For 4th of July this year, while J’s Mum was out visiting and meeting Mr. Freddie for the first time, we headed out on a family vacation to Fishers Island to stay with the American side of the family.
J’s Mum, Sarah, suggested the trip back when I was pregnant and initially I said no. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than going away with a toddler and a newborn. But once Freddie was here and I realised that two under two is totally doable, I called her and asked her if she was still up for it – she was!
So we rented the biggest car that you have ever seen (seriously, it was ridiculous!) and headed out into Connecticut early on 4th of July to catch a ferry over to Fishers Island.
The sun was shining, the babies were happy and we even had a tray of leftover birthday cake to share with everyone on the ferry to help pass the 45 minute ride. It’s always fun to be the people handing out the cake right?!
So J told me that this place was pretty but I had no idea that this is what he meant! I have never seen anywhere like Fishers Island. It was SO peaceful. The only noise I could hear was Belle shouting and splashing around (which probably wasn’t great for everyone else enjoying the peace – sorry!)
Jono has a whole side of the family who live over here and I hadn’t met any of them, so it was extra special to be staying with them at their place. My side of the family is pretty small so it is fun meeting the HUGE extended family that J has!
The house that we stayed in had this private beach and the bottom of the garden that had formed naturally after a hurricane – can you believe that! Most of the people are just there for the summer, but some live there all year. That is goals right there. Wow.
Being by the water for a few days was the perfect opportunity to get this city toddler splashing around and enjoying a bit of nature and she did just that. I am sure that she spent most of her time convincing either Sarah or Jono to take her down the sand to play in the water. She loved it.
She hadn’t been in the sea before so I thought that she would be a little nervous. Nope! She loved it, picking up seaweed and making it into necklaces (gross!), finding shells and even picking up hermit crabs with her tiny hands (at first with, and then without help from J)!
Whenever she got out of the water and noticed that Freddie was down on the beach she would pop over and check that he was okay. She is such a sweet big sister.
This trip was exactly what we needed. Some special family time away after those crazy first weeks of newborn life, J being sick and lots of busyness. J and I are learning that holidays look very different with babies but that most of the time, they are still worth doing. Staying with family in their home was the perfect break. If you are going to have sleepless nights and toddler meltdowns, then you may as well do it somewhere beautiful right!? Plus having a Granny around to help is delightful. We might just have to take a grandparent on every holiday from now on!
Thank you so much to the Furse family for hosting us and for Granny Wylie for hours and hours of beach babysitting. I got to take daytime naps with Freddie and it was glorious!
