No, I haven’t written in a while…and I love how Amy Vachon addresses taking a break from writing on one’s blog.  As an aside, I love her blog and information on sharing parenting responsibilities.  There’s plenty to write on that subject but, for now, we’ll stick to wine…

I could list 20 reasons not to take a baby wine tasting, however, I prefer to see the glass half full…of a delicious pinot!!  That said, I came up with good reasons, tips, and suggestions to fully support a trip to wine country.

1. You get to drink wine.
2. You get to drink wine.
3. You get to drink wine.
4. A change of scenery does a body good. Even a little baby body.  Firstly,  find a nice place to stay — a charming B & B, funky boutique hotel, or rent a sweet house.  My friend found this house and it was perfect!  Going to sleep and waking up in a new place is refreshing. You don’t have to look at the pile of laundry in the corner for two whole days or unload the dishwasher, yay!! We had a COZY guestroom in a barn all to ourselves. The house even had a pony and goat for Luna to familiarize herself with for future interactions.  Even if you have a “difficult” baby, this just might be the thing they need.  Worst case scenario, you leave the winery and head back to wherever you’re staying. And drink a bottle (or three) there.  At least you’re dealing with it against a beautiful backdrop with a slight buzz.
5. You get to picnic. Many wineries have big grassy areas and, if you’re lucky, there’s a band playing so you can get your groove back (or visualize yourself doing that anyway).  Either way, you can throw down a blanket and have some cheese and crackers to go with that lovely bottle of vino. Any excuse to eat more cheese…
6. You get to be chauffeured around for a day or two. My friend rented a stretch SUV for the group (he knows how to plan a trip!).  We debated it like the responsible people we are and decided to ride along.  The car seat fit just fine in the back of the limo.  Just sayin’.
7. You get a break from holding your baby because other people want to hold him/her.
8. It made us reconnect with who we were BL (an era of time we like to address as “Before Luna”).  It’s nice to break out the old you sometimes.
9. Life is short.  Don’t over think it — just pack your bags, car, baby, and GO.
10. You get to drink wine.

Notes:

–We chose Santa Ynez, just outside of Santa Barbara.  A not-so-bad 2.5 hours away from L.A. with a generous sprinkling of wineries to choose from.
–Wineries usually don’t have hot water unless there is a restaurant on site. I couldn’t warm up Luna’s bottle so she drank it cold for the first time. She was totally fine with it but, if your baby only takes warm milk, you might want to schedule your stops accordingly.