My husband and I recently returned from a 10 day trip to Hawaii. My husband won his company's incentive trip and I was his guest! No kids allowed! Since we were already over there, we extended a few extra days to enjoy the quiet of an island resort.
We have traveled numerous times since my daughter was born, but as she gets older I know she is more aware of our absence and misses us more. In addition to installing Skype so that we could talk this trip I asked Your Little Birdie's facebook readers what I should do to help her while we are away. Great ideas included a camera for her to capture their time, gifts with the same number as the days until we return, Hawaiian items to share more about where we are, pre-recorded videos, a new lovie for when she misses us, and even scrapbook supplies to document her time with Grandma. I love these ideas and know we will use some of them when she is older.
I ended up buying her 10 gifts- many of them have the number of parts to match the days until we return. Using shipping labels, I printed notes to her that Nana read to her each morning.
The notes talk about what we are doing, but also her schedule that day and include a countdown. One of her love language is definetely words of affirmation so I wanted to love on her with my words each day.
The gifts are simple inexpensive items that will help fill her days- playdoh, race cars, finger puppets, a new video, books, a new Barbie. All the fun stuff she loves!
I know she misses us when we are gone and I know these gifts made it easier for her! She would tell us "I have 4 presents left so you'll be home in 4 days". It was a fun way to countdown for her!
