Aruba...

jamaica....oooh I wanna take ya.....(you're welcome for putting that song in your head all day)

We are officially back from our "babymoon" in Aruba and--sigh--it was wonderful. The weather was great, which was a big plus. The island is too far south to ever be in danger of hurricanes, and there is no "off season" because of this and the fact that the temp/weather almost never changes all year. It sits only 10 miles off the coast of Venezuela, and it's just really different...it's like a desert with a dry climate and lots of cacti (that's the plural, although I feel like a nerd when I say it) and dirt and ruggedness (is that a word?) The beaches are gorgeous and the water is crystal clear, and we spent most of our time lying around, swimming, reading, sleeping, taking walks, and eating. Not a bad schedule.

We rented a Jeep one day and explored the island, by far the best day there! We had a little trouble navigating due to a shoddy map, Dutch traffic signs, and unhelpful locals, but we did stumble across some pretty cool stuff: an old gold mine, a "natural bridge" formed over time, a donkey sanctuary (yeah), goats, chickens, and iguanas big enough to be dinosaurs, and this awesome secluded beach on the tip of the island that has now become my "happy place" in my mind when I'm stressed. I'm actually looking forward to some future stress so I can picture this place, called Baby Beach, fittingly ;)

Peanut did great. I brought a regular swimsuit and a maternity tankini, but was a nervous wreck that I was "boiling" the baby in the sun so we got in the water pretty often. Swimming, I've discovered, makes me feel un-pregnant and I really enjoyed it and felt like my old self there for a while, although getting OUT of the pool was another story...I felt like I gained 10 pounds with each step out of the water. We got several comments from strangers--tourists and locals--who would point and tell me that I'm carrying a boy. This is really starting to affect my thinking and I've caught myself picturing a son and calling the baby "he" in conversations, which could be completely wrong and is a terrible offense to Peanut, should Peanut be a little girl. Again, either sex will be wonderful, but I should have known that 9 months would be way too long to expect I wouldn't be lobbied into one suspician or the other.

Food was great, or at least what I could eat of it. It's a tragedy to be on a Carribbean island and have to forego alcohol, caffeine, fruit juice, and sugar. It's also a tragedy to try and remember to take my blood sugar 4 times a day, especially when we weren't eating on any sort of schedule. (I know, I know, what a hard life, poor caroline...) We did have some great seafood, and had the most romantic dinner EVER on the last night. I actually made reservations in February because I was so excited about this place. It's called the Flying Fishbone and it's right smack on the beach, with the tables all in the sand and some even in the tide, and you take your shoes off and dig your feet in the sand while you eat! There are lighted palm trees everywhere and a sax player that wanders around, and we got there right at sunset and had the best lobster ever. It was the perfect way to end the trip and definitely the most romantic place we've ever been.

The trip was a great experience and we savored every moment alone, because we know it won't last much longer. Some people say they can't remember what their lives were like before their children came along, but Ted and I, hopefully, will remember it well. We've tried really hard to make a point of sqeezing as much life as we can out of the years and enjoying the season that we're in, and although we've probably over-extended ourselves at times, I wouldn't change a thing. The regret of doing too much is nothing compared to the regret of not doing enough (to me), and I just can't wait to welcome this new kid and show them how much fun life can be! With all the baby preparation, it's easy to get lost looking forward, and this trip was a great reminder to be present in the moment. What's the quote? "Be happy for this moment....this moment is your life."

xoxoxo