Rain, Traffic and a Toddler’s First Trip

I suppose you can say we’ve officially been inducted into the parents club. Buckle in.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that over the last few years, Ray and I have made it a tradition to travel for our anniversary. Usually somewhere tropical for a week. We look forward to lazy beach days and evenings filled with new adventures. Our last big trip was in 2024 to the Bahamas. Shortly after we got back, we found out we came home from that trip as a family of three 😂.

Last year, with the baby being just three months old, we skipped the tradition. So this year, we were looking forward to bringing it back. But for me, work timing couldn’t have been worse. Half my department is retiring, and we’ve just started training a new offshore team. Taking a full week off felt unrealistic. I knew I’d come back to the kind of chaos that would cancel out whatever rest I got.

Our compromise was a long weekend in Montreal. Just a few days off work, a new country to cross off our list, and enough of a change of scenery to still feel special. I did what I do best. Researched, planned, drafted a toddler-friendly itinerary, and found a hotel that checked all the boxes for traveling as a family of three with a toddler who definitely does not co-sleep.

I was ready to book.

Then I checked the forecast.

Rain. Thunderstorms. Every. Single. Day.

And because most of what we wanted to do was outdoors, Montreal was out.

At that point, we were days away from our anniversary with no plans. And somehow, every place I looked, Atlanta, Philly, Cape Cod, DC, Orlando, was getting the same weather. So I pivoted. I started thinking less romantic getaway and more indoor toddler survival.

That’s when I remembered a food creator I follow had recently visited American Dream Mall in New Jersey. Apparently it’s the second-largest mall in the country, packed with family-friendly activities, and only a couple hours away. Perfect. We booked a hotel ten minutes away and, as a bonus, it had a pool. We were excited to let P go swimming for the first time. Another little milestone built into the trip.

Friday, we tried to leave right at the start of P’s nap. Naturally, that didn’t happen. The drive took longer than expected, P barely napped, and the rest of the ride was spent trying to keep him entertained while surviving Friday traffic through New York and New Jersey.

We made it.

Dinner was fine, but bedtime was rough. New place, different setup, overstimulated toddler. None of us slept much that first night, and by morning it was clear P wasn’t just overtired. He was coming down with what turned out to be a GI virus, and it was hitting him hard.

Still, we tried to salvage the day.

That was snag number two.

American Dream sits right across from MetLife Stadium, and apparently there was a FIFA World Cup match that day. What should’ve been a ten-minute drive took almost an hour. Traffic was insane, parking was worse, and by the time we got inside, the mall itself was packed with World Cup fans for a giant watch party.

We eventually made it to Sesame Street Learn & Play, but by then it was obvious our little guy wasn’t up for much. We stayed a bit, grabbed food, picked up a few things at the pharmacy, and headed back to the hotel.

And of course, the pool? Never happened.

By then, the reality had set in. Our happy, easygoing little boy was miserable, and so were we. We were that family in public with the screaming baby and frazzled parents, and I can honestly say I’ll never look at a family in that situation the same way again.

We’d hoped to try the mall again after checkout if he improved overnight, maybe even squeeze in that swim before heading home. But by morning it was clear home was the better option. So we packed up and left.

No tropical beaches.
No romantic dinners.
No first swim.
No dreamy anniversary escape.

Just traffic, rain, exhaustion, and a sick toddler.

And honestly? That’s parenthood.

Not glamorous. Rarely convenient. Often messy.

But somewhere in the chaos, there’s still memory-making. Not the kind you plan for, but the kind that reminds you how much life has changed, how much you’ve changed, and how love looks different now.

Needless to say, we’ve officially earned another stripe in this parenting thing.