Grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine... this is a big one...
Between Keith's working in California and my wanting to take the babies to the beach, we came up with the crazy idea of taking the kids on a "beach vacation." Yes, we did get to see the beach (once) and, thanks to all of the points Keith has racked up with his crazy travel schedule, we stayed at the amazing St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, CA. But to call it a vacation would be unfair to the vacationers of the world, and it would demand a change to the true definition of vacation, which is: "a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel."
Payson hugging Hayden, despite her protest, upon arrival at the airport.
When we arrived at the hotel, it was already past the kids' bedtime so we had reservations at a hotel right by the airport and opted to make the drive to Dana Point the following day. They had an adjoining room next to ours, and we brought a monitor along to, well, monitor them. They stayed on CST for the entire trip so they went to bed at 5:30 pm and woke up at 5:30 am! Painful for us, but so worth it to stick to their usual schedule.
This was their first time to stay in a hotel room and the large windows were the most, and maybe the only, entertaining part of the room.
We arrived at the St. Regis the next day and it was amazing. Just look at this place! From the restaurant balcony you can see the pool, fountains, golf course and ocean. Stunning.
Even Madison knew she was in paradise. She can be seen here running across the lawn singing, "The hills are alive with the sound of music."
Keith had to work on our first day there and I struggled to keep the kids entertained and safe at the same time. Note to self: concrete stairs are not a safe place for three 19-month-olds.
And there were several fountains that the babies were desperate to climb on, around and into. I was literally in tears (which is really rare for me) at the end of the day because it had been so rough and draining. (Though looking back, I think I was grieving that my vacations will never be same!) Keith promised me the weekend would be better.
"Not guilty!" Gotta love when your toddler vandalizes a five-star resort.
Thanks to a thick border of bushes, we were able to keep the patio door open and let them roam in and out of the room as they pleased. Anything that extends our space is always a plus, especially if it includes fresh air!
The girls contently read their books outside on the patio. Tough life for the Melker triplets.
Upon arriving in California, I made a trip to Target to stock up on some groceries and a $6 toaster. Instead of spending what would have cost at least $50 each morning for breakfast at the resort (there aren't many options at 5:30 am!), each morning I served toast or muffins along with some fresh fruit. The kids go through half a gallon of milk each day, so I also bought a foam cooler to have whole milk on hand at all times. This setup was a lifesaver for us and the kids got to enjoy room service (literally!) in their hotel highchairs.
As promised, the weekend was much better and things went much more smoothly with our two-to-three ratio. With the babies waking up at 5:30 am, eating lunch at 9:45, and taking their nap at 10:30, we didn't have many options for how to spend our mornings (too cold for the pool or beach), so we usually spent it exploring the resort grounds. I love this picture of Daddy and little buddy strolling the sidewalk.
We were seriously about the only guests walking around the property this early in the morning, though we kept running into a set of infant twins throughout the weekend.
Payson and daddy playing outside (with Keith trying to make Payson laugh).
Hayden looks tiny compared to the massive structures around her. Hayden was Miss Super-Independent on the entire trip and was always testing the boundaries of what she could do and how far she could go before I reacted. Just the beginning, I'm sure.
During this visit to the fountain, I had Keith to help me keep the kids from climbing into the tantalizing pool. Their persistent curiosity never ceases to amaze me.
This cute little bench was seemingly made for the triplets.
We were trying to get a shot of the kids in front of this cool door. Hayden's doing a headstand and Payson is squatting. Good effort mom and dad!
The change of scenery was nice, but man, this trip was hard work!
When the girls woke up from their nap one day Keith was playfully swaddling them and singing Rockabye Baby as he rocked them. They loved it and kept asking us to do it over and over again by saying "baaaayee-beee" repeatedly. It was so funny!
Thanks to our friends and fellow vacationers, Brian and Caroline, we were able to have the babies all nap in separate rooms, like at home, while we monitored them from the patio (with our monitors). Once Payson woke up, the triplets engaged in their first ever pick-up football game with three elementary-age kids. It was so cute to see them running around after the ball (until Keith caught Hayden playing with dog poo!). And thanks again to Brian and Caroline who monitored the babies a few times so we could grab lunch one afternoon and s'mores one evening!
Finally, we made it to the beach! We rode down to the beach in an over-sized golf cart, which the kids loved. Upon arrival, we were greeted with complimentary chairs, towels, umbrellas, and beach toys. I'm tellin' ya, this place is amazing.
The girls wanted nothing to do with the sand, and I mean nothing! Hayden hated it so much that when we set her down, she balanced on the outside of her feet to maintain the least amount of contact with the sand as possible! It was hilarious! Madison would stand in the wet, compacted portion of the sand but wouldn't touch it with her hands.
Surprisingly, Payson wasn't bothered a bit by the sand and was happy to have something to dig in with his new trucks.
Madison was hypnotized watching the waves roll in and out. They liked the water until they got too close, which scared them, but didn't deter Keith from taking them in.
Even with our holding them, they were still petrified of the ocean. And it was much too cold for their little bodies (and mine!), but we let them touch it with their feet and hands.
Keith showing Madison the waves and boats. Love this shot!
Payson was seriously all smiles as he played in the sand. It was the perfect playground for him!
Hayden came through with the courage award. She eventually dug her hands in the sand and played with it, voluntarily, thanks to Caroline's patiently showing her how it was harmless and actually fun. Funny how kids are often scared by new things even when it is so similar to what they've seen before (i.e. dirt!). But a mouthful of sand later, Hayden quickly realized that the sand was meant to explore tactilely, not orally.
One morning we strolled along Laguna Beach, peering in shops before they opened and played with the kids on a playground just off the beach. During the trip they added "beach" and "ocean" to their growing vocabulary.
Pool time! This toddler pool was the perfect depth, allowing the babies to stand and walk independently, yet learn how to stabilize themselves despite their buoyancy. However, we still had to keep a close watch on them, like always, which wore me out, like always.
One evening I caught a glimpse of this wedding with a beautiful view of the golf course and the ocean in the background. I mean, seriously, can you imagine?
While we made some good memories, I can honestly say that I will not take the triplets on another vacation anytime soon! At least not until enough time has passed for me to forget how challenging this one was. But, I will say that the fond memories are already overshadowing the bad ones.
We definitely did the travel part, but we failed to meet requirement of "suspension of work, study, or other activity" (like the full-time care of 1.5-year-old triplets!). And we certainly failed to rest. In fact, we did just the opposite. We dabbled in recreation, but once again failed to really pull it off.
That being said, we did it! And we're proud of ourselves. All five of us flew together to Orange County, Hayden and I in Keith's First Class seat and Keith, Payson and Madison sharing two seats in Coach. I vow this will be my last trip with toddlers under the age of 2 because I will never again be fooled into thinking that we can make do with two lap babies. After their second birthday, the airlines require buying them their own seats, which I will probably be fooled into thinking we can do.
Payson hugging Hayden, despite her protest, upon arrival at the airport.
When we arrived at the hotel, it was already past the kids' bedtime so we had reservations at a hotel right by the airport and opted to make the drive to Dana Point the following day. They had an adjoining room next to ours, and we brought a monitor along to, well, monitor them. They stayed on CST for the entire trip so they went to bed at 5:30 pm and woke up at 5:30 am! Painful for us, but so worth it to stick to their usual schedule.
This was their first time to stay in a hotel room and the large windows were the most, and maybe the only, entertaining part of the room.
We arrived at the St. Regis the next day and it was amazing. Just look at this place! From the restaurant balcony you can see the pool, fountains, golf course and ocean. Stunning.
Even Madison knew she was in paradise. She can be seen here running across the lawn singing, "The hills are alive with the sound of music."
Keith had to work on our first day there and I struggled to keep the kids entertained and safe at the same time. Note to self: concrete stairs are not a safe place for three 19-month-olds.
And there were several fountains that the babies were desperate to climb on, around and into. I was literally in tears (which is really rare for me) at the end of the day because it had been so rough and draining. (Though looking back, I think I was grieving that my vacations will never be same!) Keith promised me the weekend would be better.
"Not guilty!" Gotta love when your toddler vandalizes a five-star resort.
Thanks to a thick border of bushes, we were able to keep the patio door open and let them roam in and out of the room as they pleased. Anything that extends our space is always a plus, especially if it includes fresh air! 
The girls contently read their books outside on the patio. Tough life for the Melker triplets.
Upon arriving in California, I made a trip to Target to stock up on some groceries and a $6 toaster. Instead of spending what would have cost at least $50 each morning for breakfast at the resort (there aren't many options at 5:30 am!), each morning I served toast or muffins along with some fresh fruit. The kids go through half a gallon of milk each day, so I also bought a foam cooler to have whole milk on hand at all times. This setup was a lifesaver for us and the kids got to enjoy room service (literally!) in their hotel highchairs.
As promised, the weekend was much better and things went much more smoothly with our two-to-three ratio. With the babies waking up at 5:30 am, eating lunch at 9:45, and taking their nap at 10:30, we didn't have many options for how to spend our mornings (too cold for the pool or beach), so we usually spent it exploring the resort grounds. I love this picture of Daddy and little buddy strolling the sidewalk.
We were seriously about the only guests walking around the property this early in the morning, though we kept running into a set of infant twins throughout the weekend.
Payson and daddy playing outside (with Keith trying to make Payson laugh).
Hayden looks tiny compared to the massive structures around her. Hayden was Miss Super-Independent on the entire trip and was always testing the boundaries of what she could do and how far she could go before I reacted. Just the beginning, I'm sure.
During this visit to the fountain, I had Keith to help me keep the kids from climbing into the tantalizing pool. Their persistent curiosity never ceases to amaze me.
This cute little bench was seemingly made for the triplets.
We were trying to get a shot of the kids in front of this cool door. Hayden's doing a headstand and Payson is squatting. Good effort mom and dad!
The change of scenery was nice, but man, this trip was hard work!
When the girls woke up from their nap one day Keith was playfully swaddling them and singing Rockabye Baby as he rocked them. They loved it and kept asking us to do it over and over again by saying "baaaayee-beee" repeatedly. It was so funny!
Thanks to our friends and fellow vacationers, Brian and Caroline, we were able to have the babies all nap in separate rooms, like at home, while we monitored them from the patio (with our monitors). Once Payson woke up, the triplets engaged in their first ever pick-up football game with three elementary-age kids. It was so cute to see them running around after the ball (until Keith caught Hayden playing with dog poo!). And thanks again to Brian and Caroline who monitored the babies a few times so we could grab lunch one afternoon and s'mores one evening!
Finally, we made it to the beach! We rode down to the beach in an over-sized golf cart, which the kids loved. Upon arrival, we were greeted with complimentary chairs, towels, umbrellas, and beach toys. I'm tellin' ya, this place is amazing.(Photo courtesy of Brian)
The girls wanted nothing to do with the sand, and I mean nothing! Hayden hated it so much that when we set her down, she balanced on the outside of her feet to maintain the least amount of contact with the sand as possible! It was hilarious! Madison would stand in the wet, compacted portion of the sand but wouldn't touch it with her hands.
Surprisingly, Payson wasn't bothered a bit by the sand and was happy to have something to dig in with his new trucks.
Madison was hypnotized watching the waves roll in and out. They liked the water until they got too close, which scared them, but didn't deter Keith from taking them in.(Photo courtesy of Brian)
Even with our holding them, they were still petrified of the ocean. And it was much too cold for their little bodies (and mine!), but we let them touch it with their feet and hands.(Photo courtesy of Brian)
Keith showing Madison the waves and boats. Love this shot!(Photo courtesy of Brian)
Payson was seriously all smiles as he played in the sand. It was the perfect playground for him!(Photo courtesy of Brian)
Hayden came through with the courage award. She eventually dug her hands in the sand and played with it, voluntarily, thanks to Caroline's patiently showing her how it was harmless and actually fun. Funny how kids are often scared by new things even when it is so similar to what they've seen before (i.e. dirt!). But a mouthful of sand later, Hayden quickly realized that the sand was meant to explore tactilely, not orally.(Photo courtesy of Brian)
One morning we strolled along Laguna Beach, peering in shops before they opened and played with the kids on a playground just off the beach. During the trip they added "beach" and "ocean" to their growing vocabulary.
Pool time! This toddler pool was the perfect depth, allowing the babies to stand and walk independently, yet learn how to stabilize themselves despite their buoyancy. However, we still had to keep a close watch on them, like always, which wore me out, like always.
One evening I caught a glimpse of this wedding with a beautiful view of the golf course and the ocean in the background. I mean, seriously, can you imagine?
While we made some good memories, I can honestly say that I will not take the triplets on another vacation anytime soon! At least not until enough time has passed for me to forget how challenging this one was. But, I will say that the fond memories are already overshadowing the bad ones.(Photo courtesy of Brian)
6 comments:
Despite it being exhausting, I'm so glad you have good memories of my 'hood!!
Wow Jessica! You constantly amaze me. I think that like you said, the experience in the end is worth the effort. They may not remember this particular trip, but I can guarantee they learned and absorbed more on this trip than they could by looking in a book or tv show! More planes, touching wet sand, seeing the huge oceon, the different flowers. You are one awesome Momma!
As a friend once said to me when my kiddos were little: "A vacation with kids is not really a vacation, it's just a change of scenery." So true, as you just found out! Beautiful pictures as always and fun to see your adventures with the kids. You're doing great!
OMG, Jess, you definitely get the couragous mom award for taking the triplets a) on a flight b) to the beach and c) to another time zone! I was stressing out just reading that post, and the photo of the kids climbing up on the balcony gave me heart palpitations. I definitely applaud your efforts, though! I also remember how much Carter Anne hated the beach last summer--it's a big, scary world at that age.
whew! that's incredible that you were able to keep the kiddos on schedule. sounds like a memorable trip!
so i just finished reading about your whole "vacation" - I had only been able to read a few sentences last week...WOW, i'm so impressed with how you do EVERYTHING!!! You really do deserve a vacation, by yourself, with people taking care of you 24/7!!!! You're my hero Jessica!!!
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