Babymoon...Wait, baby wha?

Doug and I are certainly not new to the idea of hopping in the car on a Friday night and taking off for a quick weekend trip. We are firm believers that you HAVE to take vacations. What's the point of working so hard if you can't enjoy the time you have off? Now, this isn't to say we don't have our responsible weekends at home. But we do prioritize and work in fun times with each other and friends. It could be a weekend in Asheville, spending the day at the beach or taking the dogs for a hike. Heck, we even flew up to PA for a skiing weekend last winter (which if any of you remember was ruined by us both coming down with the flu). We like adventures.

But from what I understand, these spontaneous and impromptu trips will lessen with the arrival of a new baby. We're certainly not going to become hobbits: I plan to continue to take my dogs and my baby as many places as I can. But in the beginning, our new parenting responsibilities and our financial situation will most likely keep us spending spare time locally and maybe even at home.

It's for this reason that several blogs, magazines and apps have recommended taking a babymoon, A babymoon is a trip you take before the baby comes to relax and spend time with your significant other and whoever else you choose. When I first started thinking about babymoons I wanted to go back to Azul Beach Hotel where were were married for our 2-year anniversary in October. But with the purchase of a new home and our other obligations, I'm afraid the chances of going to Mexico are getting slimmer and slimmer. So instead, I'm thinking we make the most of what we have locally and really cherish the alone time we have together.

Although we both have to work weekends, we're figuring out ways to work it out. For example, I switched a day off with my assistant manager so I can have my birthday (which is on a Friday) off as well as the following Saturday. This way Doug and I can enjoy a nice Friday evening and all Saturday together (hopefully boating!) September is going to be a BUSY month for both of us as well. One thing I'm looking forward to is joining Doug in Sebring for a racetrack weekend. We'll stay in a hotel, enjoy dinner out, and I can catch up on some reading while we are at the track. In October we may be able to stay at a friend's house on Daufuskie Island for a quiet and secluded weekend.

The point is we're planning in advance to make sure we have time for one another and ourselves. We can't just wait for a day to roll around, because it might not. Instead we're scheduling time and trips and looking forward to them! I'm marking days on my calendar to take the dogs to the beach and lay in the sun. I'm squeezing in time with friends that I may not see as much the first few weeks the baby is here. Soon our little girl will be here and our time will be greatly decreased. So now is the time!