Just You and Me on a Little Getaway!

What kind of husband requests nothing more for his 30th birthday than a getaway with his beloved wife?

Thankfully, my kind!! Back in April, when Mark turned 30, that was his birthday present request - a trip away for just the two of us and none of our precious children! Isn't it great when a gift for your spouse turns out to be one in which you get to benefit too?! Heehee! My lovely Mum super kindly and generously offered to look after the kids as her gift - yes, quite a significant one - which made the wild idea even feasible.

Then... I got pregnant and very sick, Mark's work got crazy busy and so on, so it didn't seem we were going to be able to find time for a trip away before our little one is born in January. Boo!! But then I got quite a bit better, Mark changed work areas and suddenly - miraculously - everything aligned for us to take three whole nights away. As these things often do, it ended up working out beautifully, as this little trip became not only a 30th celebration for Mark, but also a end-of-uni celebration, an almost-anniversary celebration AND a last hurrah trip or babymoon before our 3rd little cherub arrives.

Gotta say, after a challenging year, it felt so amazing to get this little escape after over four and a half busy and amazing years of parenting... before we launch right back into babyland and all the exhausting joys that entails! Yes, we were excited to soak it up. Usually each year we have one night away for our anniversary (just at a hotel in town) but it was our first time away from the kids for more than 24 hours together... eeek!!!

We were unsure where to go and of course considering the the usual budget restraints when I remembered a lovely and generous friend had offered the use of her coast house whenever we wanted... never imagining we would really get the chance to take her up on it! But it turned out to be the perfect time and place. Getting away of course took quite a bit of work to 'get off the ground', what with Mark having the flu, final uni exams and starting a new job all in the week before we left. Meanwhile, I was battling a resurgence of pregnancy sickness and trying to organise the kid's time while I was away. I spent the weekend packing for everyone, writing out routines and cooking up a storm - packing all the kid's food for while I was away plus dinners for them and my parents each night. I figured my parents would be worn out enough from kid-wrangling, the least I could do was make dinner for them all so they didn't have to worry about cooking too!

Ready for the big adventure... child-free holidaying!

Suffice to say, after such a week, Mark and I were counting the seconds till our getaway. However when the moment came to leave them at my parent's house, I found it really hard to go. I was fighting back tears as I didn't want to upset the kids. Oh yeah, the poor kids who could barely find time for a kiss and cuddle for Mama as they excitedly wheeled around their mini-suitcases, and tried to tell Nana all their news in one breath!!  Um yeah... they were not phased at all by us leaving and cheerfully waved us goodbye while Mark waited patiently because I kept making up excuses to go back for one more kiss and cuddle. Finally, I got myself in the car and promptly burst into tears!!

The kids manage to find some time to wave us goodbye... 

They were too excited about their own special holiday at Nana and Papa's to
even care we were going away on ours! But oh, I cried to leave them!
It felt so good though to leave them so happy and in such capable hands. 

We made the drive through the windy mountain ranges to get to the coast. I was already (still) feeling pretty nauseous so of course vomited the whole way through, gasping to Mark to 'just keep driving' as I did so with my trusty bucket, as I just wanted to get through the horrendous windy roads and just get there, rather than dragging it out by stopping every time. It was pretty rough but oh.so.worth.it once we finally arrived.


Wow.

I'd heard the place was nice but it was more like stunning - breathtaking - incredible! Ocean views from every room of the house as it sat out on a headland. The rocky coastline was so intoxicating, the house so peaceful and beautiful...what a slice of paradise and how spoilt we felt getting to stay there!! We arrived, marvelled at the views, laid down our bags, ducked out for a little bit of lunch by the beach and then promptly crawled into bed for a nap! The exhaustion of the past year just hit us both and we were out.

Mark packing away the supplies in the kitchen!

Not usually into nature shots but I just could not get over the stunning views! Such a beautiful coastline...

Footloose and fancy free, enjoying some greasy takeaway on the beautiful beach!

 

That evening we ordered in some Thai and just chilled out. Just the two of us...with no kid's routine to keep to (eat when you get hungry - how novel!) or kids to feed or put to bed -  it felt so weird, yet, oh so very wonderful!

We couldn't stop exchanging incredulous joyful glances and giddily commenting -

'I'm so happy!'

'This is amazing!'

'I'm so relaxed!!'

Yeah.... we sure were ready to enjoy this little break and soak up every precious moment of it!