It is now the year 2010 ( it sounds better when you pronounce it twenty-ten, okay) and that means I will soon celebrate ten years of wedded bliss with Aaron. Ever since we failed to make a big deal out of our fifth anniversary (what with the lactating and the post-partum crazies), it has been written that our tenth will be commemorated with all the pomp and circumstance that it deserves.
This does NOT mean we are having a party. I can think of nothing I would enjoy less than planning and executing an event where our respective families could keep their distance from each other; much like boys and girls at a junior high dance with the added bonus of my mother telling everyone about her latest surgery and laundry list of psych meds. That's what Violet's birthday is for.
Aaron and I would really like to take a kid-free vacation and by "vacation" I mean 4 or more consecutive days in lodgings not located in Ohio, Pennsylvania or Michigan. Aaron has had it stuck in his head for the entire length of our marriage that we should really go to one of those all inclusive resorts. He loves the idea that you can pay for absolutely everything ahead of time and then spend a week being waited on and never worrying about the location of your wallet. For a time, he even thought it would be awesome to go to a Hedonism resort (adults only, clothing optional). It sounds great, except we are not beach people, not even a little bit. Neither of us enjoys water sports. I am literally terrified of snorkeling and SCUBA diving. Aaron has strong feelings about appearing in public without a shirt on and I am not my best, most confident self while wearing a bathing suit. In fact, I am physically uncomfortable in swimwear. Also, our trip will likely take place in the late summer/early fall and it will still be pretty hot in Dayton, so a tropical vacation would be sort of redundant.
The thing that has Aaron stuck on this resort idea is money. Resort vacations are cheap and you generally know up front about every penny you will be expected to spend. I get that, but a bargain isn't really a bargain if you aren't getting what you want or need. Unfortunately, Aaron is so stressed and so tired from school and work, that he is starting to view this vacation as medicine or therapy or eating healthy vegetables you don't like the taste of. It MUST be done, or we will die.
The entire argument about where to go on a trip is ridiculous because we actually agree on where we would like to go. New York City. In our wildest fantasies the trip would include tickets to the U.S. Open and a few broadway shows. That's what we really want to do, but Aaron fears it would be too expensive and NOT relaxing enough. Aaron's definition of "relaxing" involves a lot of reading/napping with periodic interruptions for food and beer. I could do that for a day or two, but then I would be bored and my boredom would lead me to pine for my child and that would lead to imagining all of the horrible accidents that might happen while we are apart, which would inevitably cause me to contemplate how sad and lonely her life would be if both her parents were killed in a fiery plane crash over the Bermuda Triangle. Not exactly an aphrodisiac, if you know what I mean.
I guess I'm asking for help. Have you been someplace nice and relaxing, but also interesting and un-sandy? Should we chuck the whole thought of a romantic getaway and take the baby to Disney World? Help!
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