Finally...

Posted. I have lots of pics from May that I will upload this week. I am going to try to be better about keeping up with it! I have so much fun documenting my girls growing up and I know it will make a great keepsake someday. It has been hard to find the time lately, but I want to make it a priority.

Costa Rica Day 1: Getting There is Half the Fun

We went to Costa Rica for 3 nights with Steve's company. Alex was 9 weeks old and was an angel! Her passport is the cutest. I was 22 when I got a passport; she was 5 weeks and Kate was 2.9 years. Lucky girls! We stayed at The Four Seasons at Peninsula Papagayo (on the West Coast)

We bought Kate headphones for the trip so she could listen to all of her books on CD. We also had coloring and sticker books. And Butchie, of course.
She mostly slept on the 1st leg (to Atlanta). Our flight was early (6 AM, we left the house at 4) and checking in was grueling (we almost didn't make it), so she was tired! She was go good. What a trooper! No problems at all.
Alex spent most of all of the flights nursing. What a godsend. She spent the other time playing with papa and having a blow-out BM. At 30,000 ft. You know you are a veteran parent when you can change a blowout on a coach seat and not break a sweat.
Papa's girls.
Finally in Costa Rica after a hairy connection in Atlanta. We were so close to missing our connection because the plane was late leaving Boston. It was a good thing we had the Snap and Go stroller with us- we took the seat out, threw Kate in the basket, strapped Alex in the Bjorn, handed the empty seat to Sam (Steve's colleague) and ran like hell to the terminal. We arrived to hearing 'last call for Cherington' and were the last ones on. Whew! When we arrived, we were met by a shuttle driver from the hotel who offered us much appreciated cold water and cold face cloths.
Our room was great. It had a screened in porch overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The waves were very loud and incredibly peaceful. We had King size bed and 2 cribs on either side. Perfect! Alex and Kate started the night out in the cribs but ended up in our bed. With a King size (vs our Full at home), this is no problem!
It was so relaxing on our porch
Looking for monkeys. We did end up seeing monkeys in the tree outside our window on the last morning. Mostly we had parrots, iguanas and some weird squirrel breed

Mama and her girls
We had a free afternoon and did some exploring and swimming. That night we had a group dinner. Kate was so excited to wear her "Costa Rica Dress" and purple sandals.
We didn't last long at the dinner, however. It was late and with the time difference and travel, Kate was beyond tired. So, we left Papa and went back to our room and got room service. Kate literally was falling asleep at the table with food in her mouth. She slept great, as did Alex.
We could get used to this very easily, as could Butchie.

Costa Rica Day 2: Just the Girls

Papa had meetings all day, so it was just us girls. We were slow to get going in the AM...

and it took Kate some convincing that the world outside the window beat the porch hands-down.

We started the morning our right with room service. I would have liked to have gone to the restaurant, but it was tough with the 2 of them.
Alex after having her room service second-hand.
As we were seen around the resort. My main concern was keeping Alex cool and unburned. I found this great baby carrier cover with a UPF of 30. Infants under 6 months aren't supposed to wear sunscreen, so I had to be VERY careful. Nothing screams 'Bad Mother!' like a sunburned infant... it worked great and Alexandra left Costa Rica just as white as she entered it.

It was 93-98 degrees F and sunny every day we were there. It was somewhat cooler at night.
We went to the 'kids' pool first. It was perfect in that the pool was shallow, there was an indoor/outdoor playground, and lots of food. We enjoyed it for about a half an hour when the onsite daycare unleashed the children. There were like 20 kids and 5 pool toys. Kate ran out of the pool and wasn't into watching these kids murder each other....
Alex took a small nap under an umbrella
She looks like she was born for this...
Kate a bit sad about having to give up her pool to the daycare.
But, after a minute on the beach, she was over it. My ladies of luxury

ahhhhhhh.

We saw papa after lunch. I ran out and went swimming while the girls napped and Papa did some work from the room. The ocean was wild! I was sucked in and spit out (which I normally LOVE), but it was even a bit much for me. I then understood why this place on a peninsula with 2 gorgeous beaches had so many pools...it just wasn't the greatest or safest swimming. I lost my bathing suit bottom at one point and was stung by a few mini jellyfish. I still couldn't keep away, though. On the last day as I floated peacefully in the absolutely tepid water, someone from our group summoned me from the shore, "there is a rather large black fish next to you!" I didn't look and swam as fast as I could to shore. Still the warmest, most exhilarating water I have ever been in.
We went swimming in the afternoon

We had dinner with Papa poolside. A wonderful day! We were the last ones to leave the pool and had to basically bribe Kate to get out even though it was dark and no one else was there. She is her mother's daughter!!

Alexandra's first swim

Costa Rica Day 3: Papa Day!

On day 3 we had Papa all day (and a group dinner at night). We took a short hike. We would have like to do more, but is was just so HOT (95-98F). It was a really nice walk along the beach and into the woods a bit.

Kate tired easily in the heat.

But loved the beach.

Especially when out of nowhere...monkeys!!! Kate spotted them and started yelling "come and play with me!!!"

She wasn't scared at all (even though I was a bit. They were fighting or something)

They were not too shy

and were very cute.

Look! A mama and her baby. She ran right by us on the beach with her infant attached. I felt a strong camaraderie.

We followed them back to the resort

and then got back to our walk

Beautiful sand

This is about how close Kate would come to the ocean (no objections here). The waves must by pretty intimidating to a preschooler.

Alex slept under cover in the Bjorn.

Finally off the beach. HOT!

A nice short hike through the woods

Cacti

Then back to the resort for lunch

Papa looking quite relaxed

They had the best desserts for kids (and adults. I helped Kate with this)

The life.

Practicing with the new camera. A handsome subject.

The view of our room from the beach

We went down to the beach early for our group dinner to catch the sunset.

Which was spectacular

Now time for our beach party dinner

The girls were great! They were the only little ones there, and they were great. Alex nursed (and I sweated) and Kate amazed all with her love of mushrooms and all things un-kid. She was delighted to discover the beach was covered with small hermit crabs after the sun went down and she led each person in the party (at least 30 people) down to the beach by hand so "they could have a turn seeing the crabs". She charmed the pants off everyone

Great party.

Steve hiked up the very steep trail that I was unable to do with Alex and took these pics. Wow!! That is our building perched right in the narrow part of the peninsula.

The great Pacific.

I didn't take any pics on our fourth and final day. Too hectic! I got out for a swim and we had some fun before we left. I need to find some pics of Kate swimming...I think Steve's co-worker took some. It was hard to take water shots and handle the girls!

The flight home was much more smooth in terms of connections, etc. and the girls were great! The trip was a wonderful time and we were both so glad we decided to go despite Alex's young age. And the bathing suit-shopping at 6 weeks postpartum was worth it (but not recommended).

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