Three Tickets to Paradise!

We have just returned from 7 warm, glorious days in the Caribbean. For Christmas this year, Jason's parents took us on a family cruise. It was so much fun to be together! And it was the perfect week to get out of dodge; right after the first snow fall of the season- and right before the temperatures plummeted to single digits.

We had a great time swimming and exploring our three ports of call: Cozumel, Mexico, Grand Cayman, and Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Marin LOVES the water. She swam and splashed in the water from sunrise to sunset just about. I kept waiting for her to get cold or bored and want to get out, but she just continued to kick her little legs and splash away to her hearts content. Another discovery- she loves to eat sand. This one- not so good.

Marin was the hit of the cruise ship. Everyone commented on her sweet little smiles and her adventurous spirit as she danced, swam, waved and clapped her way around every corner of the ship. She made it on the big screen twice, and was even "interviewed" for the morning show one day. I'm her mother, so of course I think she's the cutest thing ever, but really everything is cute when it is small. Put a pint sized swimsuit and a sun hat on it, and you have a traffic stopper.

We had a great time together at dinner every night, and loved the shows as well! One night, Marin went onto the stage with the other children in the audience. She was younger than all of them by far, but she just sat there like she was born to be on stage. And, I'm sure the comfort of her pacifier (not otherwise allowed for anything but sleep) acted as a security blanket for her, and doubled as a mute button during the performer's song.

Jason and I were able to get out without Marin a few times due to everyone's help babysitting and an on board babysitter one night. We snorkeled, went on a rafting trip, and indulged in some pool side cocktails.
We laughed a lot. What better way to relieve stress than to sit in the sun with a cocktail laughing as the band plays "One Love". Or, as the case was on this trip- while Derek changes the words to songs about people sitting around the pool. I know it isn't nice to laugh at others, but it was their own choice to wear that speedo.

Thank you Bill and Debbie, for a very fun and generous gift. There is truly, no better gift than togetherness and laughter.