A Letter to my First Born Written on our Babymoon
Day 1 of our babymoon!
I'm writing this post while closing in on “Babymoon #2” in the Cayman Islands and because it was also the last trip we will do as a family of three, it also felt like the perfect time to write a letter to my daughter, Harper.
Before I share the letter I wrote to my baby girl, who is not so much of a baby anymore, I should start by saying that we couldn’t have asked for a better place to celebrate our second babymoon. There were not many options to choose from the list of zika-free destinations; I checked the CDC website religiously and Cayman Islands was a clear winner from the areas that were deemed safe for pregnant women to visit.
Walking 7 Mile Beach
Our Babymoon: Good Times and Tan Lines
We did a lot of research on the different resorts on the small island and it paid off because I am happy to say our stay at The Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa was nothing short of amazing. A lot of you have asked about the resort after seeing snippets on my IG stories. We stayed in their “Family Suite” which included a cute little library, two modern bathrooms, a king-sized bed for mommy and daddy, plus a bunk bed for the little one and not to mention a large terrace balcony. Our view overlooked 7 Mile Beach, as well as the resort pool that Harper begged to be at every hour of the day. It was a challenge trying to convince her to hang by the ocean, but let’s just say she learned a valuable lesson about compromise.
The Kimpton Seafire Resort exceeded our expectations when it came to service, food and overall hotel experience. It was extremely family friendly with a magnificent kids program offering lots of daily activities. We will definitely be back again!
Always lots to do at the resort ... but somebody doesn't like to lose!
The Island Life
Pictured here at a "no name" restaurant that served local fare. Check out the menu!
Sure, our babymoon was a short 5 days, but we made the most of every minute. We even had the opportunity to try some local food off the resort. We ventured not too far by cab or by Cayman public transit (only $2 CI each) to a couple of restaurants and most notably, Heritage Kitchen, where we enjoyed fresh fish and fruit smoothies.
We were lucky to have friends on the island that also kindly took us around and told us about all the different places to visit and things to do. The Turtle Centre was definitely on our must-do list. We were also warned not to visit Georgetown when cruise ships arrived because prices sky rocketed and the area was overly busy. No thank you! We decided to keep it simple on this vacation and skip a lot of the hustle and bustle; we opted for lots of beach and pool time instead.
This is us right after eating some local deliciousness at Heritage Kitchen.
Besides the breathtaking beaches and laid-back lifestyle of the Cayman Islands, there is one thing that really stood out to me … and that was the people. We met individuals from all over the globe who live and work on the island. Italians, Filipinos and so many Canadians told us that they fell in love with Cayman Islands and instantly made it their new home. Not gonna lie, this might have crossed my mind a couple of times over the trip too!
Hanging by the pool at Kimpton Seafire Resort.
A sweet capture taken on my iPhone
Dear Harper
I decided to write a letter to Harper while here in the Cayman Islands because there was a different energy about her this trip. It was almost like she knew this was our “babymoon” for her new sibling on the way. I’m certain she knew it would be her last getaway with just mommy and daddy to herself. It made me a little emotional thinking that she would no longer be my only baby.
Harper was unusually very close to me this trip and always asking how the ‘bebe’ was doing. She is taking French in school now and only refers to the baby in my belly as ‘bebe’. Harper has always been a caring and considerate little girl, but this week I saw a different side of her. She would often ask to lend a hand and say things like, “take it easy, mommy” or “be careful, mommy”. It was witnessing this nurturing behaviour that inspired me to write this letter:
"Dear Harper,
It was you who taught me what unconditional love feels like. You changed my life. I know things will feel a little different when the new baby arrives and of course, I can’t help but worry. There may be times you will feel frustrated that you aren’t always getting my undivided attention like before, but please know I love you more than anything. You are a funny, active and incredible little girl. You make me (and everyone around you) smile with your charismatic personality. My heart is truly bigger because of you and as a result, I will be able to love both you and your new baby brother or sister.
I get so excited thinking about how you will be such a good role model and teach your little sibling all of the things you know and love. I admire so much about you - your bravery to swim on your own and competitiveness in sports to your creative mind and playful ways; your little brother or sister will look up to you for these reasons and more.
No matter how our world feels like it’s changing, you will forever be my first. After all, it was you who made me a mom. I love you my dear Harper and that will never, ever change.
Love,
Mommy xo"
Our family of 3 ... soon to be 4.