Mexico Vacation: Part I

So Dan and I have been talking for way too long about trying to get away just the two of us on a little vacation before the baby comes. January and February were just crazy months for us and we just didn't get a chance to plan anything and get it on the calendar. Well, beginning of March we were looking around at trips for the fun of it and thought how nice and easy it would be to jump on a cruise leaving out of  southern California and go down the Mexican Riviera. Since money was a setback, as luck would have it, we were both able to pick up a little side work and decided to spoil ourselves and use our hard work to have a little much needed one on one time together, and so we booked a trip at pretty much the last minute! We decided on a cruise because they are so easy and stress-free to plan and nothing sounded better than just relaxing and not having to stress a lot about travel plans when I was that far along in pregnancy! We are so lucky to have the most awesome family members--Steve and Rachael & Mel and Nick-- who were so so SOOOO kind to pitch in and watch Cal for us the entire week we were gone. It was stressful thinking about leaving him for so long when I've hardly been away from him a day in his whole life, but it was such a great feeling knowing he was in such good hands and with some of his favorite people in the world. We can't thank them enough for all they did to help out!!

So we left on a Sunday and got back the following Sunday. We stopped in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and  Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We also had 3 days at sea. It was like a dream having a getaway with just the two of us--something we haven't done since before Cal was born. Not only was it relaxing, but it just felt fun to be an adult, sleep in when we wanted, go places when we wanted, have adult conversation, chill by the pool (and eat soft serve EVERY afternoon on the pool deck :)--my personal fave), go to dinner every night together.....the list goes on. Don't get me wrong, we missed our baby boy like crazy and pretty much just laughed and looked at a few pictures of him every night (and okay, there was one day when I got pretty teary-eyed and homesick for him) but it all worked out great and I think he had as much fun as we did. I'm so glad we were able to go and make it happen just in the knick of time before the baby arrives!

Here are some pictures from the first part of our cruise.....Since I am majorly picky about my pictures I have to give a Disclaimer: Most of the pictures from our trip are just snapshots and not very great quality, but it is what it is and so please know I realize they are very much in their unperfected state! But we still had fun taking pictures and documenting nonetheless. :)

The first night on the cruise......

Technically, I was a little "too" pregnant to be on a cruise. (Oops....you aren't supposed to be over 24 weeks) But since I felt great and we seriously had a one week window of time, we slipped by at about 26/27 weeks. Probably, a little risky, but luckily everything worked out just fine. :)

We did lots of eating...of course. This meal that Dan is enjoying is not atypical of us. Salad....and LOTS of dessert. Although cruise food can get a little old after a couple days, it is still so nice to be able to eat 24 hours a day and have great service! And Dan loved himself some serious soda for all 7 days. If you can't spoil yourself on vacation, then when can you?? :)

This is a view from the ship of our first stop in Cabo San Lucas.

Dan was excited. :) So was I.

We kept things pretty low budget and simple and instead of doing any organized excursions we just made up our own fun each day when we got off the boat. In Cabo, we paid a guy a few bucks to take us out on his boat and over to a nice beach. He showed us a few of the sights first.

This arch was kind of a landmark in Cabo.

A view of our ship from the beach.

Dan built me the greatest little belly rest in the sand so I could lay on my stomach and while I vegged, he went and did a little exploring and some cliff jumping.

We got a lot of laughs every night of the towel animals the maid would leave in our room. Dan had fun trying to recreate them. I think he was just trying to re-live his teenage days doing balloon animals at the fair. :) Ask him about it. Its awesome.

So fun to just hang out together after a couple of really stressful/busy months!!