FAMILY VACATIONS

Forget the midnight feedings and stretch marks - Nothing says" WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF MOTHERHOOD - YOUR LIFE HAS CHANGED FOREVER" like a the phenomenon known as the family vacation.

Remember back to the way it was before the baby came into your life - you'd pack a bikini and your birth control and call it a day. Well life has changed forever my friend. Say ciao to the carry one and welcome to the world of luggage - lots and lots of luggage. Between the toys, diapers, strollers, formula, crayons, coloring books, dvds, cds, blankies, barbies, binkies and sun block - you're beaten down, exhausted and doing your best impersonation of a pack mule.

You arrive at your destination - determined to relax and enjoy some sun and surf with your little sweeties. With dreams of leisurely days spent on the beach - you rally the troops and get them ready to hit the beach. But this isn't room service fueled respite you remember from days gone by. Today, it takes forever just to get everyone out the door - By the time you've wrestled and wrangled the troops, slathed on the spf 45, schlepped the shovels and sand toys and set up the umbrella and chairs, it's time to reapply the sunblock and feed those finicky little sun worshipers.

It's the joke you'll hear repeated over and over again - I need a vacation to relax from my vacation..and it so true. But when you spend the day chasing toddlers, visiting every attraction within ten miles of your hotel and taking rides on tandem bikes, you can bet that chick lit novel you're dying to crack open will stay unread till your kids are ready to head off to college.

But while you may miss the relaxing vacations of your past, don't waste your time dreaming off those daquiri soaked days gone by. Today's vacations are about enjoying the simple pleasures and milestones - your child's first sandlcastle, learning to swim, hunting for hermit crabs and getting to know the little munchins who are growing so quickly and that you miss so terribly when you go off to work.