Photos/Art Work courtesy of Teegan Click to enlarge for detail.

Vacations can be so great for families because they really force families to get to know each other again. Even in situations like mine where we homeschool, work from home and are basically in each other’s faces all day and night, we still lead enough separateness in our lives that we can lose touch in small ways. It is so nice to be able to really see the wonderful qualities of my kids that I am so proud of, the qualities that sometimes get lost in the day to day busyness and separateness of our lives.

Here are a few of the things I noticed about my little family during our road trip:

Dalton: Dalton’s “job” on the trip was to sit next to Addison and keep her happy in the car. This was no easy fete but he did it for hours and hours a day without complaint or irritation toward her. By the end of the trip I realized on more than one occasion that I was actually envious at the ease and rapport he has with her. I’m so lucky to have such a patient and loving son who would tirelessly give the world to his baby sis.

Dalton seems so old now, all suddenly. He’ll be 13 in just 3 months and its showing. On more than one occasion he saw people in need and offered to help of his own accord (carrying in heavy bags, etc). Sometimes they weren’t even in need, he just saw a way to be helpful and offered. When I was his age, I was so self-centered and ungrateful and the worst thing in the world was to have to help. I’m in awe of his consideration.

Plus he was our third set of hands, all the time. This means he took the dogs out for walks and to potty, he helped unload the car and bring stuff to the hotel rooms, he watched kids or ran up to the buffets at breakfast to help fill a plate for someone else. Whatever I needed, he was there to help with.

Teegan: Teegan has the unenvious job of helping Noah in the back row of seats - too far for us to easily hear or help and too little to get stuff from the floor for himself but Noah can be exhausting. Teegan did good with Noah and even read out loud to him several times and played games, helped him with his video games and other things above and beyond what was expected.

Teegan has always been my easiest kid. He’s so laid back and undemanding. He asks for nothing. When we eat out, he asks for water. When we shop for souvenirs, he gets nothing. When we give him money to spend, he doesn’t spend it. When Teegan does ask for something, it is always reasonable and something we know he really really wants. I never have to say no to him.

He is so charming, funny and witty. And he’s really beautiful. He’s a natural actor so he’s always posing for the camera - subconsciously or otherwise. While Dalton is making cheesy grins and doing rabbit ears, Teegan is gazing off into the sunset wistfully waiting for me to snap a pic.

Noah - Noah really showed his age this trip. He seems to have lept across into Big Kid Land when I wasn’t looking! He almost never complained on the road, he ate well, slept well and seamlessly kept up with the rest of us.

Noah is the best big brother in the world. He spends a ridiculous amount of time making sure his sister is happy. He will give her whatever he has just purchased or received immediately, if she wants it. He doesn’t hesitate to share, even knowing she might ruin his stuff. He considers Addy to be his best friend and whatever he does, he wants her involved. He lives to share his world with her. I’m so glad they have each other.

This year, Noah has become both more outgoing and way more independent. He’s always been painfully shy but this trip, he made friends at just about every stop. And now he figures out what’s expected of him and just takes off to do it instead of waiting around for us to do it for him. Years prior, up north, he was the high maintenance little one who needed constant supervision and attention. This year he was off on his own, exploring and adventuring and playing like the big kids.

Addison: Addison has also crossed over into Toddlerland. She has impressed me so much on this trip. Her patience and ease amazes me. Everywhere we went people commented on how easy she is and its true - she really is a piece of cake! All she wants is attention and if you give it to her, you have her in the palm of your hand It’s that easy!

She has grown by leaps and bounds in the socialization department since our trip to Columbus in May. Then she was clingy and afraid but now she is at ease and totally curious about everyone and everything. As long as she has sufficient space to warm up to a new person or situation, she is good to go. She loved seeing both sets of Grandparents and my Aunt and Uncle and adored visiting with her brothers and sister.

Her favorite thing, though, was staying at the hotels. I was worried it might be difficult to adjust to so many new places but she absolutely LOVED it. As soon as we stepped into a room, she TORE off looking through drawers, finding the pen and paper and scribbling, jumping around, climbing in and out of chairs and beds. She just LOVES hotels! She’s a seasoned traveler!

Tony: You know, we didn’t fight AT ALL! Packing, repacking, in and out of hotels, planning each day, taking care of kids, working at the same time. Sure we had a few snippy arguments along the way that were ALL about how I am right and He is wrong but they were resolved within seconds when he realized the errors of his ways :-).

I wish he didn’t have to work during our entire trip. That sucked. I felt bad for him and bad for us. But we stole enough time here and there and we got our very first DATE since we brought Addison home! That was soooo nice and really special. I know it will be a long time until we can get out, the two of us, alone. So I really treasure those few hours together alone.

Tony is such a good, capable, caregiver. He can multitask like crazy, I’m always jealous. He also knows his limitations which is something I really respect. He is always trying to do better, learn more and try harder. He is ALWAYS willing to take the baby and give me a few seconds or minutes of freedom. I even got a Girls Night Out with a friend while I was in Michigan - how cool is that? He never complains about waking up several times a night to give Addison her bottles and he only really complains about me stealing the blankets sometimes but that’s some sort of reverse psychology because really its him who steals the blankets! But whatever. Point is, he’s a trooper and then some.

I love my little family. I can’t even express how many times I would be driving in the middle of nowhere and overhear some sweet little exchange between the kids and feel swollen with pride. They weren’t always perfect and wonderful but they are far more perfect and wonderful than I tend to give them credit for typically.

Family Vacations are a Good Thing.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 4th, 2007 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Parenting, Things I Love. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.