Alexander Residence: The art of holidaying with small children

While on holiday I decided to experiment with blogging by email to my phone. These are the resulting ponderings.

12.30pm All still learning 'how to holiday'. As always this involves balancing everyone's needs. Miss L wants a bucket and spade, sweets and an ice cream, Mr G wants whatever he cant have and OH's company is featured in the times so he wants to find a copy of The Sunday Times in Spain. I just want to lie still on a sunbed uninterrupted for ten minutes. The bucket spade and ice cream are easily solved and occupy L and G initially. OH's needs are more complex. It turns out The Sunday Times doesn't have the supplement my OH needs in the Spanish version. So my ten mins goes something like this:

Miss L: Mummy G hit me with a spade.

G: Dumps sand on my chest
OH: I need suncream
Me: In the bag
Oh: How am I supposed to do my back?
Me: Perhaps if you get it out the bag first? (OH is afraid of the 'Bag', like the cupboard under the sink it is impossible to find anything easily, particularly if you are male and prone to looking once then giving up)
Oh: What's the plan then?
Me: Lie here and try and get some peace?
Oh; Oh, OK. For how long?
Me: I don't know
Oh: Just wondering what we are doing.
Me: Why don't you try and read the article online?

Would anyone give me five mins to read the trashy magazine OH had thoughtfully bought me at the same time as The Times? After the first page I was clear it's demographic was 50 plus women (articles on empty nests, interviews with the woman from Birds of a Feather and an article about male impotence) but still I was determined to read it. And it was actually quite interesting to read from an another, older woman's perspective. Most of the resort is dominated by retired couples and our kids were the only ones on the plane over. But everyone has doted on the kids so far, even if they are being less than angelic.

3pm

We abandoned the beach for lunch sensing food might calm everyone's nerves. Lovely avocado salad for me and egg and chips for kids and OH. Waitress was fab with kids pretending to be a cat trying to steal their ice creams. Tried to run off with Mr G to the bar to get his juice but he wouldn't have it. By the end of the meal he was all smiles. OH: reckon you've pulled G!

Much calmer after lunch Miss L made a castle covered in pebbles and Mr G filled buckets full of sand. Back at the villa for a siesta for all. Kids now playing together while OH naps and I type. Getting into holiday spirit ;)

8pm
A mojito by the beach was all it needed I am officially feeling the holiday spirit! Nerja is beautiful. Higgldy piggldy houses perched at funny angles on the cliff with a lily pond half way down to the beach and a lift. G entertaining everyone. Ran straight into a stream leading down to the shore after his dinner, fully clothed. Went home in his nappy. Then he found a little open window at his eye level in a gap under some steps, he chatted to a woman who I am guessing from the lovely smell and shower sounds was in her bathroom, who blew him kisses. Little heart breaker.
Miss L colouring for ages at the dinner table, funny to think a few years back it would have been just us getting drunk and watching the sunset, now we have colouring books and kids. But it's still magic to be on a 'proper' holiday. Glad we came out of season/end of season, its just hot enough any more would make everything an effort.