Romantic holidays will just have to wait

The hubby and I visited Las Vegas during our honeymoon in 2008 and loved every bit of our stay there. Oh yeah, which reminds me I should write a post about that dreamlike honeymoon. On hindsight, it was a great thing that we went there before becoming parents, if not, staying from dusk till dawn at the casino and chilling out at the pubs will be virtually impossible.

The two of us have a common dream and that is to re-visit Las Vegas, as a couple. But for now, we are happy to put that dream on the shelf and go on holidays as a family.

You know how people always say romance doesn't die after parenthood and how some couples like to go for getaways without the kids? Well, the hubby and I do believe that romance lives on but as a rule of thumb, at least for now, we like to bring our kids with us on holiday. 

It's not that I am overly obsessed with my kids. Ok, maybe a little. But in the first place, I like to say with pride that no one is able to look after the both of them except for me. I am a stay-at-home mum, I am a breastfeeding mum with a baby who prefers boobs over bottles, I am a hands-on mum who has my kids with me 24/7.



So, you might say that I should try and let go for a while, take a breather and have a life of my own. I have to tell you, I can't. I just don't bear to. Yes, it's my own problem and even if that means we have a holiday where the mum doesn't get to sleep and rest much, it's my own choice.

Years from now, when my kids are more grown up and have a mind of their own, it might not always be the case where they will be ecstatically jumping for joy and be willing to travel with us on family vacations. Years from now, my kids might want to go on holidays with their friends instead and seek for my permission to let them go. Years from now, the hubby and I will have lots of time in the world to do what we want to do and go where we want to go, without the responsibilities of taking care of a preschooler and an infant.

That is why I cherish the opportunity to travel as a family of four now. We came back from Bali and did some awesome things there, like patting a newborn tiger, visiting a 70-year-old turtle, entering a forest full of monkeys and feasting on delicious Balinese cuisine. Bali might seem as the place for people to retreat and relax, but for us, it was a paradise to bond as a family.

Yes, there may be times when the hubby and I question ourselves "Why are we not getting enough sleep on a holiday?" or "Did we do the right thing by bringing them?". In spite of that, I know and he knows that this is how we love it and how we want things to be. To be able to build sandcastles with Angel, to be able to see Ariel's smiles every morning, to be able to breathe in fresh air together, to be able to explore, to see, to play, to laugh and to treasure life as a family in a foreign land.

So, after a trip from Bali, we are now looking forward to more fun-filled, memorable holidays with our girls. As for romance, I know you are always there, just waiting to be sparked. Good things are worth waiting for, right?

Las Vegas, one day you will be a dream come true for the hubby and I.

P.S.: More pics and write-ups on Bali to come soon, so do stay tuned! And oh, dear hubby, romantic holidays or not, please know that I love you!