California - day 4 (back to home)

The end of our journey was finally here. We, yet again, woke at the crack of dawn. I felt marginally better, but woke frequently to Rose coughing. (It should have been sufficient foreshadowing of her illness to come, but optimistic me thought we could still get back to school/work the next day. Ha!)

We spent much of the morning packing and playing.

Rose and I also walked ~two blocks to the neighborhood playground. It was a gorgeous vista with the mountains in the background and the valley in the foreground, but I had already packed my phone and camera so we didn't get any photos. On the way back to Mitra's house, Rose said: "Mommy, I want to live here." I told her that she could decide to live wherever she wants when she's a grown-up. She responded, "Mommy, when I grow up, if you're still alive, let's live here with Mitra." Uhh...

After Mitra got home from dropping Liam off at kindergarten, we took off for one last sight-seeing spot before heading to the airport. Inspiration Point!

So aptly named! I wish we could have spent a few hours there exploring, but sadly we only had a few minutes :(

The end of a great mommy-daughter vacation!

The flight home was relatively uneventful, at least until the last 30 min. As soon as we started our descent to MSP, Rose decided she HAD to have the tray table DOWN and there was absolutely no reasoning with her. I'm talking full-scale, total preschooler meltdown. It was brutal. Apparently the lack of sleep, change in cabin pressure, and impending illness all combined for an epic showdown of 3-year-old force.  Felt like the longest 30 min of my life! The judgment stares from my fellow passengers were seared into my soul. Remind me to never judge a fellow mom dealing with an unruly kid on a plane ride! Ever!

Check out those "tired eyes" early in the flight!

But eventually we landed, Rose was able to put the tray table down, and all was well in the world again. We rode the moving walkways to the tram, took the tram to the train, rode the train to my car, and finally took the car back home. Home at last!

As I should have predicted, Rose slept poorly with that terrible cough, and woke in the middle of the night with a raging fever. But two days of naps, movies, and smoothies later, we are both well again!

All in all, it was an amazing mommy-daughter vacation.  Next time we'll build in more rest/relaxation time, but I don't regret a second of our fabulous journey.  Rose is such an awesome kid, and I'm so glad I could share all these "firsts" (plane ride, ocean beach, Disney) with her. If only Mike could have joined us, but I guess that just means we'll have to go back again with him next time! :)