Something truly remarkable happened while Miss Dub and I were away on our two-week SoCal expedition.
No, it’s not the fact that I only gained a pound after eating ridiculous amounts of food, including the luscious seafood heap pictured above. (Alright, Mr. Dub and I admittedly only put a dent in that Ports of Call dish.) It is remarkable that I didn’t gain 15 pounds considering some of the food establishments I visited and devoured – Wahoo’s, Pipes, Ruby’s, Fatburger. But perhaps it’s a testament to the fact that Miss Dub only has an appetite for anything on my plate, particularly fries, and to all the walking that we did along the beach. Including 2 to 3-hour strolls when we first arrived since Miss Dub chose not to reset her clock to Pacific time, opting instead to wake up at 4 a.m.
So what was remarkable?
No, it’s not the fact that I had a marvelous time on the trip. That is remarkable, but basically what I expected. From camping on the beach with Mrs. Jay to chilling with my sis and Li’l Gee to relaxing on the sand with the entire Ess clan … life was good. Life is always good near the beach. (I almost said in SoCal, but seriously, people, don’t you think those
So what was remarkable?
No, it’s not the fact that traveling with an infant is equal parts easy and hard. That is remarkable, but apparently every seasoned mother already knew that. On one hand, you have added help from friends and family and loads of activities to serve as distractions and a welcome respite from day-to-day monotony. On the other hand, you have a cranky, clingy child who requires several suitcases alone to survive. And there’s the constant barrage of “Don’t eat that!” and “Don’t touch that!” to help protect your new environment from its worst prey: Miss Dub.
So what was remarkable?
It’s the fact that my little baby grew into a little girl, and I didn’t even notice. Sure, she’s not walking yet, but she now confidently strides with only one-handed help from me. And she’s not really conversing yet, but her vocabulary went from a few words – duck, dada, dog – to a series of phrases – “waz dat?” “who’s dat?” “a duck!” “a dog!” “dad-dee!”
I must have been too busy staring longingly at the ocean to notice, but everything about her is different. She’s taller. She’s thinner. She’s smarter. She’s more interactive. She eats sandwiches and uses a straw, people!
So while I left with a baby, I came home with a toddler.
It’s truly remarkable.
That or SoCal is filled with mutant growth pollution.
Sucks for those
