Worth the Hassle ...

 This week has been absolutely exhausting ... a three hour drive to Little Rock. Two nights in a hotel room with a 10 month old. Two days of Josh trying to entertain said 10 month old while I attended a conference. Three hour drive home from Little Rock. A full day of trying to entertain 10 month old at our friends' lakehouse. Shading him from the sun. Sitting inside with him so he can happily play on the floor while everyone else is outside fishing or playing ladderball and bag-o. Fussing and crankiness because his schedule is messed up and it's hard to nap in his pack-n-play in a strange room. Leaving the lake early so he can sleep in his own bed while the other couples stay and spend the night at the cabin. Coming home to duffel bags, a dirty house, and piles of laundry from being out of town most of the week.

It's a lot of work, this whole business of caring for a child. As we were driving home from the lake this evening I couldn't help but think how much easier the week would have been if we would have just stayed at home and stuck with our regular schedule. Our house would be clean(er). Liam would have gone to bed earlier and slept later. We would have gone to bed later (because we wouldn't have been stuck in a hotel room with a sleeping baby) and slept later. It would have been easier and WAY more convenient.

He was this excited about the hotel room for about 5 minutes. For the remainder of the two days we were there he was completely bored with it and did NOT want to be there.

BUT, Liam and I wouldn't have had a fun dinner date at Whole Hog with Carol and her sweet girls while Josh helped John paint a sweet old lady's kitchen. Josh wouldn't have gotten to spend some time with Del, one of his very best friends. We wouldn't have had a fantastic dinner with the Spensts & Sarah & Matthias (so sad Jason & Hiba had to stay at home). We wouldn't have had a fun lunch at Chick-fil-a with the whole Pollack fam. We wouldn't have enjoyed an absolutely gorgeous day by a beautiful lake with our community group that we love. We wouldn't have gotten our first sunburns of the spring and come home smelling like wonderful dirt and leaves and fresh air.

Dr. Del, Burt & Liam. Glad Josh took this great pic, sad we didn't think to take pictures with any of the other fun friends we spent time with this week.

As much as I wish it could all be sunshine and rainbows and giggles, making fun family memories with a kiddo is a hassle. I guess it would almost always be easier and more convenient not to take the trip or play the game or make the craft or read the book. It would always be easier to figure out the optimal schedule and activities for his developmental age and never deviate. BUT, we would miss so much.

It's a hassle, but it's worth it.