“Parents don’t really go on vacations, do they?
You basically bring your whole house and your crap storm, to a different location and unleash the crap storm there.
Like before kids, you pack some clothes for yourself, one massive suitcase for me, and one tiny little swim bag for husband.
After kids, your car is so stuffed with portable cots, toys, nappies, shorts, T-shirt’s, a snowsuit, sanitizer, tissues, bottles, a wet nurse, a generator and 5 bottles of sunscreen.
Before kids, you whack on some bathing suits, and walk out free not caring if you get a little burnt because hey, you might tan… (not me though 
).
After kids, you’re holding down those guys like you’re wrestling crocodiles and smothering them in five layers of sunscreen, a full wetsuit, hats, floaties and zinc and by the time you’re done the sun is gone so you just stay inside.
Before kids, both of you can swim in the pool all day.
After kids, one of you stays behind to the napping babies and gives dagger eyes to the one who got the cool kid that doesn’t need a nap but loses it at 6 p.m. because he’s so overtired.
Before kids, you enjoy a nice wine together in a spa.
After kids, you’re drinking pop top apple juice while one kid cannon bombs you and the other one screams because a drip of water touched her face.
Before kids you go out to dinner. After kids, you do not. Unless there is a playground in which you spend most of your night supervising, begging them to eat, then begging them to leave.
Before kids, you make out in your big bed, have a little nasty time and fall asleep lovingly in each other’s arms.
After kids, one partner has to sleep with one of the kids to get them to sleep.
And you with the other while you promise you’ll meet up later and lock the bathroom door for some adult time but instead you both fall asleep snoring.
Before kids you sleep in.
After kids you’re whacked in the face at 5 a.m. because you’re someone’s little breakfast making machine because sleep is overrated.
I need a vacation from a vacation.
But my heart couldn’t be fuller, I am relaxed and love that we are all making memories together. Before kids, vacations were awesome, but now they’re that little bit more special.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Laura Mazza of Mum on the Run, where it originally appeared. Submit your story here, and subscribe to our best love stories here.
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