Flying Solo with Three Kids Under Four or: That time I felt Like a #BossMom

It's difficult to know the potential for utter mayhem and chaos that three small people (two of them being twins) can bring unless you have/had three small children and/or twins. We can go from zero to pandemonium in .02 seconds flat, I have three relationship dynamics to manage at any given time, and did I mention my twins are two? So when it was decided for me through the workings of fate that I would be flying, solo, with my three tots age four and under to my mom's for our annual visit, I began having heart palpitations.

Many people offered words of wisdom and travel suggestions to me via >>Facebook<<, but almost all advice from other parents with a similar adult-to-child scenario replied with, "WHAT!?! ARE YOU INSANE?" because, like I said, these people get it. They know. They have tasted defeat by way of child terrorists and know how physically, spiritually and mentally crushing it can be.

But I thrive on a good challenge and despite the fact that there was chance I could have sent my eldest home with my mom so I would only fly with the twins, I decided that - nope - I was going full Monty. It was all or nothing. Once I'd gotten it in my head that I was doing it, my commitment to the challenge of a full day traveling with my three girls took on an almost Olympic quality. One puddle-jumper plus one layover plus one Boeing 737 and over ten hours of travel door to door would equal the ultimate mom test. I went into it with the attitude of "GAME ON".

***

We've flown a lot with our girls, and had both >>good<< and >>traumatic<< experiences, so I knew - in a way - what to expect on both ends of the spectrum. The only difference was this time, I would not have an extra set of hands to help me from losing a child and/or my sanity. No biggie, right? (insert emoticon with wide eyes). "Deep breaths, stay cool, and think like a ninja" - this was the mantra playing in my head as I mentally prepared for the day.  And prepare I did.

I spent almost a week of sleepless nights visualizing the task at hand, chatting with my trusted advisors (my fellow mamma tribe) and making lists. The night before the flight I was up from 1am till dawn running through scenarios (and worrying my ass off) to be sure I had everything in line. This might seem like overkill and possibly a little dramatic, but it's how I gear up (cue: Rocky Music). Preparation is key to successful travel with young children and I know too well that all it takes is one epic diaper blow out, one kicking and screaming tantrum, or one projectile vomit to really ruin a day. As much as I wish I was kind of person who flies by the seat of her pants by slapping on some lipstick, throwing a few things into a bag and strutting out in the world with her head held high, I am not. I err toward "Type A", make an insane amount of lists and am anything but haphazard when in travel mode with kids in tow. I've learned the hard way that being unprepared does you no favors when your kids are as young and as close in age as mine are.

***

Yes, I was prepared for it all. Blowouts (extra diapers, wipes), tantrums (lollipops, gummy bears), puke spillage (extra clothes for kids, layers for me), boo-boos (bandaids, antiseptic wipes) and sleeplessness (hello, dramamine!). My carryon was loaded with entertainment, food, drink and meds. I was a modern day Mary Poppins and my bag was packed to provide. While I had absolutely envisioned the day going smoothly in several versions of my mental trial runs ("hope for the best, expect the worst", right?), I wasn't prepared for the day to go...well, almost perfectly.

Okay, "perfectly" is a stretch. Our two hour layover turned into a five hour layover (thank God for the $32 sky lounge!! Best. Money. Ever. Spent.) and there was that moment going through security where I was on the verge of a very unfortunate/desperate potty mishap that came dangerously close to disaster (tmi??) and although I dosed my kids with dramamine, none of them slept a wink until the final two hours of our travel day meaning I was ping ponging between defense and offense all. day. long...but despite these minor glitches, the day went as good as I could have possibly wished for.

There were many moments when things could have taken a turn for the worse, but we managed to stave them off with lollipops (thank God for the lollipops!), new toys, and straight-up bribery.  I did whatever I could to keep my little sleep deprived babes at bay and all 'rules' went out the window. Sure, they ate pure junk all day (high fructose corn syrup and sodium, anyone?). Yes, I was utterly exhausted by the end of it (fourteen hours of travel door to door and running on almost zero sleep, yeah!) And, yep, we were a full blown spectacle to anyone who paid any attention to us, particularly in the (very long) security line ("Are you traveling alone with those three little girls?!")...but, we made it. We were grimy, sticky and punch-drunk at the finish line, but we made it. I even got few high fives and some kudos along the way.

We've been incredibly lucky with our travel karma (thank you Universe!) and our girls always seem to win over some strategic people during our journeys. During this day, our karma presented itself as an airport security woman who let the girls and I leave the security line (and come back to our same spot) so I could do the afore-mentioned desperate run to the bathroom. It manifested itself in an extra seat for Isla (who was across the aisle), and provided us with two Puerto Rican teens who entertained the twins for over an hour during our four and a half hour flight. The icing on the cake was a sweet flight attendant who was so impressed with the girls that she comped me not one, but two mini bottles white wine. Catching a slight buzz at 35,000 feet never felt so good.

***

By hour three of our final flight my girls were sound asleep around me, their angelic faces softened by the dim sepia-toned lights of the plane, their little bodies sprawled along the seats...We were on the home stretch and I thought to myself "we made it." Gazing at my girls nestled around me, my heart bursting with love for them I could not have been more proud of their behavior. And as this combination of love and pride swelled up in my solar plexus somewhere over Georgia, I started crying. The pressure in me released and I silently cried tears of joy and thanks. We had made it, and while a lot of luck was on our side, the girls and I were an awesome team and at that moment, I thought I could tackle just about anything. I took a sip of my wine, adjusted myself in my seat, and lifted my head to the screen to enjoy the end of the in-flight film.

***

Traveling with kids is hard. Parenting is hard. Like Olympians, sometimes our work pays off, sometimes it falls short, and sometimes we simply get unlucky. We don't always get the gold, but when we do - we owe it to ourselves to celebrate. On this day I got the gold. I was a boss mom. My babies were boss babies. And I was grateful.

Transitioning Back to Life Afloat: Boat, Sweet Boat

We're back on the boat. Big transitions like this are rarely seamless, particularly if you have little kids in tow, but our move back to boat life went about as smooth as we could have hoped, despite Mira's ear infection that (thankfully) presented itself two days before we flew and the fact that I forgot to pack underwear (!?!). Our day of travel - thanks to luck, excessive preparation, and lessons learned - went really well, minus that forty-five minutes we were detained by customs here in the BVI due to a paperwork glitch. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't call it a "piece of cake" ("exhausting" is more like it), but we had no melt downs on the planes and we even got a few "You're girls are so well behaved!" comments from fellow passengers which is always wonderful to hear as a parent.

Last flight of our very long day!

Much of our "success" can be attributed to this woman, my amazing mom. Thank you, mom!

Scott picked us up from the airport and the girls were so happy to see him. I didn't publicize it for obvious reasons, but I had been single momming it for three weeks and the girls were beyond thrilled to see daddy's smiling face again. They were all squeals, kisses and giggles. We got our passports stamped,  loaded our stuff into the car and headed for the marina. When we arrived at the boat, our two large boxes we'd shipped earlier were there, and those boxes - along with our five giant duffles - filled the salon of our boat. Me being slightly OCD about order and tidiness got to unpacking immediately. The girls were punch drunk and overtired from their long day of travel, but super excited to be back on the boat amongst all their old toys which, in our absence, regained all their luster. With them entertained, I unpacked and organized like a Tasmanian devil. I really wish I'd had the forethought to take a 'before' and 'after' photo of our salon, but my tunnel vision of "Must. Organize. Home." pretty much took over and my work was certainly cut out for me. Within two hours our boat looked like her old self, and I started the process of getting the girls in bed. Not gonna lie, I impressed myself.

Isla was super excited about being back in her "bunk" bed. The twins? Not so much. They were visibly terrified to go back in the v-berth and screamed holy hell while I peeled them off my person to put into bed. It broke my heart and I had that moment of, "What have I done to our children?!" The first couple of nights were very rough, with many wakings and little sleep. I resorted to co-sleeping up there with them just to calm their fears and was so worried we were in for a major sleep regression, when we they had just started sleeping through the night back home. Luckily, each night has gotten progressively better and now we are not only on the local time (which is two hours ahead of what we were on) but we have no more tears and, last night, the twins slept through the night, from 6:30pm to 6:45am! There is hope for me yet!

The transition was much easier for Isla, who is a traveling pro now and was VERY excited about her bunk bed.

While I knew in my heart of hearts that coming back to the boat and our adopted island of Tortola would be a good thing, there's always butterflies in my tummy preceding big changes. Being back though? It's been amazing. Nanny Cay, the marina where we live, is fantastic. Not only are the services and facilities top-notch, but there is a bonafide community of wonderful people and children here. We definitely still get the transient nature that is synonymous with marina living, but it's really nice to know that there is a core group of people and children that we can call friends. I really can't say enough good things about this place.

Not a bad view to have in your back yard!

The Nanny Cay Beach, where many, many hours will be spent!

Isla has instantly fallen back in with her old crowd of little friends. These kids, some who live aboard and some who live in the condos on the premises, range in age between eight and thirteen are the most welcoming, sweetest kids ever. Isla runs off with them and they swing her around, play soccer with her, carry her on their shoulders and they've sort of adopted her as a little sister which makes my heart so happy to see. She positively thrives in their company. You know what else is awesome? I have never, ever seen one of these kids on a cell phone or computer. They're outside; playing on the beach, swinging in the trees, sailing their dinghies of the beach and simply kids being kids. It's incredibly refreshing and any doubts that lurked in my mind about brining our girls down here to raise were immediately erased when I saw the interaction between Isla and these children. I love it. Everyone we've talked to has told us, "It's an idyllic place to raise a child" and I can believe that.

The best part? After two years (and three kids!) we have reunited with the Sunkissed Soeters, the family that we cruised with for months and months (click the link to see Isla and Stormer 'before' photos!) back in the day. The connection we have with this family is really hard to articulate - they are truly more like family than friends - and when we last parted we swore that we would be together again. Hundreds of online chats and hours of Skype conversations later, here we are together again. And we are neighbors! Isla and Stormer, raised almost like siblings for about eight months haven't missed a beat. It's like no time has passed and they have fallen right back into step, chatting away, holding hands while waking down the dock, and demanding play dates in the few hours a day that we are not together. It's wonderful. Finding and being surrounded by your "tribe" is a real key to happiness in this life, I think.

We caught their dinghy line when they came to check in. Cannot even tell you how happy we all were!

These two have a special bond and started playing again like no time had passed!

So we are here. We're getting settled and it's been wonderful. There's so much excitement on the horizon, so much to learn and so many adventures to have. Of course there are kinks to work out and new routines to develop. We are getting our bearings again and - all in all - life is good and I am so, so happy to be back. Our cup runneth over. Thank you all for your well-wishes and support, it means so much to us. More to come!

Flying with Toddlers? Our Tips and Tricks to Make the Skies Friendlier

Air travel with little kids can be stressful. I have flown solo with one child probably eight times and have flown with three toddlers, two of whom are lap children, twice (with the help of my mom). I am about to embark on this endeavor a third time despite the fact that I still have a post-traumatic stress from the last time. What I have learned thus far is that traveling with one child is relatively easy and traveling with three is exponentially harder. I have also learned that it gets infinitely easier the older a child gets (for example, Isla, our three year old is a piece of cake. Our twenty month old twins? Notsomuch). Flying with three kids age three and under is no small feat but I am here to tell you it can be done and with some strategic planning, it can even go kind of smoothly. I am going to share my tips and tricks with you in the hopes that I save a few gray hairs from sprouting on a fellow momma's head.

Tips for Flying with Toddlers

1. Pack and Prepare EARLY. I am a little nutso about preparation, and maybe with fewer and/or older kids you can be more "fly by the seat of your pants" about things. But me? I go through our travel day in my head like Tom Brady prepping for a Super Bowl. I envision every possible scenario from illness to blowouts, from hold ups to cancellations. I make a spreadsheet packing list well before we leave, strategically pack our diaper bag with everything we might need and try to be 98% packed at least 24 hours before we depart.  

   

   This is a spreadsheet/checklist that comes with Apple Pages (Mac's version of Word). Super simple.
2. Baby wearing is your friend. I am a huge advocate of baby wearing. Whenever I see a mom struggling in the airport (or grocery store, or bank or anywhere) holding her young child/infant while wrestling for something else, I want to reach out and say, "Honey, there's an easier way!" Baby wearing is it. We bring our two Ergo Carriers for the twins, and it's much easier to throw them on our backs when we check the travel stroller. Most infants also sleep really well in carriers, so they are great for smaller lap babies when in flight. 
3. Invest in a great travel stroller. This right here is what I am MOST excited about right now. We have an amazing double stroller to get our girls around the airports that is only slightly larger and heavier than a SINGLE umbrella stroller. Our Kinderwagon Hop is the bomb. It can be checked at the gate (at which point we 'wear' the twins) and will make getting from gate to gate and killing time during our layover much easier. When I travelled solo with our first, I learned that a baby carrier was amazing, but when we were delayed for over ten hours, I WISHED I had a small stroller to push her around in as well.

   

   Kind of crazy about this stroller. 

4. Pay to check the bags. Just do it. Three kids and schlepping around your stuff? Insane.
5. Snacks, snacks, and more snacks. Food is your friend and when all else fails, a yummy snack will distract a child for a bit. They key is in EASY snacks, things that your little ones can hold and feed themselves. We have snack traps that we fill with cheerios or goldfish. We bring lots of "goo goos" (food pouches) and graham crackers are in our diaper bag. A few special "sweet" treats (organic fruit snacks) are also good in a pinch.
6. Travel with children's dramamine. This could get me in trouble, but a little dose of children's Dramamine (for Isla 1/2 pill, for twins, 1/3) will knock your kids out cold. Sleeping children are quiet children and this little trick (that I learned myself just from sailing with the kiddos) works wonders for me. How long they will sleep all depends, but it will definitely chill them out. Melatonin will also work. (Note: I am not a doctor, please do your own research regarding drugging your children.)
7. Invest in toys that will only be seen on the plane. If it's new, it will capture your child's attention, period. I bought a few new toys for the girls that will be big surprises when the "old" toys we have handy lose their luster. Hit up Target, the dollar store, wherever - but a few new things will certainly distract the littles.
   
8. Travel with a spare set of clothes for each child. Most moms already know this trick, but it bears repeating. I will never forget the time I was flying home from St. Lucia with Isla. The taxi to the aiport was a solid hour of crazy island roads and driving and immediately when our taxi stopped in front of the airport, she vomited all over me and herself. I was grateful that I a) had layered and b) had a whole new outfit for her.
9. Bring a few gallon size ziplock bags. These will be helpful in the aforementioned scenario and for diapers. 
10. Enlist help if possible. I would feel confident (but not excited about) flying alone with my three girls when they are age three and over, but right now? Hell no. I am so lucky that my mom (a travel agent) usually flies with us and her extra set of hands has saved our day and my sanity more than once!
11. Don't over-do it. Try not to overpack or bring too much gear in your carry on/diaper-bag because don't forget, there's not much room to get to all that stuff when it's jammed underneath you (or, worse! in the overhead compartment) and you have a baby on your lap. Try to be strategic about what you bring.

    

    We have always (knock on wood!) been lucky with amazing flight neighbors who love the girls.

12. Burn energy at the gate. All kids are different and for two of my three, sitting still on an airplane is not that hard. But our Haven is a game-changer. She is a tornado - full of energy, smiles and noise. We try to let her loose when we can to burn off energy so she's not wanting to do it on the plane.
13. Board as late as possible. "I can't believe they don't let mothers and kids board first anymore!" one mom lamented during our last flight. Me? I wait as long as possible to board because every minute that I don't have to try to restrain my kids sitting in an airplane is one more minute that they are better behaved en-route!
14. Take a deep breath. No matter how experienced or prepared you are, traveling with toddlers can be stressful. Flights get delayed, kids get fussy, illness strikes and bags get lost. Take a deep breath and try to be mindful of the fact that you will probably never see any of the people around you again. "This too, shall pass."

The gear we're rolling with:

1. Ergobaby Performance Carrier - I have tried many baby carriers and love them all for different reasons, but this carrier is our go-to. Great for bigger babies/toddlers and easy to get on and off. In a pinch, I can easily wear both my twins in these; one on front, one on back.
2. Kinderwagon Hop Tandem Umbrella Stroller - this stroller is amazing. Light, compact and sturdy - I am seriously so excited to have it I cannot even begin to tell you. Perfect for traveling parents.
3. Ubbi Tweat Snack Container - I love these snack traps, mainly because they have a lid so you don't end up with a bunch of cheerios in the bottom of your bag when the kids aren't using them.
4. Kickee Pants Baby Girls' Pajama Set - I am kind of obsessed with this brand of kid's cloths. It's made from bamboo which not only makes it crazy soft, but they are also very thin and pack super small. Our girls travel in Kickee's and we have a spare set in the diaper bag just in case.
5. Melissa and Doug Water Wow's - These are a fantastic travel toy. The pen fills easily with water and after a child colors the pages, they dry and can be used over, and over, and over. Mess free!
6. VTech Touch and Swipe Baby Phone - because all kids are obsessed with phones. (This is one of the 'surprise' toys)
7. VTech Click and Count Remote - because all kids are obsessed with remotes. (This is another 'surprise' toy)
8. Fisher-Price Smart Stages Tablet - another engaging toy that is simple, entertaining and a (little bit) educational.
9. Children's Dramamine - to take the edge off ;)
10. Sailor Bags Back Pack - Every time we fly, this bag is our carry on of choice. Enough room to carry all the baby gear and then some, but not so big to be cumbersome.
11. Mini Look and Find Books - these little travel books were recommended to me by a fellow twin mom. Lots of things to "look and find" in the pages to help keep older toddlers engaged.
12. LilGadgets Children's Headphones - ear buds just don't really work for little kids and now Isla can listen to the games on our iPad or watch a movie comfortably. (This is Isla's "surprise" inspired by my friend, Genevieve, who got something similar for her daughters pre-flight)
13. Melissa & Doug ColorBlast Mess-Free Books - another great travel toy, mess free coloring.
14. Apple iPad Tablet with BUDDIBOX® Case - the iPad comes with us because we have loaded it with educational games with Isla. The buddiebox keeps it safe and easy for her to hold.

We also travel with a mini medical kit containing: Similisan ear drops (for ear aches and ear pressure relief), Children's Motrin, Children's Tylenol, a thermometer, Vicks Vapo Rub and bandaids. We also travel with other incidentals like: antibacterial hand spray, diapers, wipes, and pacifiers.

I hope this is helpful! If anyone else have any tried and true tricks and tips for successful air travel with toddlers, please share in the comments!

Our Sailor Bags Square Duffels all ready to go!

Flying with Three Kids Three and Under is Not Fun

Shocker, right? But for the 1% of you who are surprised by this revelation; air travel and toddlers pair about as well as socks and sandals. You can do it, but it doesn't look pretty. My recent travel stint from Tortola, BVI to Chicago, IL might be the most exhausting day of my life. And, for the record, I have toddling twins who, for the first four months of their precious lives, slept on my person and nursed every two hours. So I know a thing or two about exhaustion.

Granted, two out of three of our girls were complete angels the entire twelve hour day. But - as they say - one bad apple can spoil the bunch. And one screaming toddler on a plane is all it takes to make you look like a jack-ass parent. Who cares if the other two are wonderful and quiet and good? The "bad" one will ensure you don't get the "What good children you have!" compliment down at baggage claim. Ho-hum.

Turns out, Haven and airplane-style containment don't mix.

The day started off okay, I was packed and prepped. Traveling with kids is sort of our "thing" so I was organized and had all the necessary gear (umbrella strollers, Ergo carriers, an arsenal of snacks and a few select toys being the most important) to make the trip as smooth as possible without being overburdened with clutter. I felt pretty good about it, but was wary... Our twins are sixteen months old which, in my opinion, falls smack dab in the center of the age range when travel with children should be avoided at all costs. These children are old enough to stave off sleep and throw tantrums of epic proportions, yet too young to actually entertain themselves (read: sit still) for any significant length of time....Yep, the toddler is your travel nemesis.

The first sign of the hell that would follow came in the cab ride to the airport. Haven, our twin who is often described as "wild" ("You can just see it in her eyes!" they say) and affectionately referred to as "hell on wheels" came undone in the cab. Carseats are not required in the Caribbean and we don't have room for that sort of thing on our boat so we sat the kids in the second row and buckled them in. Isla (our three year old) and Mira sat quietly and peacefully but Haven decided she wanted to explore. In the cab. While it was moving. Imagine traveling in a car with a spider monkey on meth. It was like that for the entire thirty minute drive.

Then, things started looking up. The first airport was fine. The first forty-five minute flight was fine. Heck, even the second airport (complete with three hour layover) was fine. I had done well in my preparation and the girls were fed, entertained, and we had the right mix of gear to get them through security (aka: the portal to hell for families traveling with small children) and to the gate with nary a meltdown or fuss. I was proud of my planning and I mistakenly gave myself a silent pat on the back as we began to board our second, and final, flight.

A flight, mind you, that was over four hours.

That is a very long time for a very active lap baby.

We took off and all three girls fell asleep, the twins in the ergo carriers (Mira on my mom, Haven on me) and Isla in her own seat at my side. It was bliss and I was feeling very 'boss mom'. When the flight attended came over and asked if I'd like anything, I quietly requested wine and peanuts. She brought them and no sooner had I taken a first nibble of peanut and sip of wine when Haven started stirring. Shit. Turns out, when a baby is sleeping on your chest very close to your neck, they can hear you chew and gulp. I held my breath, said a quick prayer to all things Holy that she would zonk back out while simultaneously cursing my wine "habit", but it was all for naught; she began to thrash further in the carrier and wanted OUT. I handed the flight attendant my wine (after taking a healthy gulp), stood up and did the desperate "mom bounce" in the aisle. Cue the seatbelt light.

Greeeaaat.

Haven would have none of it. With wide eyes, kicking legs, and clawing arms she started screaming in protest. And if there is one thing I can tell you about this child, it's that she is LOUD. Louder than you can possibly imagine.

I looked at my mom across the aisle who's face was a mask of sheer horror. She knows Haven. She's endured the wrath of the pterodactyl cry. She was afraid - for the other passengers, for me - we had three solid hours of flying to go. This was not looking good.

With much bouncing and many snacks, I managed to get her quiet and out of the carrier, but not after she'd woken up both her sisters and disturbed everyone on the plane. Luckily, we were surrounded by wonderful passengers (#thankyouUniverse) so no one gave me the stink eye or made any rude comments about me controlling my unruly child. In fact, I think most people were just happy they were not me on that flight. It was very, very clear that I had my hands full and was doing everything in my power to keep the kids (well, Haven) at bay.

Turns out, flying with Haven is not unlike giving a cat a bath. All arms and legs and grabbing and wrangling and struggling and plying with snacks and toys and "hey look, something shiny!" At one point, she was hanging off the seat in front of us and at another she managed to unscrew the overhead light. Of course she activated our flight attendant call button a half dozen times. Luckily, despite her rambunctious nature, Haven is flirtatious, outgoing and utterly adorable so our attendant (and flight neighbors) didn't seem to mind her too much. Or if they did, they weren't letting on (again, #thankyouUniverse).

When we finally landed in Chicago, over twelve hours after our day began and three hours past our kids' bedtimes sans naps, I was finished, the kids were finished and so was my mom.

"That was hell" she said to me with a dead-pan face as we reconvened at baggage claim after a much needed bathroom break, "if I were you, I wouldn't fly again until those girls are three."

I laughed. Because, really, what else can you do?

Yes, it was hard. It was exhausting and frustrating and, at times, embarrassing. But it could have been much, much worse. At least Haven is happy. Sure, she's a handful. But she's a happy handful. I'll take that over an unhappy handful any day.

Luckily, parenthood comes with a sort of amnesia that keeps us keeping on. Despite the hellish road trips, vacations gone awry, holidays gone haywire and madness-inducing flights - we move on in a "this too shall pass" fashion; knowing, hoping and - for some of us - praying that the next time will be better. And it may or may not be, but such is life. We are blessed to be on this wild ride.

It's all part of the adventure. And what an adventure it is.

I just hope that during the next flight, I can get a full glass of wine in me. It definitely takes the edge off.

What's Next? Shore Leave!

The other day I mentioned on our Facebook Page that we were hauling our boat and heading back to land. It was quickly followed by a flurry of concerned emails and comments questioning what the heck we were doing and why. While I'm pretty sure I've written about our plans to head back stateside for hurricane season a while back, I guess I have a little explaining to do.

So...

We are heading back to the greater Chicagoland area for a few months. There are several reasons for this, namely:

• It is hurricane season here and boats and hurricanes don't mix. While they are projecting that this will be a very 'mild' one, we are still smack dab in the middle of the "danger zone" so we're going to play it safe, haul our boat, and prep her accordingly. 
• We have three babies. Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles and friends want to see and love up on those babies. Who are we to deny them? 
• It's summertime in Chicago. Chicago + Summer = Awesome.
• And finally...cruising with three very small kids is incredibly hard work. I don't know how I can adequately explain it to you if you haven't done it, but - suffice it to say - this is not easy. Don't get me wrong, we love it and we've found a great groove, but a little shore leave looks mighty good right now. We get zero breaks from 24/7 parenting and I'm tapping into energy reserves I didn't know I had on most days. Scott and I have not had a single 'date night' in six months. I've not slept more than five hours in a row in nearly two years (still nursing) and simply having an adult conversation with my husband is something that is rare. This little land break - and the promise of baby sitters - will be nice to re-charge our batteries. 

One question people have is: Why not sail to Grenada which is, technically, out of the "danger zone"? This option was discussed/considered for a solid two seconds before I gave Scott a resounding "hell no". We've done the trek to Grenada twice (once with Isla as a baby) and know enough to know that if we did it with our current baby-to-adult ratio, I would arrive in Grenada either a) divorced b) a full-blown alcoholic or c) in a straight jacket. No thank you. When they are a bit older? Sure. But right now, three to four hour day sails are our max, which is perfectly do-able and exactly why we based ourselves here in the British Virgin Islands.

And here we shall stay.

As daunting has hauling the boat, packing up kids, and flying stateside is (so.much.work) -we, thankfully, have quite the ground crew to help us out...

Our friend, AJ, who made his first appearance on the blog during our passage from the Bahamas to the BVI's, and again when we re-launched Asante earlier this season as a family of five, offered his assistance in helping Scott put the boat away, as these days I am tied up with the kiddos. We graciously accepted and having him here with us has been a huge help. We love you AJ!

Also up for sainthood is my mom, who flew down to help me fly back with the girls. When Scott and I made the decision to haul the boat, we decided that it'd be best for me and the girls to fly home first so that a) we wouldn't need to get a hotel room (3 kids + 2 adults + 1 hotel room - decent sleep = a primo spot on one of the innermost circles of hell) and b) Scott could have a few days on the boat without us aboard to get her prepped (3 kids + 1,0005 boat projects = 0 projects completed). Flying alone with two lap babies and a toddler is not allowed on airlines (at least I don't think it is?), so my mom offered to help me make that trip. There are not enough adjectives to describe how thankful I am for this. It's possible and highly likely she saved my sanity with this gesture.

It takes a village.

The girls and I fly out tomorrow and AJ and Scott fly out the 15th. As it stands right now, Scott will return in September to get the boat livable again, and the girls and I will fly back down in October to resume our life afloat. The 'adventure' will continue...

In the meantime, I have tons of blogs to write, hundreds of emails to hopefully answer, plenty to catch you up on and no shortage of photos to share - so, fear not, you will still get your healthy dose of babies, boating, and tropical sunshine from this blog during our short hiatus.

As always, thank you all for the unwavering love and support - I know I sound like a broken record, but you guys are the BEST. Having you along with us has made this cruising season that much better.

THANK YOU.

Get at it AJ!

Making our dinghy pretty again. 

The boat is a mess. Note the THREE PAGE list of things to do!

Sailed off and stowed.

All our lines cleaned and drying.

They are a handful, but boy are they fun!