DETOUR.

We are in Hawaii this week, and sometimes when you are headed to paradise, dues must be paid. Traveling with a little one(s) isn't for the faint of heart or for those lacking in SNACKS.

So snacks we had, plus tons of books, games, and diapers for the 12 hours of travel ahead. We were ready for smooth sailing.

Then came the detours.

We planned to be on the same flight with my whole family but were placed on three separate flights because our original flight was having mechanical issues. Andy and I geared up for a two man baby show instead of 10 man. Despite our worries, the first flight went really well thanks to lots of great suggestions from friends about how to keep a bebe entertained while traveling. A small Kleenex box filled with strips of fabric came in for the win. It's the simple things. Besides all our efforts, Marin was enthralled with the take off and landing. No fussing, just hands and nose pressed against the window…amazed.

We landed in Honolulu to learn we weren't ever placed on a connecting flight to the Big Island, where the rest of my family was headed. In fact, Hawaiian air was booked solid for Memorial Day weekend. So the three amigos geared up to spend the first couple days in Honolulu, no fam, no luggage. Cue mommy meltdown which seems a bit dramatic from the comfort of this ocean breeze I’m feeling now. Ha.

Anyway, It's funny because if all this had gone down pre-baby, Andy and I would have been so excited to get a couple days on a different island, oh the adventure of it all. But when there is a wee one, detours get you thinking about diapers and car seats in cabs and more SNACKS and you get to missing all the stuff you packed in your luggage like baby hats and $25.00 baby sunscreen, until all of a sudden your forehead is in a permanent state of wrinkle.

While in the taxi, headed to the unplanned leg of our vacation, Andy looked at Marin and then at me sitting in all the glory of my frustrations and forehead wrinkles. And he laughed and said, "Look at Marin. She doesn't even know the difference. She is so happy." So we channeled our inner Marin and stopped being big babies. (Okay, I still had a couple moments, BUT Andy stayed a smilin')

We walked in the ocean the next day in our jeans and played in the pool. We watched Marin kick, splash, and giggle through her first time in the ocean. And all that joy in her eyes over the big blue will always be one of my favorite memories.

So here's to detours, 60 hours in the same outfit (yum), and sweet moments with my two buddies.

More pics to come from our travels. Hope you are having a happy weekend, friends!