++Cruisin'++

As I alluded to in my previous post, we spent the first week of April at sea.  I could probably share lots of tips and tricks we learned about cruising with wee ones but that isn't so interesting...but we Pacynas are all about learning.  So, here are a few things we learned on our trip (ok...some of which we already knew but bear with me, I have lots of photos and I'm trying to keep it interesting).

1. Bompa is a good muse while waiting for your meal (something that happens quite a bit on a ship). 

 2. Who needs full size pools?  Your kids can be entertained for hours in a pool the size of a hot tub. 

3. Cora is cute (oh wait, we already knew that).  We also learned that she is a daredevil.  More on that later.

 4. The cruise ship seems much bigger when you are on it.  This is Mark and Claire on the beach in Cabo.  The last time we were on that same beach, Wyatt was a wee embryo. 

5. Cora is cute (did we already cover this?) 

 6. Who needs a pool of deep water?  Six inches is perfectly substantial for a couple of hours of fun (in case you are confused, while we were in port we visited the resorts in Cabo and Puerto Vallerta where my parents own a timeshare week.  The kids liked the pools. 

 7. Towel animals have universal appeal.  The kids were thrilled nightly.  Then Claire and Cora quickly destroyed them much to the boys dismay.  Also for the record, we had two adjoining rooms--we aren't crazy enough to all share the same room.  Nana and Bompa were down the hall.  They weren't crazy enough to be any closer.

8. Even as a cardholding member of the AARP, my mom was able to quite gracefully disembark from our glass bottom boat.  If you need a visual, he never really stopped the boat, we were just supposed to hop off when a wave brought it close to shore.  You go girl! 

 9. Whales are big.  This momma and her babies were spotted super close into shore in Cabo.  So fun.

 10.  Despite the fact that we had just witnessed the best whale-watching in years (according to our boat driver who wasn't at all looking for tips), Wyatt was far more impressed by the site of a Coast Guard boat in the harbor.  He insisted I take multiple photos of it. 

 11. Claire rocks her goggles.

 12.  A deep windowsill is the coolest thing in the world for kids.  There is a lot to see from a ship. 

13. Fake snakes make for happy boys.  This is along the waterfront in Puerto Vallerta.  The last time I was here I was a senior in high school.  Crazy.

 14. Cora and Wyatt should have been siblings.  Cora insisted on sitting next to Wyatt at every meal, and somehow I always end up with great shots of the two of them. 

 15. Squirt guns make for happy boys.

 16. Cora is a daredevil.  She fearlessly went down this slide into deep water multiple times (she's wearing her sweatshirt because her arms were sunburned).

 17. Cruising is hard work. 

There you have it!  We had lots of fun.  The kids have some great memories.  They've now been out of the country for the first time.  And best of all--no one barfed!