Babymoon to Santa Cruz and Monterey

Brody had the Monday off for Martin Luther King Day so we decided to make the short journey to Santa Cruz and Monterey and stay for the weekend. We got a hotel for two nights and thought it would be a fun getaway.

The weekend overall was pretty fun, but it is getting harder and harder to go on trips with a 2 year-old.  Madeleine wasn't feeling well on the start of the trip and didn't nap much on the way down (we planned for her to sleep the whole way in the car) but that didn't work.  And then I guess that baby has decided that she hates sleeping her pack and play now.  So none of slept much on the trip and then I started to get sick as well.  To Madeleine's credit, this was her first trip minus her pacifier (which must have been hard for her) and she wasn't feeling her best.  But I couldn't help feeling depressed--I guess we have traveled enough already with that girl.  Maybe she is just tired of it.

Anyway-- we did make some fun stops.  We ate our very very favorite ice cream at Marianne's in Santa Cruz.  (we actually had it twice lol) then we explored Santa Cruz and enjoyed seeing all the hippies and skaters that live there.  We ate some yummy pizza and walked around and shopped.

Also, we were able to visit the Redwood forest close by.  The trees are so magnificent and bigger than I could have imagined.  Madeleine made a friend with a little boy who was just a few days younger than her.  They ran together the whole trail and kept giving each other hugs.  She loved it.

The next day we attempted to go to church.  Madeleine threw an epic fit so we had to cart her out of church before someone thought I was murdering her with all that screaming!  After church I tried to have Madeleine nap in the car while I drove the famous loop in Carmel.  (it is gorgeous) and Brody biked around while I drove around and around.  We spent some more time visiting Cannery Row in Monterey and ate at the the Giant Artichoke restaurant.

Our final day was spent at the Monterey Aquarium.  Everyone raves about it.  It was pretty cool, but I don't know if it was worth all the money or drive.  We drove home during nap time, exhausted and all feeling under the weather.

I proceeded to be sick for the next 3 weeks, but at least we got one last trip in before baby number arrives! And we got to see some more fun things in California!!