Week 31: Sweet babymoon

In my last post, I talked about how important it is for me to stay true to my children, my husband and most especially, myself. So to honor that, we decided to celebrate our final mini-break before we have this baby with a babymoon to Charleston, South Carolina. It was every bit as enchanting as I had hoped it would be.

We had originally planned a trip to Seattle for a longer stretch of time, but as our dates drew closer, we were feeling increasingly less comfortable with the idea of flying across the country. (Not to mention the fact that it was getting more difficult for me to physically maneuver this big ol’ belly!) Seattle would have been great, no doubt about it. But knowing ourselves, we would have wanted to walk that entire urban landscape without stopping.

Sure, walking during pregnancy is fantastic and even recommended. But remember when I talked about how this baby feels like a bouncing bowling ball on my cervix? Also, Seattle is famous for so much food—food that I actually can’t eat right now, like raw oysters. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I feel like my Seattle experience would have been greatly minimized had I not had any of the city’s oysters. But I digress.

We chose Charleston because of its proximity to Atlanta, its rich food culture and gorgeous backdrop. Oh, and there’s a beach there, too! The five hour drive to get there went by quickly, despite the fact that I had to take frequent bathroom breaks. Upon arrival, I knew that I would have a great time.

We rented an AirBnB apartment that was right in the heart of downtown and walked as much as we could. The nice thing about walking in Charleston was that it felt leisurely. It didn’t feel rushed and we were able to pop into charming little places to cool off from the heat. I had some delicious fancy mocktails, got to dress up and have intimate dinners with my man and walk under the Spanish moss at dusk. We went swimming in the Atlantic, had some seafood in the low country and watched a thunderstorm roll by. (If you’d like to see some photos, I have them on my blog here.) This babymoon felt so important and necessary for us both. In my opinion, it solidified what we already have: a strong and sturdy foundation to continue building this family.

When Jesse and I met, I had already had Anaïs. As a result, she was apart of nearly everything we did together, including dates. Needless to say, our “courting” period was pretty unconventional. Naturally, we discovered a way to be able to get to really know each other. In many ways, this babymoon was a reminder of those early days when we could find that little sliver of alone time. Having that reaffirmation that we are in this together for the long haul and that we want the same things for our growing family is what makes everything worthwhile, you know?

Being pregnant is certainly a time of joy and excitement, but there are also those times when it can be shaken by so much change. Whether or not it’s a first pregnancy or one with a subsequent child thereafter, somehow we still find ways to question ourselves and what direction our life as a family is headed. I feel like our time together as parents and as individuals is so sacred—and hushed conversations right before bed when the kids are sleeping aren’t enough. I feel like we need to really make an effort to make time for one another and that’s what made this babymoon so special.

Milan Kundera famously said, “Two people in love, alone, isolated from the world, that’s very beautiful.” And that’s what it felt like for us this past weekend. It was perfect.