The last time we had a weekend away without the kids, I sat bolt upright in bed in the middle of the night in a panic, frantically lifting up the duvet and checking under the bed.
Me – “The baby! I’ve lost the baby, where’s he gone?!”
Husband – “He’s 200 miles away, safely asleep at his grandparents house. Go back to sleep, you daft mare.”
Oops. Well, in my defence it was the first time I’d been away from him since he had been born, there’d always been baby’s constant presence 24/7.
Being by myself? It was an alien concept!
As it’s my birthday in a few months, my thoughts have turned to going away for a night somewhere.
I’m not taking the kids though. Sorry kids, you’re not invited. Not after my birthday last year when we had the bright idea of staying in a hotel with them, aged 7 and 3 and all cramped up in the same room.
It sounded lovely in theory. A nice, relaxing weekend as a family, in a nice seaside hotel and walks along the seafront.
I was really looking forward to it.
The breeze blowing in our hair as we strolled, eating fish and chips and listening to the seagulls circling overhead.
Then came the reality.
One single room, with a double bed and a bunk bed in it and the bathroom.
Short of shutting yourself in the bathroom and going to sleep in the tub, there was no getting away.
Far too hyped up on the fact they were at the seaside and we were all in the same room, there was much screeching, bed boinging, winding each other up and generally being little so and so’s.
We’d have took them out to some family restaurant type place, but there was nothing open. So the hotel room it was.
The hotel bar looked enticing, but alas with two children at that time of night it wasn’t suitable and we wouldn’t have been welcome anyway. Pfft.
Trying to take them out during the day was a chore in itself.
“Do we HAVE to walk?!” (the beach was literally 5 minutes away.)
“Carry meeeee!” “Mummeeeee!!!” (we’d only just stepped out of the bleedin’ hotel at this point.)
They were even told to try to go to the toilet before setting off on the long 5 minute trek to the beach.
You’d still get the plaintive cry of “I need a weeeeeee!” the minute you set foot on the beach. Aaaaaargh!
So this year for my birthday, I want a nice relaxing, grown up weekend away as I honestly don’t think me and the husband have had one, just us, that is, for nearly 9 years now.
I want a hotel room that is just for us, and a welcoming hotel bar downstairs that after a day’s exploring we can sink into the sofas with our glass of wine and pint of beer safe in the knowledge that we only have ourselves to answer to for that night, and they are having a great time at Nanna and Grandad’s house.
A little bit of me time/us time for my birthday, and then they’ll get their holiday this year as well when they can run around like giddy kippers to the tune of the Tiger Club and dance themselves silly with Rory the Tiger when we go to Haven.
Let’s just hope I don’t wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night wondering why the room is so quiet…. 
Go for it!!! Having time away to focus on your needs every now and then makes you a better mum. Have fun, x
Thank you, I plan to!