Vacation or just a posh change of address?

So taking a vacation with a very active toddler is pretty challenging, even when you're spoiled enough to have two and a half weeks in Miami.  We're staying at the newly-renovated Fontainebleau, which is doing it's very best to appeal to all the swanky people of the world with it's sexy, beachy marketing materials that appeared to be plastered everywhere at home.  (It should be after spending $1B in a declining economy, right?!?)  It's a pretty fancy place, with a store that seems to exclusively stock Valentino and Matthew Williamson, NYC outposts of restaurants like Scarpetta, and a nightclub that is attracting all the celebrities when they're in town.  The huge hotel has a great number of pools and cabanas (rental only, of course), not to mention a private adults-only section that's cordoned off with ropes and guarded by a burly looking dude.  

It also has a really cute kiddie pool, and that's where we've spent all our time thus far, when we're not doing nap time, meal time (in the kitchen in our room), tear the room apart time, run around the hallways like a madman time, or wind down for 7pm bedtime.  Master X is loving the freedom of being allowed to run free around the grounds, and even though I brought along the monkey backpack that's really a leash, I've felt comfortable enough letting him go untethered for the most part.  Of course, he is a runner by nature, so even if he were attached, I'd still be following behind, keeping him from jumping into one of the pools or diving down the marble stairwells that are all over the place.  He also likes to take off after people, yelling 'Hello!' at the top of his lungs until they notice him.  So that's what we do all day... we chase Master X.  I watch all the childless vacationers as they recline on the chaises, drink margaritas and read books in their bikinis.  I used to be one of them.  

Now I wear tankinis (and sarongs), drink water and read absolutely nothing because I'm up to my calves in the wading pool all day.  Instead of a secluded Caribbean resort, we chose Miami because there's a zoo and a children's museum, and I printed directions to the local Whole Foods before we left NYC.  My requirements for a room weren't a great view or a huge soaking tub... I really only cared about a kitchen, a washer/dryer and a bathroom big enough to accommodate a crib.  I haven't bothered with makeup or clothes besides bathing suits and pajamas, and I have no idea what's on any menu besides room service.  It's adorable to watch Master X have so much fun, and we're blessed to be in such a nice place, but it's also a lot of work.

That leads me to my observation.  Once you have babies, there's no such thing as a real vacation, unless you bring a nanny or leave them at home (which might make it hard to relax, anyway).  Vacation, for mamas at least, is really just a change of address.