At 11:11am on Monday, July 28th, my one and only child's flight pushed off from the gate. I took a sigh of relief as I watched it taxi down the runway, and then made my way back to my car. This year it only took me 1/2 hour to get over the "my baby's gone blues".My daughter and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary of leaving "The Rock" on July 9th. Most people think we're crazy for moving to Atlanta given they think it's all paradise (see TV1s One on One this Sunday to see which paradise I'm talking about). Island life isn't for everyone, and 'back home' has always been too small for me. Apparently, my daughter has caught that bug too. But when Uncle called and said he was sending a ticket, my girl jumped at the chance to go and see her beloved uncle and have a ride on his new jet ski, ride the motocross bike up and down the dump and eat her favorite foods that she can't find or haven't been perfected in Atlanta.For me, I welcomed it and thanked my little brother often. I haven't had a vacation since we moved back to the States. And know that vacations for me were not a day or two in another city of the same state. We got on a plane, and flew at least 900 miles in any direction from our little spot in the middle of the Atlantic, hit the museums, amusement parks and malls, and sometimes managed to visit family. I NEED a vacation. Badly. But for now, I will settle for Mama Vacay.What's a Mama Vacay? It's when the children (or child in my case) are GONE for more than 48 hours. Mine happens to be in another country, well taken care of, so I'm not really worried. I can go to McDonald's at 1 in the morning, or, as I am doing now, start my day at 9pm and end it the next day at 4am. No homework checks. No "mama I'm hungry". However that part of it is the pitfall of my daughter's leaving, since she is the house cook, and has been since she really got good at cooking at the age of 7. I think I'll be eating turkey on rye for the next 11 days. But, I digress. My first 3 days will be spent working on the changes to my business, and I will be celebrating Cheesecake Factory's 30th anniversary on Wednesday the 30th with a good friend and future business partner. I'll be networking at a few mixers, and going with a friend to a private concert with Jennifer Hudson. Mostly invitations I would have passed on because I would have to find a sitter, and all my sitters live back home.I can raid my change jar and treat myself to a white chocolate mocha with whip from Starbucks and not have to remember or feel guilty about not getting a caramel frappucino. I can get my flirt on at the gas station in good taste. I have designated one day that I can not get out of the bed except to get water and use the bathroom. I can clean the house on Saturday and know it will STAY clean until she returns the following week. I may even summon the chutzpah to change around my little office. I can eat saltines for dinner if I want. I can use MY laptop at MY leisure and give my office chair a rest.But even though I'll be able to do all the things a SBF with no kids can do, at the end of it all, I'll be beaming when my deeply tanned tweener steps off her flight, just in time for her to ask, "can I go to Skate Towne?", giving me all of 2 minutes before my first eye roll in 2 weeks.
Y'all are funny! Wait til the babies get OLDER. Mine STILL hasn't called. I miss her - cuz I have to do the dishes and take out the trash myself... lol
Rikki I totally understand! My 20 mth old went to spend a week in DC with his father and grandparents in June....and boy oh boy was I excited! I was in Atl working hard, not rushing to get to the sitter on time, not doing the nightly routine. Then....I started to miss him. LOL!
I can understand i had my first experience a month ago when my 4yr old wanted to stay with his cousins in longisland i must admit i did cry and beg of him not to stay(very piterfull off me)being my only child and have never been apart from him, well long story short he spent 2wks you know he started calling me every nite asking when are you comming to get me? wow he did miss and need me it's better than sending him to spend time in the caribbean with grandparents this way i can get him whenever i want lol!
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