Baldilocks goes to Florida

“Auntie Ne-Ne has no hair! Auntie Ne-Ne has no hair” sings my adorable nephew Styles Sanfillipo as he jumps on the bed at the condo we stayed in on Spring Break. This song cracks me up and I immediately join in to the tune with him, Gina & Julia. “Auntie NeNe has no hair” Hours earlier on the beach I took off my hat to show him my bald noggin for the first time. Styles is 3 and was taken back just a hair (pun intended) by my appearance, but like the rest of the family it didn’t take long for it not to phase him. We proceed to build sand castles and bury Gina while my hat goes on & off throughout the day pending the wind and heat.

I was not a good patient or follower of authority though (per usual) and was in the sun plenty. This Mexican skin needed sun and my bald head wanted a tan? When I first walked the beach with Gina and Julia I asked them if it was “ok for mom to just go bald…no hat or wig”. Gina said sure, Julia said no. I asked “why? Will you be embarrassed?” She says “no, it’s just that your head has never had sun on it and could burn”. How about that! The 8 year old using that logic and parenting me as well. It’s funny how all 3 girls parented me randomly during vaca. First was on the plane. I was told to wear a mask on the plane to keep the germs at bay. Of course I didn’t want to wear it because I felt like germ-a-phobe Micheal Jackson, but Gina would’ve knocked me out if I didn’t. Yes, logically this makes sense since she’s the worrier and I for sure didn’t want to get sick. Doc also ordered only 20 mins in pool or ocean (submerged) daily due to the lance wounds. Therefore, the first time I get into the pool Maria walks in with a quick “20 minutes mom – only 20!” Gina & Julia proceeded to check the time too each time I was in the water. By the end of the week the hubs was telling me I had enough sun. My reply “I’ve gone through all this cancer BS so I’m gonna enjoy the sun on my vacation…isn’t that why we’re there?! Plus even with SPF 50 on the daily I can’t prevent a tan?

The weather was perfect all week and the family time was great. All but the teens were in PJ’s by 9:30pm most nights and it truly was relaxing. We had beach time, pool time, played shuffle board and of course some March Madness by weeks end. The evenings were filled with ice cream & street shows at Times Square.

It was a much needed escape from reality for 7 days!

Of course you don’t fully escape reality when your bald, still nursing wounds & scars and know 12 more chemo sessions are around the corner, but whatev. The hair thing (or lack of) was interesting. During the day it was hat or baldilocks, evenings were hat or wig depending on my mood and our plans. It was definitely the most time I’ve spent with family and in public just owning the baldness. I was surprised how much I didn’t care. When the girls wanted a Henna tattoo I joined and decided a ribbon behind the ear would help explain the baldness to spectators. 

Some of our Florida family came to visit, the teens had their evenings of music and mosh pit on the beach, hubs & I let them babysit while we had a couple kidless hours out, the girls paddle boarded, canoed and enjoyed riding the trolley when available. All-in-all it was a fabulous, much needed, vacation for us all!

And I get to go back to Florida next Thursday for my cousins wedding – YAY ME!!