Our Awesome Autumn Adventure

Got back today from our summer vacation in Cape Cod - our first week away together just the three of us. I was nervous about traveling with a toddler, and it was an adjustment from our past trips as a couple, but it was worth it.

It wasn't exactly "summer" or "vacation." The leaves had already started changing (fine by me - I loved the 60-degree weather), Josh was technically working (but only 2 mornings), and it wasn't totally relaxing, but it was awesome. So I've renamed it our "awesome autumn adventure."

Whatever you call it, here are a few highlights...

-- Friendly's - Growing up, I loved eating at Friendly's. What kid doesn't love a restaurant whose motto is "Where ice cream makes the meal"? It was only fitting that Noah taste his first whipped cream there. Notice the foot? You must really like it if you need both hands and a foot to eat it...

-- The Cabin - On arriving, we opened the windows in our cabin to air out its musty smell. Then we changed Noah's diaper and threw it in the trash. Then a skunk walked by. We sat reading that night to the odoriferous trio of mildew, skunk, and poop. It was so bad, it was really very funny. That said, the 2-bedroom cabin was clean, renovated, and had a full kitchen and bath - perfect for life with toddler. My kind of camping. ;)

-- An Excursion - Noah road his first boat to Martha's Vineyard one afternoon. Three hours and no car may not do the island justice (and I'm a little biased since my aunt's on Nantucket), but I have to say it couldn't compete with the Grey Lady. Still, the boat was grand, we had excellent clam chowder, and we got warm sweatshirts cheap.

-- Noah at NOAA - Woods Hole is part resort town, part science mecca (hence Josh's meeting there), so we took Noah by the NOAA aquarium to study wildlife. He was fascinated - as much by the broom handle as the seals.

-- Boston's North End - We should never have been able to pull off dinner in a romantic restaurant with a 1-year-old, but our favorite little Italy (and a kid-friendly hostess) motivated us to try. Perhaps that's why it was even more fun. Noah loved the pasta, the couples around us loved Noah, and Josh & I loved both! We also sat within view of the kitchen door - what entertainment! Noah even learned the word "door."

-- The "T" - We took Boston's subway to get to the North End - Noah's first trip underground. He was a little dubious, but open-minded. (Is he ducking? I promise the tunnels were not that short.)

-- Sleep (or the Lack Thereof) - I spent too much time worrying about Noah's schedule. How many naps does he need? Can he go to bed late, again? Do we let him cry in a foreign room? Overall he slept really well and handled the missed naps beautifully. The hit-or-miss schedule probably messed with me more than him.

-- Still Teething - or this stroller is made of flavored plastic...which is not a bad idea, considering how much time he spent in it.