OBX 2009!

At the start of this decade we traveled to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  Looking for an Independence Day vacation, somewhere we could drive, somewhere we had never been, somewhere that had a beach. We, Beth and I, chose this vacation spot by a blind point to the map. OBX was where the finger landed and several months later we drove the distance to a town called Duck.  We, at that time, was me, Beth, our boyfriends Todd and Dave, and seven other people. We were singles, we were young, we partied!  We vowed then to return yearly, as it was the perfect place to go when we EVENTUALLY started families.

This year was the first time we had been back in several years, and the first time this once "singles" vacation became a family trip.  I use the word trip very carefully.  Prior to leaving for this journey I think I may have, accidentally, referred to it as a family vacation.  Todd, rightfully so, heard vacation and thought relaxation and started counting down months 'til the trip.  Halfway through the week, if it even took that long, we renamed it to a family  "trip" and I am still not sure that word is literal enough for Todd's understanding.

The "trip" began right after the boys' finished their last day of camp.  Waving goodbye to their counselors and friends, we drove to Cape May where we drove the car aboard the Cape May-Lewes Ferry.  Hurricane Bill caused a turbulence on the waters that shook the boat much more than I had anticipated and even though I spent the full 70 minutes on the verge of vomiting the boys had an absolute blast.

After we got out of the car they ran onto the deck, wind blowing through their hair, with such delight.  They were thrilled to be aboard a boat, thrilled to be out on the water, thrilled to look through the binoculars cemented on the ships deck.  And, in case that was not enough, there was a playground inside!  Our picnic lunch of turkey sandwiches and chocolate milk was swallowed down in moments just so they could go down the slide.

Once we arrived in Lewes, Delaware we technically had a three hour drive to our next destination: an overnight stay at the Hampton Inn in Chesapeake, Va.  Technically!  But, ten minutes into the drive, despite the potty break we took on the boat, both boys had to pee.  So we had to pull over, somewhere.
Now, might be a good time to mention that the car was loaded with stuff.  LOADED.  Like if there had once been an open crevice it was now filled with something...food, toys, clothes, diapers.  Our second row had Chase and Ryder in it. Between them, below them, stuff!!  The third row was half up, half down.  The half down side had more STUFF.  In fact, most of our STUFF was in that third row.  Luggage, boogie boards, I don't know what.  The half up side was where Turner sat.  If it is possible to give a newborn clausterphobia this is exactly what we did to our darling third born as he sat, rear facing, in the third row, surrounded by things he could not recognize.  Usually, he sits in the second row facing his brothers.  That was like first class travel compared to flying cargo with the luggage. So, clausterphobic and unstimulated he cried.  Turner is not a crier yet he managed to cry for the whole trip.  The trip that technically should have taken three hours but really took 5.  He also cried part of the next day when we did the final leg of the trip.  And, he cried a good portion of the ride home.  The ride home that took 10 hours.  Turner cried more in the combined car trips than he had in his then 8 month entirety.  And, as I've mentioned, seldom as it may be, he cries loud.

When we finally arrived on the Outer Banks, nice and early to avoid the Saturday rental traffic, we sat in hours of traffic.  We were not the only ones, apparantly, with the bright idea.  We got to the rental office at noon for a 4pm check-in and they said they would call us when our house was ready.  So we set off for a pizza lunch, al fresco, in the heat and humidity.  The passing of the 4 hours was idlely slow, and as you would know it our house was not ready until 4:05pm.

However awful this may sound, it was not so terrible as we lived through it.  Once we actually got into our home, and were able to settle down, the week finally began.  But, you see, Todd has no experience with spending 24 hours with our kids, for 7 straight days.  For him this was an adjustment he has yet wanted to relive.   But, OBX was still enjoyable, though I am pretty sure Beth and Dave will never have a third kid (they had one at the time) after seeing what our life is like.
Our days were long, as long as you'd expect with  two 3 year olds and an 8 month old!  Admittedly, we watched the clock at night until we could have some adult time.  Of course I am aware that as the years pass things will gradually change. Ten, fifteen years from now we will be the older versions of our same selves, in the same house and our kids will watching minutes pass waiting for us to go to bed so they can tell fart jokes, steal our booze, or smoke their pot.  But, for now, it is our vacation too and we did find plenty of time to enjoy.  Amidst hurricane season we witnessed some of the biggest waves we had ever seen, we BBQ-ed on the beach, tailgate style, we took the kids to a race track and let them drive some laps, and Todd helped them climb to the top of a lighthouse.  We sat poolside, we sat by the beach, we soaked in some sun.  We enjoyed ice cream, cocktails, good friends and cousins, and good food.  And, when the kids are a bit older, I can't wait to go back.

For the rest of the photos from this trip, click here