TOWN OF TONAWANDA —
When I was growing up, summer meant vacations. Not, for the most part, anything elaborate. Just lots of long weekend jaunts around the area and (mostly) New York state and Ontario.
Amusement parks, zoos, roadside attractions ... we hit them all, staying in any number of small hotels along the way. (The only requirement was that they be clean ... and have a pool. Bonus points for HoJo’s ice cream.)
Sometimes my paternal grandparents went with us. Sometimes it was just my parents, my brother and me. At any rate, I grew up with a taste for these small summer trips.
And, like anyone who fondly remembers her childhood, I wanted my children to experience the same summer fun — and waited eagerly for the chance to do so. Once the baby was able to walk under his own power for a good bit, I told myself, we had plans to make.
So, last weekend, we packed up our sons — and the amazing amount of accouterments that go with two small boys — and hied ourselves across the border to Toronto. On the agenda: the Toronto Zoo, the NASCAR Speedpark and other family vacation-type experiences.
And we had fun. Really, we did. But I learned any number of new things on this mini vacation, not the least of which is:
• ONE: It’s extremely hard work being a parent on vacation.
Two seconds after he ran into the hotel room, my toddler was jumping gleefully on one of the beds. A very tall bed. Far too tall a bed for a small boy to sleep on, let alone play on. Hmm. Wasn’t expecting that.
And the bathroom door has a remarkably touchy lock ... and the boys can easily get it open. That could be very bad ...
I suppose, after all the time I spent planning and making sure all the big details were in order, I truly had no idea how much time was going to be spent simply chasing, child-proofing and dealing with logistics such as keeping one child busy so the younger one could take a needed midday nap and figuring out what arcane things we might possibly need during a day trip to the zoo.
As I dropped one child off at my parents’ room while trying to get the other to calm down and sleep, I caught a bit of a smile hovering around my mom’s mouth. Gee, I wonder why?
That leads me to ...
• TWO: Small children have far more energy than adults.
At least, that seems to be true with my two. We arrived at the zoo and promptly rented a wagon, positive that by the end of the day we’d be hauling two tired little boys back to the main gate on wheels. If we were lucky, maybe, they’d fall asleep in the car on the way back to the hotel.
That was the plan, anyway.
Never underestimate the power of the childhood second wind.
At the end of the day, both boys were still walking, running and giggling ... while the adults wondered audibly who could possibly ride in the wagon. Not only did the boys not fall asleep in the car, they were so excited they stayed up about an hour past their usual bedtime.
• THREE: It’s not about the big things.
After all the planning and the scheduling and wondering, the boys liked the zoo and the other planned things we did ... but those things weren’t their highlights.
My oldest son loved the hotel swimming pool ... and the hotel elevator ... the most. The toddler liked anyplace where he could get down and run. They loved having their grandparents around all the time. And, I think, they liked having Mommy and Daddy around too.
We had a great time on our first family mini vacation. There will undoubtedly be more in our future.
But I think the adults need at least a year to recover first.
•••
Much to my amazement, my baby turns 2 tomorrow.
On one hand, I’m not quite sure where the time went. On the other, part of me is amazed that this energetic, troublesome, happy little blond kid hasn’t been around forever.
And if the Terrible Twos haven’t even officially started yet ... oh, heaven help me.
Happy birthday, Sam!
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