My Clock is Yellow: Lessons learned on a March Break Adventure

1. 10 days is too long for E and I to be away from J. I found myself at times restless, at times worried, at times remorseful, and at times just plain bummed to be apart for so long. Especially in a place I know he loves as much as we do, having experiences he would love to be having, eating food he would much prefer over frozen pizza…and then leftover pizza. Having said that, the utter euphoria of the reunion of daddy and daughter was pretty awesome to watch.

2. Cramming three adults and three children into a minivan for a 7 hour drive is not nearly the gong show I had imagined. Yes, there was vomit. Yes, there was poop. A little crying, an extra bathroom break or two and the odd butt cramp and back spasm, but I imagined worse. Much worse. Special mention go to J.M. Barrie and Jim Dale for their ability to enrapture my daughter, as well as June "Superwoman" DeWagner for her awe inspiring display of multi-tasking and supreme patience.

3. I prefer to be in a position of having tag-alongs, rather than being a tag-along. I am simply unable to shake the persistent inner dialogue of "Am I doing enough?"…"I should be doing more"…"Am I irritating these people?"…"Do they wish I had backed out at the last minute so that they wouldn't have to contend with my daughter's short legs and propensity for whining or my unending reminiscence and rather demanding appetite?"

4. I love Brooklyn. Yes, I already knew that, as did you. But once again, upon setting foot on Court Street I was whalloped with the sense of homecoming and belonging that tugs mercilessly at me each time I return. I want to go to there. Forever.

Carroll Park

5. I still possess the ability to sleep anywhere. Even on an undulating pull-out mattress that rains crumbs and dust when being unfolded. Even on a subway while holding a 40lb child, a backpack and a bag of groceries. It turns out that what I lack, most times, is simply the opportunity. E, on the other hand, will always find an opportunity.

Central Park

FAO Schwarz

Prospect Park

6. E can walk much farther than I thought she could. As long as she gets her "naps" in.

7. You have to let people do what they want and need to do, regardless of how that jives with your wants and needs. The key to doing that successfully is communication.

Needy? Who, me?!

8. Being the wife and mom I want to be lies not so much in a complete overhaul of my personality, but in perfecting the art of self-restraint.

9. When E was a very small, I would sometimes start out the day saying something like "Are we going to have a TERRIFIC day today?", which would invariably result in a spectacularly terrible day. I stopped saying it out of superstition. While on vacation I tried it out again for the first time in years. The superstition holds true.

10. No one is perfect, and that's a good thing.

11. We worked on our math skills quite a bit on this trip. And sometimes, 1 well behaved child + 1 well behaved child = 2 crappily behaved kids. Logical it may not be, but that's some truth right there.