Morning all - sorry to post something so sombre and then not elaborate!
We arrived at Centerparcs at 3.30pm on Monday to the pouring rain. We had been advised to book a 'Lakeside Apartment', but when we got into the room, it was no bigger (probably smaller) than a Travelodge room. We could touch the double bed and the cot with our foot from the couch. Cue lots of crying from me to Guest Services who finally agreed to move us to a normal lodge. L fell asleep and had to be carried to the lodge while dh packed up the car at 7pm. L woke every twenty minutes in the night, dh fell asleep at 9pm. Cue lots more frustrated crying from me. Centerparcs is built around a fantastic swimming experience (for those who haven't been) and don't get me wrong, its great. But with a tiny baby and all the crap that you have to cart around, a nightmare. L loved the pool, but only stayed in for 20 minutes, got out, started pooing, needed to go back to the dressing rooms to change her, crying then cos she was tired. Nowhere to sit her down in the pool area. Dh and I couldn't do any of the activities on our own (i.e. water slides etc), so we decided to get dressed and go for a walk. L was screaming by the time we dressed her and then promptly fell asleep in her pram. Got outside, me with soaking wet hair, and the heavens opened. L woke up, was crying so hard that there was condensation on her rain cover and we couldn't see her through it!
Traipsed back to the lodge, where it was only 1.15pm. By 4.30pm, dh turned and said to me, we could be home by 7. So we packed up and came home. On reflection, I think Centerparcs is great if you get the weather and there are a few of you, but quite isolating when there are only two of you, unless you're happy to put your baby in the kids club and use the babysitting service, which I am not yet. Its brilliant for older kids, and I loved it when I was younger. We're going again in February, albeit with lots of family to help out!
Nightmare.
Waste of money. Which always goes down so well with dh.
We're hoping to go to a villa next year with the whole family, which will bring its own challenges, but should be much better.
L then woke up yesterday morning, to be covered in the goddamn rash again. She's still covered now, head to toe, despite having already had the number of doses of Piriton she'd had last time. A & E have told me to give her another dose tonight, and if its still there tomorow, take her back in. So far its been a virus, bites, an allergic reaction, and a contact rash.
My money is on a virus. We haven't done anything differently at all, and its under and on the outside of her babygro. I think its a virus that didn't leave her system last time.
Plus she hasn't pooed for two days, which won't be helping. And she's started shouting all the time, much in the way an adult would if they'd had a really bad day at work.
So all in all, a horrendous and stressful week. My mum is off work next week and I can't wait. That's my silver lining.
OK, maybe that last sentence was a touch melodramatic.