gothamwingard: Postcards from Puerto Vallarta

We are on our first vacation as a family of five, spending a week in Puerto Vallarta. We've rented a house with friends Joe and Kenny and their two-year-old son Elliot, friends Bruce and John from New York, and friends Jon and Crosby from Washington, DC. The house is across the street from the beach (and Blue Chairs for those of you who know PV). We arrived on Sunday and we've spent most our time relaxing and napping (and I don't mean just the kids), spending a lot of time in the pool and some time at the beach, and enjoying some really amazing
food prepared by the house staff.

Greetings from SFO!

Traveling with three kids essentially under the age of three is a bit of an undertaking as you might imagine. Our luggage included three suitcases, three Pak-n-Plays, two car seats, a diaper bag and two computer bags - and of course two children strapped to our chests. One does begin to feel a bit like a packmule.

Coco on the SFO long-term parking shuttle.

Before Ken starts telling the story of our flight to PV, I want to document the truth. Yes, I flew in First Class. Yes, Ken flew in coach, nearly at the back of the plane in Row 31. Yes, I had Margot on my lap, the easiest of the three children. And, yes, Ken had Flynn on his lap and Coco next to him. And, yes, I did stroll back (all the way back to Row 31) to visit Ken in coach and, yes, Flynn was squirming and squawking.

However, lest ye judge me, before we got on the plane I did offer Ken the seat in First Class. He responded -- and I quote -- "Honey, you know I can manage two children better than you can, and you know you need this vacation more than I do. You can take the First Class seat as long as you promise to have a cocktail on the flight." Ken's first two statements are true and I did have two cocktails in First Class.

Papa and Margot.

Time in the pool at the house has been great. Although Coco took swimming lessons last year with her grandpa Roy in Savannah and with her grandma Mary in Port Angeles, she has been quite cautious around the water this week. She wades around and plays on the pool steps and will take rides around the pool, but isn't keen on doing much more than that. Elliott, on the other hand, is like a frog in the water. He loves to be in the water, under the water, jumping into the water. Margot and Flynn have been in the water as well and are very happy to be carried, bounced and floated around the pool.

Coco and Elliott at the beach.

The beach is across the street and Coco and Elliot have had a good time at the beach each day. We have attempted the twins at the beach twice and both times it was a failure. The first time I think it was too close to bottle and nap time so we had to rush them back home. The second time I think it was too hot, too sandy and just too uncomfortable. Again, we had to rush them back home.