Ship coming in (very soon)

This year I was already on a second boat cruise. This first one was the weekend on the ship, and three weeks back we were on a boat, The Spirit of Jen, on the Vaal River for a function of my hubby’s company.


I think that the universe is telling me something: Our Ship is coming in! ;-)

It was the first time I had the opportunity to visit Stonehaven on Vaal. Apparently it is the “largest Garden Restaurant in South Africa”. There is a large play area for children, with a jumping castle, a trampoline, a water slide, a swimming pool, a tree house and jungle gym. There is also an animal farm. It is a great place for the kids, and I will definitely bring my little one.

The function on the luxurious Vaal Cruiser, The Spirit of Jen, was a real blast. The boat had to leave an hour late because a contingent of the party goers was late. It got very cold on the deck as soon as the sun was beginning to go down, but inside it was warm, and the company and food was very agreeable! Very agreeable, indeed! There is a Jacuzzi on the deck, and I’m sure during the summer time it is a wonderful place to be!

Abbott and Crabb was the entertainment, with jokes and music. These guys are still very funny! They’ve been together for 20 years, and the audience enjoyed them thoroughly! Luckily no old stale jokes… The boat cruised around on the Vaal River for a couple of hours, and we enjoyed looking at all the “palaces” on the River’s edge!

Eish! That ship can dock very soon, please!

Seriously, I am not used to this! A weekend cruise on a ship

We had a seriously luxurious weekend on board the MSC Sinfonia. We were spoiled to the teeth, or actually through our teeth. The food was fantastic!
We are planning our next trip already, but this time with the kids… I missed them terribly!
Especially with all the activities and stuff going on for kids on the ship! They would have loved it! (We were telling each other how much the children would have enjoyed the swimming pools! Or the teen the disco! The other kids on the ship…)
The Sinfonia is a well-oiled machine, and we marveled at how well everything worked! But I don’t know when the crew members sleep. We saw them from early in the morning, until 12 at night. A-ma-zing!
Thanks Dries and company – we had a great time!

It was the best to see my little one and the teen last night. Apparently the toddler was a very good baby for the whole weekend, but on Sunday morning she woke up at 2 am, screaming! My mom and dad spent two hours to get her to sleep again. She did not want to drink the bottle. We think she missed us, and probably the breast.
She gave us a look – “Where did you disappear to?”, when she saw us.
But she slept through the night again last night. I got up a couple of times to check on her. She was peacefully sleeping in her bed again.

It was just Mommy missing her still…

Related post:

Why is it so difficult for moms to leave their children?

Why is it so difficult for mothers to leave their babies in the care of other people?

This week I am in a bit of a depro. My Tuesday post was a dead give-away.
We are going on a weekend cruise on the Sinfonia (nogals!).My hubby made his targets at work. (Thanks, Hubby!)
It is an uplifting, wonderful opportunity to be going on a weekend cruise, traveling up the coastal waters of Mozambique. (Sic)
BUT, we have to leave Mieka for the weekend! AND I know she will be well taken care off by my parents. I hate leaving her!
This is the very first time at 14 months. Years back, I left Arnia for the first time at 2 years of age.
I am still breast feeding (luckily Mieka takes a bottle), and I will express a little bit on the ship. I hope it will be fine, because at 14 months breast feeding is supposed to be well-established! (Smile)
Why is it such a big thing to leave her overnight?
- Because I won’t see her this whole weekend (the only time we get to spend with her as working parents – week days don’t count; she’s tired in the evenings);
- I am scared she will miss us, especially at night without getting breast feeding;
- Worried that she will get sick;
- Worried that my parents will struggle with the sleeping (I pop her on the breast – they will have to make do with a bottle);
- We are going to miss her!!

I know we are going to enjoy it, eventually…
Do other parents also struggle to leave their little ones?
At what age does it get better?