A Perfect Week at the Beach

 

Our long-awaited vacation finally arrived and we spent the most blissful week in Mexico.  The last time we really travelled (as in, on a plane, for an extended period of time) was when Ben was 18 months old and we went to Palm Springs.  I wasn't sure if this trip would be easier or more challenging, but I'm so happy to be able to say that he was at the perfect age and we had the best time!

 

We got up early on Saturday, May 9th and headed to SeaTac. 

 

Side note about our travel arrangements: We have been accumulating our airline miles forEVER.  When I booked our tickets originally (as in, when we were supposed to go last October but the hurricane hit), we had selected the "nonstop" flights (which I later realized DID stop, but you just didn't get off the plane and allowed other passengers to get aboard.  It required 50K miles per person.  This time, when rescheduling our trip, we opted to have layovers at LAX each way, which only required about 34K miles each person.  I had assumed that Ben would be dying to get off the plane halfway through the flight, walk around, get the wiggles out, and maybe get something to eat. 

 

After two very long days of travel (35 minutes to the parking garage, 15 minute shuttle to the airport, security, 2 hour flight to LAX, layover, 2 hour flight to Cabo, customs, 45 minute shuttle to the hotel) I think next time I will opt for the more direct flight - especially since Ben killed it on the flights and was SUCHAGOODBOYWASTHATREALLYMYSONBEHAVINGSOPERFECTLY.  BUT, the great news is that it really was worth it to still have 100K miles in our bank for the next adventure.

 

Okay. So, as previously mentioned, Ben was pretty fantastic all the way there.  I think the shuttle van, underground train at the airport, so many elevators and escalators he thought he had died and gone to heaven, and 2 airplanes helped occupy his little mind and prevented him from melting down from restlessness.

 

Here he is having little combined snuggle sesh and car play at LAX.

 

LOLs and tickles on the last leg.

 

 

Up at 5 am and no naps = crashing on the shuttle ride to the hotel.

 

Another travel side note:  I had debated trying to convince Greg that we should take a private taxi vs the shuttle ride (that I remember taking FOREVER the last time we went).  We ended up going for the shuttle once we learned that "the baby" (as everyone in Mexico referred to Ben as) rides free, so it ended up being over half the price.  We also met some great people from Connecticut who were riding with us and every single person in our shuttle hung back to grab a beer before we climbed aboard. 

 

 

Our first night was pretty low key as we arrived as the sun was going down.  We checked in, hit the beach in front of our hotel for a little digging and throwing rocks into the ocean. 

 

 

 

We stayed at the Riu Santa Fe, which is the same place Greg and I had stayed when we went back in 2009.  I will admit that upon our arrival, I was a little nervous that the place was no longer up to my (admittedly sometimes-snobby standards), particularly when we hit the buffet for dinner.  I think that in the past few years, actually learning to cook has made my taste a little more high end.  I was also worried that we would be able to find enough variety of food for Ben to eat.  BUT, luckily I felt much better the next day when I realized that the breakfast and lunch options were ideal and we could head off-property for dinners.

 

It also helped that we TOTALLY upgraded and got a sweet room with the most perfect view, which was absolutely worth it and we loved it SO MUCH.

(Picture from the website):

View every day from our bed:

 

Jacuzzi tub:

 

 

Airing out ;)

 

 

This is what Greg and I did during naptime everyday.

 

 

On Sunday morning, Mother's Day, we started off with breakfast by the pool.  Ben found a couple girls to run around with and Greg and I were able to eat while they played. 

 

Morning swim:

 

Next, we hit the beach to walk towards the marina to get some beer and guacamole.  For the first 20 minutes, Ben was TERRIFIED that the water was going to "get him".  He repeatedly said "it's not going to get me" while we reassured him that no, it wouldn't. He eventually had to get on Greg's shoulders.

 

But soon, he realized how fun it was to have the water wash up over your feet and he couldn't get enough!

 

So grateful for those two guys who made me a Mom!

 

 

My dad treated us to a Mother's Day dinner of our choice - so we opted for live music and the delicious food at The Office on the Beach.  It was such a great meal.  Ben made friends with Sebastian, whose dad was the singer in the band that was playing.  They played in the sand, danced, took off into the restaurant and got lost for exactly three minutes but then returned with toy planes and cars in hand.  It was so awesome.

 

 

 

 

Early morning shot before the beach got busy.

 

After a lot of sun on Sunday, we decided to hang out at the shadier pool for a bit on Monday, which worked out for me well.  I had asked my friend Lisa to recommend a book that would "hook me" (like Gone Girl, or The Goldfinch did), so per her recommendation I downloaded The Girl on the Train and I COULDNOTPUTITDOWN.  I sat in that chair next to Ben and read it for hours that day (drinking pina coladas, while Greg took Ben in the pool, of course).

 

Tuesday.  Smoothies in a pineapple: 

 

 

Walks down the beach to get ceviche and beers:

A stop at our favorite place in Cabo, The Mango Deck (2 X 1 beer, all day, err day) and the best entertainment.

 

Not sure what day this was, but I think Thursday?  We ventured down the beach to find a water taxi to go take a tour of the Arch.  Due to the waves, we ended up having to catch a shuttle at a hotel and go into the marina to get on the boat.   There was a glass bottom and Ben loved seeing the "fishies".  We also got to learn all about the damage that the hurricane last fall caused, (like Lover's Beach is not exactly there anymore, since the hurricane washed all the sand away).  It was super interesting and very sad.

 

 

 

I swear, he was having fun.

 

 

After our boat ride, we stopped at Baja Brewing Company for a taster of beers.

 

The hotel where we caught the shuttle had the coolest kid pool EVER, so we may have snuck in to cool off and play for a bit before walking back to our hotel.

 

Shananagins at our hotel:

 

Friday, our last day, was a pool day.

 

Nutella toast pool side.

 

We hung at the shady pool much of the day, which was great because that is where Ben's best vacation buddy was - Haylie.  (He kept calling her MAYLEE and when we weren't with her, saying "what's Maylee, I mean, what's HAYLIE doing"?  She was 5, blonde, and so sweet to Ben.  It was a blast having her and her brother at the pool (and their fun mom and dad who recruited us for pool volleyball that day and DEMANDED their son watch the kids so we could play) :)

 

Ben could NOT understand the concept that floors are DIRTY, particularly the floor of an AIRPORT, or a POOL BAR, in MEXICO, and PLEASEDONOTLAYONTHEGROUNDANYMORE.  We eventually gave up.

On Friday evening, or maybe it was Thursday, we went back to The Mango Deck for the Baja Enchiladas that we had been waiting for for 5 years.  So delicious.  We also had the guacamole.  And 8 beers :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our last morning, Saturday.  We grabbed breakfast - they had an amazing omelet station every day that I took advantage of - and on our last day, I had 2 egg white omelets - and then we hit the pool for one final swim.

 

The journey back was somewhat uneventful - quick nap on the first flight:

 

Dinner at LAX:

 

LAX to Seattle:

 

 

And crashed almost the whole way:

 

We are a little sad it's over, but this trip really helped us to disconnect from work, spent a ton of quality time together, and it's always nice to be back home.  Videos to come in the next post! :)