Here it is, the sequel you have all been waiting for! Ten months ago I wrote all about hotels room with a baby. Now, we have done it with a toddler. An energetic toddler! And, I have to tell you something, it was easier! Here’s why.
The balcony
We learnt from last time, and made sure our hotel room had an outdoor space for us to relax in. Not only does it provide hubby and I with a space to sit at while missy sleeps – hell, we even managed to have a conversation or two – but it also means that we have a place to hang the copious amounts of washing because, unlike last time, missy now goes through one or two outfits a day (and I think we’re one of the lucky ones!).
No purees
One of the biggest stress factors when we stayed in a hotel last time was the food. Missy was still eating versions of purees, and there was nowhere to store pre-made food (the fridge turned off the moment you took the key out of the room). This time, missy will eat a normal meal. In fact, she will eat a full kids meal without too much drama. She might not be getting the balanced diet she gets at home (vegetables are a rare breed at this specific resort!), but she’s eating, and we don’t have to worry about creating a miracle out of buffet leftovers. That said, bringing along extra containers to load up bits from the buffet breakfast has helped to some extent!
She’s on the move
I was trying to figure out whether or not I should spin this as a positive, because it certainly has its downsides. We can’t just relax at the pool for an hour, or go for a leisurely walk with the pusher. But what we do have is so much fun. We have 200 metre walks that take 30 minutes as missy bends down to pick up every shell (or rock in most cases) and calls them “pretty”, we have a girl who jumps in the pool without fear (both scary and hilarious), and someone to run around with on the grass, pretending to do cartwheels with (also hilarious). By all accounts it is a lot of fun, and extremely rewarding.
The toddler understands what we’re saying
Before we went away, little miss was talking about Fiji, and doing plane gestures with her arms. She knew what was happening. She knew she was sleeping in a cot in the same room as mumma and dadda for a week. She knew that she had to sit still on the plane Sure, it doesn’t always translate to compliance, but it has made the whole experience a lot easier.
It’s not all sunshine (actually, this holiday is!) and happiness. It comes with challenges. The main one being that working around naps makes it near impossible to do anything more than sit by the pool (oh, it’s a hard life!). There are, however, so many more benefits on the horizon. Already I can see that babysitting and kids’ clubs will be a godsend in the future – we’re just not ready for that yet. For those who, like us, enjoy traveling, it does get easier. There is a lot of compromise, and our extra adventurous trips are certainly on hold for the time being, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun!
Next up: Flying with a 20-month-old
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