for certain disaster occupied my thoughts. Mixed with other issues on my mind, it was too much. One morning I woke up and informed Tim my right eye was hurting. For no reason at all, the muscles around my eye felt strained and bruised. I would love to tell you that later I found out my eye ache was medical (pinkeye, anyone?), but when my eye later healed after one trip to a Florida beach, well, I knew the injury had been stress-related.
At the time, all I could imagine were the many ways Rain would lose control. Then her great grandparents would see what a terrible job we were doing raising her, and the jig would be up. I felt in my bones they would ask us to leave early or perhaps stay in a hotel, and oh the shame!
Even after Rain behaved well on the plane ride to Florida, my hopes were still modest. The flight was an early one, so Rain was only half-awake for it, anyway. Later at lunch, she showed her great grandma how well she could use a fork and how she was certainly not a picky eater, but I still wouldn't allow myself to believe things might work out. When presents and treats piled around Rain, did she throw them against the wall or horde them? Nope. She showed interest in each and played quietly. Her manners were spot on, and she didn't hide from the new faces at all.
She was good, really good. The one time she had a meltdown, she had it when only the three of us were together at a zoo, so who cares? By the time we packed for our trip home), I thought, "I can't believe we made it--an entire trip without incident!"
Then three hours before our departure ...
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