Vacation with a Toddler: 1 Day

After four days of vacationing with a monkey,

 I was finally able to enjoy one day of vacation with a toddler. 

The type of vacation I had expected to have. 

For the most part, Adalyn is an easy-going, content and happy toddler. 

So "vacationing with a toddler" isn't a negative in this situation.

Vacationing with a baby monkey...now that is a different story. 

As luck would have it, she seemed to be feeling almost 100% our last day there.  

It was frusturating that she would be almost better as we were about to go home, but I was thankful that the family got to enjoy her for one day and that she would be better for the long drive home the following day. 

Wednesday was the low key day on the schedule. 

Some people were staying home, some were going to the shops and some...

were going to the Aquarium. 

And let me tell you....everyone else missed out on a good time at the Aquarium. 

We ended up just going with Auntie Ali and it was so nice to have that special time with just her. 

I highly recommend this aquarium {as does TripAdvisor}, we had read some reviews and saw it was ranked in the top 10 in the US so we decided we had to take advantage while we were in town. 

I'm so glad we did! 

This was the first day it actually felt like vacation.

It felt great to no longer be a zoo exhibit, but to just enjoy the aquarium.

{Okay, last monkey comparison, I promise...}

It was super toddler friendly and she had a blast.

      We were thankful for the wonderful and fun Auntie Ali....

and this is one of the many big ol' fat reasons....

so we didn't have have to see mommy's big ol' fat, high butt-cracked booty crawling through the little tunnel. 

Can I get an Amen?

You better believe I was praising the Lord for my slim 16 year old sister. 

It wasn't busy.

She could walk everywhere and see everything.

The penguins swam right up the the window.

I loved her expression- she was pretty much in disbelief that that really just happened. 

We finished off our date with a few goodies from the gift shop and her first taste of dippin' dots.

She was a fan.

She made it through the day without her paci or in my arms...

I was beyond thankful to have my sweet girl back!!

We returned to the cabin, she took a nap and we were off to the Dixie Stampede.

Another local attraction that I highly recommend- everyone loved it!

Unfortunately, I had to wake her up from her nap so we could get there in time.

::Cue the negatives of life with a toddler::

Waking from a nap is bound to be a disaster- through sickness and through health- it's just a sad scary fact.

::Cue bi-polar toddler/you are so incredibly hard to figure out::

She was happy with the seeing the horses.

Meltdown city during the ticket line.

Enjoyed a little snack.

Followed by a squirmy wormy whine fest. 

Danced through some pre-show entertainment.

Followed by throwing things and ripping menus while entering the main venue.

Laughed and shouted "hi" to the horses from our front row seats.

Cried and grabbed on for dear life when the lights went out and the rings of fire appeared.

The show in the front row went downhill from there.

I thought the night would be a bust and I was supper bummed. 

She was losing it and I was getting frustrated.

I enjoy shows like this and I was most definitely not enjoying this one.

I left right as a mouth-watering delicious chicken was put on my plate.

I went to the car and got her carrier thinking she might fall asleep.

And what to my wondering eyes should appear when we get to the parking lot??

A happy toddler.

Talking to the horses.

Not a care in the world.

You've got to be kidding me.

Once I figured that she was a good enough actor to be in the show, I quickly made my way back into the auditorium, grabbed my bag, grabbed my dinner {oh you better believe I did} and made our way to the top row where we enjoyed the rest of the show.

She was free to roam.

Or she could sit on the table and watch.

We were both SO much happier in the top row. 

Phew.

And by the way, one of the best darn chickens I ever had. 

Totally worth the sweat and near tears to retrieve it. 

I'm not even kidding.

That night we finally had a good night's sleep.

We woke early early to drive back home.

And of course, I wouldn't expect anything other than for her to be better the day we left. 

She still wasn't 100%, since it had turned into a little cold, but she was definitely much more her normal happy self. 

Except when she realized I didn't have the colored stars to go with her book.

::Cue overtired irrational toddler::

We drove through the beautiful country and took some breaks along the way. 

We even made it home in one {longggg} day, but we were so glad we did.

We were happy to be home and resume life as normal.

Breakfast with our babies.

There's no better way.