When was the last time you went on vacation without your children?

I remember the first time we left our daughter for two nights with my parents. My husband and I indulged in a trip to Vegas when I had stopped nursing at about the one-year mark.

I recall how effortful the whole thing was.

It is so hard to leave your little ones with someone else. No one can do as good of a job, right?? And I blamed it on nursing, but truth be told I wasn’t ready to take the overnight dive! Daycare? Sure. A few hours on the weekend with grandparents? No problem! But could anyone else put her to sleep the right way? Would she cry all night because she missed me so much? What if she woke up in the middle of the night? Would they hear her?

Because, you know I’m the only one with supersonic hearing.

With a guilty conscience, and certainty that we’d probably have to cut our trip short and come home because the baby had surely exploded, we hopped on a flight.

3 days, 2 nights, and about 27 hours of solid sleep later, we returned home to a happy, giggling little girl, playing with grandpa’s shoes in the living room. The baby had not exploded. She was fed, rested, and frankly a little pissed when it was time to go. It’s always a challenge, deciding to do something a little outside of your comfort zone.

I only wish I’d gotten over myself sooner.

Because all that sleeping, spa-ing, cocktail-ing, eating (the entire meal), and conversating pushed a huge red Reset button that let me be a better mom and partner.

For a few days, anyway.

Been away without your little? What was your biggest surprise when you got home? Was it a success or an epic fail?? Share so other means moms can learn.