Heading Out for Vacation (Or: Why Mama Needs a Vacation After the Vacation)

It is currently after midnight. My alarm is set for 3:00 AM. Actually, multiple alarms are set for 3:00, 3:30, 3:45, and 4:00 because apparently I no longer trust myself.

And here I sit, staring at the ceiling, doing vacation math. If I fall asleep right now, I might get two hours of sleep. If I stay awake, I can continue mentally reviewing every item we own to make sure nobody ends up in another country without underwear.

This, my friends, is the reality of vacationing with kids under eight. The vacation starts long before the plane leaves the ground.

First, there was the packing. Not my packing. Oh no. Packing for myself took approximately seven minutes.

Packing for everyone else took five business days and a dozen loads of laundry.

I packed clothes, pajamas, swimsuits, sunscreen, medications, chargers, snacks, comfort items, emergency snacks, backup emergency snacks, and enough hair accessories to survive a natural disaster.

Then came the endless mental checklist.

Passports? Tickets? Charging cords? Favorite stuffed animals? Do we have enough snacks? Do we have too many snacks? What if someone gets cold? What if someone gets hot? What if someone decides they suddenly hate every shirt we packed?

The questions never stop.

Then there was Nugget. Sweet little Nugget. The furry member of our family required almost as much vacation preparation as the children. Vaccinations had to be updated. Boarding reservations had to be confirmed. Instructions had to be written. His food had to be packed. His favorite things had to be packed. Honestly, his luggage situation looked more organized than mine.

Yesterday, we loaded him into the car and dropped him off. I already know I’m going to miss his little white face. He’ll be playing with other dogs and getting extra scratches each night, so he may not even notice we’re not there.

The girls, meanwhile, are experiencing a level of excitement usually reserved for Christmas morning and Disney movies. This is their first flight. For weeks we’ve been preparing. We’ve watched airport videos. We’ve watched videos explaining security lines. We’ve discussed terminals. We’ve discussed airport trains. We’ve discussed what happens during takeoff. We’ve discussed what happens during landing. We’ve even discussed the tiny airplane bathrooms, which somehow became the most fascinating topic of all.

At this point, I think Jessica and Jenna could probably lead a beginner airport orientation course. They are equal parts nervous and excited. Jessica has a list of questions. Jenna has a list of concerns. Both girls have confidently informed me they need gum because of cabin pressure. They learned this from a video and now speak about it as though they are seasoned international travelers.

“Mama, don’t forget the gum.” Trust me, children. The gum is packed. Mama packed it three days ago.

What the girls don’t fully understand yet is that while they’re dreaming about beaches, pools, adventures, and hotel breakfasts, Mama is carrying the entire operation inside her brain.

I’m the one making sure everyone gets where they’re supposed to be. I’m the one checking boarding times. I’m the one making sure nobody accidentally leaves a beloved stuffed animal in a hotel room. I’m the one staying up past midnight wondering if I remembered to pack the charger for the device that charges the other device. Being a mom on vacation often means being the last one to bed and the first one awake. It means carrying the mental load while simultaneously trying to enjoy the fun. It means triple-checking everything because forgetting one tiny thing can feel like a major crisis when you’re hundreds of miles from home.

And yet…

Tomorrow morning, two little girls are going to walk into an airport for the very first time. They’re going to see giant airplanes through the windows. They’re going to find their seats. They’re going to press their noses against the glass. They’re going to experience that magical moment when the plane lifts off the ground and the whole world suddenly looks tiny beneath them.

And those moments make every late night worth it. Even this one.

So if you’re reading this while packing, making lists, setting alarms, stressing over chargers, or wondering whether you should just stay awake instead of sleeping for two hours, I see you.

Vacation planning with young kids is not relaxing. It’s logistics with a side of anxiety and a sprinkle of chaos. But it’s also memory making. The kind they’ll talk about for years.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go check my suitcase one more time.

You know. Just in case. And yes, Mama’s absolutely going to need a vacation when we get back.

But first, we’re off to make some memories. Y’all wish me luck!

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