Last night my youngest just couldn't sleep. Let me just say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, so I do have some sympathy for her. She's never been a good sleeper from day one, but now that she's 9, it's not too often that we have trouble.
It seems that allergies have kicked in, and she has a tickle in her throat that causes her all sorts of grief. She would come into our room, crying because she couldn't sleep, begging me to lay with her. Realizing that things would go nowhere fast if I didn't, I tried to placate her by laying next to her for a while. Of course we, as parents, have all played this game. It only works when you are there, and as soon as you leave, sleep is again elusive. There were a few rounds of this last night.
As I weighed this, I realized, why not sleep there all night? She and I may never get to sleep otherwise, and she's got a comfortable queen sized bed. So I packed up my cell phone/alarm, water and pillow and moved in. And you know what? The moment, and I mean the MOMENT I got settled, she was instantly asleep. I guess when she realized I was there to stay, she finally relaxed. That, I say, is the power of being a mom.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Captiva
My hubby and I had the good fortune to escape the cold and kids for a long weekend. Due to a particularly nasty winter, I was looking for someplace warm that wasn't too far away. The verdict: Captiva Island.
Captiva is a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida, near Ft. Myers. It’s just beyond a better known island, Sanibel. I used to visit Sanibel as a kid while staying with my grandparents in Cape Coral. It’s well known for some of the best shelling anywhere.
Captiva is much smaller and less populated. Since you have to drive through Sanibel (low speed limits and no stoplights) to get there, it takes about an hour from the RSW airport even though it’s only about 35 miles away.
I chose a resort, South Seas Island Resort at the end of Captiva. It’s a large resort with a variety of housing options including hotel rooms, condos, houses, etc. The resort is huge, it takes up the last 2.5 miles of the island. There is a light blue trolley that runs most of the day and night that guest can use. Also, we rented bikes for $5/day which were awesome for getting around in the resort and out into town. You can get to just about any place on the island with a bike.
We saw an amazing sunset while sipping cocktails on the beach and watching the dolphins swim. We ran, biked and walked for exercise. We went on a kayak trip with a nature guide and saw and learned so much about the island and the natural residents. We paddled near the dolphins before they came into the harbor to play. And *gasp*, I was fascinated by many types of really interesting birds (especially the brown pelicans that would dive straight down in the water to catch fish), and not one of them tried to poke out my eyes! Alan saw manatees, which often hang out in the harbor during warmer weather. We enjoyed warm breezes, turquoise blue water and powder white sand.
The town of Captiva is a quaint beach town with good restaurants and little shops. It is surrounded by beach shacks and mansions alike. While we love Hatteras more than almost any beach town, this is a really nice alternative for the cold months of the year. It even has a small taste of Hawaii (minus the volcanoes and whales) with a fraction of the cost and travel time. Hell, anyplace that you see dolphins EVERY day is a place worth going.
(And for those of you who are counting…the shower at the resort was impressive. It was at least 6’2” and the water pressure was extraordinary.)
Captiva is a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida, near Ft. Myers. It’s just beyond a better known island, Sanibel. I used to visit Sanibel as a kid while staying with my grandparents in Cape Coral. It’s well known for some of the best shelling anywhere.
Captiva is much smaller and less populated. Since you have to drive through Sanibel (low speed limits and no stoplights) to get there, it takes about an hour from the RSW airport even though it’s only about 35 miles away.
I chose a resort, South Seas Island Resort at the end of Captiva. It’s a large resort with a variety of housing options including hotel rooms, condos, houses, etc. The resort is huge, it takes up the last 2.5 miles of the island. There is a light blue trolley that runs most of the day and night that guest can use. Also, we rented bikes for $5/day which were awesome for getting around in the resort and out into town. You can get to just about any place on the island with a bike.
We saw an amazing sunset while sipping cocktails on the beach and watching the dolphins swim. We ran, biked and walked for exercise. We went on a kayak trip with a nature guide and saw and learned so much about the island and the natural residents. We paddled near the dolphins before they came into the harbor to play. And *gasp*, I was fascinated by many types of really interesting birds (especially the brown pelicans that would dive straight down in the water to catch fish), and not one of them tried to poke out my eyes! Alan saw manatees, which often hang out in the harbor during warmer weather. We enjoyed warm breezes, turquoise blue water and powder white sand.
The town of Captiva is a quaint beach town with good restaurants and little shops. It is surrounded by beach shacks and mansions alike. While we love Hatteras more than almost any beach town, this is a really nice alternative for the cold months of the year. It even has a small taste of Hawaii (minus the volcanoes and whales) with a fraction of the cost and travel time. Hell, anyplace that you see dolphins EVERY day is a place worth going.
(And for those of you who are counting…the shower at the resort was impressive. It was at least 6’2” and the water pressure was extraordinary.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)