A few weekends ago the OH and I enjoyed a weekend away, just the two of us, attending a wedding in Leamington Spa. It was actually really nice to have a ‘date’ day and night away and as much as we missed the boys, it was actually a lovely change not to have them close at hand.
However, at various times throughout our little break, I kept imaging what a difference having the boys there with us would have made. Remember the film Sliding Doors, where the narrative shows two timelines? Well, that is what I found myself doing: making comparisons and this was what I visualised in my mind.
*Weekend Away*
(part 1:the one where the OH & I go away on our own)
Friday
Arrive at hotel at 4.30pm and get all our luggage up to our room in one go
Unpack in about 10 minutes, enjoy the complimentary biscuits and a cup of tea
Leave hotel and go for a leisurely walk to the nearby hardens to see where tomorrows reception was being held
Visit a bar and enjoy an alcoholic beverage and a chatReturn to hotel and get ready to go out for a meal
7.30pm enjoy a meal (with wine!) out, just the two of us
Saturday
Saturday
Wake up at 8am and head down to breakfast half an hour later
After breakfast return to our room and watch a bit of morning TV that was not channel 71!!
Enjoy a leisurely bath and actually use some pamper products on myself that I have had sat in my bathroom cabinet at home, waiting to be used.
Head off to a nearby hairdressers to have my hair washed and straightened for the wedding (a little treat which the OH agreed to!)
Return to hotel room and get ready for the wedding
Arrive at the church early for a change
Get a seat near the front
1pm the ceremony starts and I witnessed the entire hour long service
2.10pm hang around outside the church watching the newlyweds enjoy a glass of champagne in their wedding car2.30pm head back to the hotel to park the car and walk to the reception.
3pm arrive at the reception and enjoy a welcome drink and some canapés
Stand around outside mingling and meeting people who I have never met before and chatting
4pm head inside and find our table
Help ourselves to wine!
Eat our way through 4 courses leisurely whilst sipping wine joining in with adult conversation. may even have got a little tipsy at one point (well, it would be rude not to!)
Generally converse, drink, dance and relax until midnight when it ends and we make our way back to our hotel.
*Weekend Away*
(part 2:the one where the OH, Burton, Jenson and I all go away together
Friday
Arrive at hotel at 4.30pm and it takes about 3 trips to get all the baggage into our family sized room.
Start to unpack but children have other ideas and give hints that they are hungry! Find cool bag which you have packed full with snacks, fruit, yogurts, sandwiches etc.. and let them eat. Of course no actual table and chairs or high chair in the room, so you can expect crumbs and food stains everywhere! Find channel 71 on the TV to occupy them and keep them sat in same position as much as possible, in an attempt to reduce food debris being scattered across the room.
Contemplate going for a walk after they have eaten, but by the time we have thought about the effort of having to go and get the buggy out of the car, get the boys sorted we would probably cancel that and play with toys and watch CBeebies until bath time.
7pm start bath time for both boys
7.30pm attempt to put the boys to bed. Due to being in a cot provided by the hotel, which from previous experience tends to be a travel one, would spend about an hour trying to get Jenson to sleep!
8.30pm let’s assume both boys are asleep. OH and I would then order ourselves tea via room service. Would try to watch TV on a low volume.
11pm bed and sleep.
Saturday
6.30am woken up by Jenson which with us all being in the same room would probably result in all of us waking up and feeling a tad grumpy!!
6.35am CBeebies on
6.40am a few rice cakes handed out as breakfast isn’t available until 7.30am!
7.32am arrive downstairs for breakfast and have to remove all items away from both boys to avoid breakages or accidental knife related injuries!
8.15am leave the dining room looking like a bomb had hit our table and return to our room.
Spend next 4 hours entertaining the boys, while also getting them and us ready
for the wedding and somehow going ending the boys some lunch!
12.45pm arrive at the church and find seats which are near the back in case we need to make a fast exit!
1pm service begins, bribe children with rice cakes if they make a noise and use books we brought along in my big bag to amuse them.
2.15pm service ends and I would have popped out at least once for nappy change and/ or potty use! Maybe popped outside again with a crying baby who got bored!
2.30pm return to hotel to drop off car and take buggy and kids to the reception.
3pm arrive at the venue. Hang around outside for an hour while photos are taken, canapés are eaten and welcome drinks are consumed by everyone but me probably! I will be hot and red faced from carrying Jenson and telling Burton to stay close!
4pm head inside to find our table and remove all cutlery, glasses, candles,etc.. from within easy reach of both boys . Help myself to the water!
4.10pm see the menu and fall out with OH when it transpires that he didn’t inform the groom that we required special food requirements for the two boys! *searches bag for rice cakes *
5pm boys are bored (and probably hungry!) with how long it takes for all of the food to be served!
6pm speeches start and this is when I have to start pacing up and down with Jenson who is now tired, a little grissley and bored (and hungry!!)
7pm try to get Jenson to go to sleep in the buggy by walking around outside in the park
7.30pm Jenson is asleep. Return to the reception but the noise soon wakes him up!
8pm decide it’s best to head back to the hotel and put the boys to bed. Well try at least!
The End!
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Thank you xx
Thank you xx
Great post! It’s a good job they are worth it as social events will never be the same again! Glad you had a lovely, relaxing break! Love how many wine shots there are in the first version! x
Hehe sooo true. This is exactly what we did at my cousins wedding, at one point covering his ears whilst he slept in his dads lap. It was really hard word but we had no choice but to take him! And sometimes, even when we’re at home, I forget we have other channels besides cbeebies. The other day I suddenly thought “ooh This Morning!”. It lasted about 10 mins before I had to flick over again!
Love it – as I was reading the first part I was smiling just knowing what the differences would be, it’s great you managed to go on your own. I’m looking forward to a weekend like that one day, I can hardly remember them!
Such a great post. I love how your brain works. I do this too. Although very rarely kid free time. You made the best choice and I bet you felt so revitalised.
Your hair looks
Gorgeous by the way x
Oh how familiar part 2 sounds and oh how blissful part 1 sounds.
Glad you enjoyed part 1 🙂
Loved part 1 and yes part 2 doing it with children is just a tad more stressful. It gets easier when they are a few more years older. My two love being in hotels. x
Oh dear God, the comparison you’ve made makes you wonder why people ever take their children anywhere like this doesn’t it? And then you remember that you like spending time with them because they’re part of you now. Glad that you and OH got the opportunity to spend some quiet time together and eat in peace and quiet.
And you were very tipsy!
you will get a weekend like that one day Em – it will be with the wait too x
I love this post – I think it is really important for couples to actually enjoy time as a couple instead of parents.
I love my children dearly but I do enjoy spending just a couple of hours time to time with just my Husband.