My 11.5 hour "5 hour" trip

As some of you know, Hubby works in TN sometimes. He was working on Memorial day, so we went up to spend some time with him. My trip up went thusly:

8 am Partial car loading, girls breakfast, dressed, etc.
9 am Feed Dylan
9:30 Load up car, girls go potty, shoes, etc...
10:30 Finally get on the highway
1 pm Stop to feed Dylan and eat lunch. (we usually stop at a Chick-Fil-A or something so the girls can stretch and play for a while)
2:30 Everyone has eaten, been fed, and played. Back on the road.
4:30 Arrive at our TN destination

So, even though Hubby can make it in 4.5 hours, it generally takes me 6. However, yesterday, this is how it went:

8 am Dylan decided he was starving to death and couldn't wait to eat. So, he ate.
8:30 Feed girls, load car, get dressed, etc.
10 am Final potties, shoes, loading, etc.
10:30 Hit the highway
12:30 Some nice traveller motions to me and tells me my driver side back tire is flat. We pull off. I try to fill it up at a gas station, but discover as I pump air in, it comes right back out. We drive to a Wally World, where they plug it, but make me sign a disclaimer that says it isn't their fault when the tire blows because it is so old and worn... (yes, I am aware it is about time to change the tires. Sigh.) While waiting, I feed Dylan (since he ate early, he needed to again).
1:30 The tire is fixed. However, it is now time to feed the girls (me included). And, because we traveled with the dog (can't leave her here, can I?) and Wally world doesn't allow pets, we had to sit very still and very quiet in the little waiting area with the dog. Therefore, the girls still needed some stretching and exercise time. Here we come Chick-Fil-A. Again, I might have preferred eating somewhere else, but the customer service is to die for, so.... It all works out in the end.
3-ish We get back on the road.
3:30ish We hit weather north of Atlanta. Bad weather. Rain so bad I couldn't hardly see. I slowed down to about 45 (in a 70) and parked myself behind a semi. I figured, even if he wasn't strictly speaking "in the lane", at least he would clear the path for me.
4:15 We are finally through the weather. Dylan is starting to wake up (translation: will want to eat again soon), but we are coming into downtown Atlanta. You don't stop in downtown Atlanta. However, we hit a bit of traffic. Not stopping, but again we were driving about 45 (if you have ever driven through downtown Atlanta, that would normally get you run over, or your doors blown off, unless you hit traffic... :/ )
5 pm Finally out of Atlanta and stopping to feed Dylan. Outside of Atlanta means we are less than 1.5 hours away from home. I figured we would feed Dylan, and then make it home in time to feed the girls dinner and get to bed. We all needed a potty break too.
5:30 Back in the car and heading down the highway.
5:32 We hit traffic. This time, bad traffic. Completely stopped, with occasionally enough room to let the car idle forward. It took 75 minutes to go 2 miles.
6:45 We pull off at an exit to eat dinner. Conveniently, it is also another possible way home (according to hubby). By this time, I realize we are really in no hurry. This is the last meal of the day, and we obviously aren't making it home in time for bed, so we stop at Burger King let everyone stretch and play again. Dylan talked up a storm and the girls had a blast.
8 pm Back on the road. I drove past the highway, discovered it was clear, so we got back on and headed home.
8:45 It became increasingly obvious that we weren't going to make it home before it was time to feed Dylan again. So, we pull over again. Got gas, mommy stretched, fed and changed Dylan.
9:15 Back on the road.
10 pm 11.5 hours after we left, we finally arrive home!!! Yuck! What a mess! So much for 5 hours. Thankfully, the tire held the rest of the way. Thankfully, the girls were well behaved and watched movies pretty much the whole way (again, that dvd player is worth its weight in gold!). Dylan was a bit fussy, but, it can't all be perfect. It was mostly me whose panties were in a wad {pardon my french} and whose blood pressure was on the rise. Oh well I suppose. Better luck next time :$

Dylan - 2 months

Due to our phone service being out for 2.5 days (I know, I know, it was rough for me too) I didn't get the chance to post about Dylan's 2 month check up. He weighed in at 14 lbs 1 oz and 24 in long (a scant 1.5 lbs from his immediate big sister's 6 month weight). He is in the 95th percentile for both weight and height. He has officially graduated to 3-6 month clothes and size 2 diapers. He eats about every 4 hours, and recently gave up his 2 am feeding. Loving it!!!

Now, some of you may remember me singing the praises of "Mr. Mellow" from a while back. Unfortunately that all changed rather suddenly. We went to eat to celebrate the inlaws in town at a Hibachi grill. It was wonderful, but that night and all the next day, Dylan was not a happy camper. Ever since then (about 6 weeks), he seems to have got some kind of tummy issue. He regularly fusses about 1-1.5 hours after every feeding (if he is asleep, he wakes up to fuss, and then goes back to sleep). And, he gets really fussy/screams bloody murder every night somewhere between 6:30-8:30. Now, there are a number of things wrong with this. A) He is obviously uncomfortable. 2) It is probably my fault from something that I am eating. d) This also happens to be dinner time, shower time, story time, and bed time. (That movie reference is for my lovely little brother... Brownie points if you can Name that Movie!) Makes for interesting nights. He hasn't been able to sleep in anything but his bouncy chair on his stomach for about 2 weeks now. However, through experimentation of my own (unfortunately, pretty disappointed with the pediatrician on this one) I think we might be hitting a sweet spot. I have thus far given up all things dairy (to include milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, and ice cream), broccoli (this seems to be the stresser from the hibachi grill), eggs and chocolate (I know, that was the hardest one). The difference is well worth it. He hardly fusses any more after eating. He even slept in his own bed last night for several hours, albeit on his stomach, but without being vibrated. And although he was kinda fussy tonight, it was nowhere near what it has been in the past. Also, the pediatrician recommended a regimen of prune juice to help his little pooper, and that may be helping him be more comfortable as well.

So, all in all, we are getting better, and I love the results. He talks (as before mentioned :) and coos, and smiles, and is more content to sit in my lap, than having to be bounced and patted. We will give him some time to keep feeling better, then add things back in, one at a time, to see if he can handle it.

I do love the little boy, and although he has only been with us for 2 months, it feels like he has always been here. Thankfully, we can keep him for forever!

Dylan

My guilty little secret

We had a playgroup the other day at Chick-Fil-A. It is already warm enough here in Alabama that we need to play inside, and their play palace is well taken care of and in the a/c. In fact, I don't 100% love their food better than anyone elses, but, the customer service is fantastic and the restaurant is clean. Besides, everyone knows play groups are really for the adults just as much for the kids :)

Anyway, while there, we mothers got around to a discussion about some of the "extreme" things we did to help our children when they were babies. One mother said they put their son in his car seat in his crib. Another said her daughter would only sleep in a vibrating bouncy seat. She said they burnt up 3 motors... That is kinda where my secret comes in. I was feeling guilty for a number of reasons.

1. That I have a perfectly good crib that Dylan isn't really using. (to be fair both of the girls used it though, so it isn't like I bought it and haven't used it)
2. That I kinda felt like I couldn't handle my own son or that I was doing something wrong because he would only sleep while the seat was on. AND on his stomach.
3. That even on days when he might sleep, I put him in the chair anyway, hoping I would get a little bit more time to myself.

So, here it is... I have been putting Dylan to sleep on his stomach in his bouncy seat. However, after discussing things with those moms, I feel much better. If that is how he sleeps, it is not a personal failing on my part. It is just how he is the most comfortable. And, if having a few extra minutes to my self makes me happier, then that makes me a better mommy. And, he wouldn't sleep if he wasn't tired anyway. So there. I don't really need to feel guilty anymore.

Also, I have cut out the glasses of milk I used to drink and saw a significant improvement. However, he still seems uncomfortable at times. About 1.5-2 hours after we finish a feeding he will get fussy. And I don't think it is because he is hungry because he recently gave up his 2 am feeding... He wouldn't do that if he was hungry, right? Also, my breastfed baby has started going for days between poops. I find that odd since both girls went almost every time they ate. So, I think I am going to try cutting out ALL dairy and go to chocolate next. (I know, horror of horrors, right.... I dunno if I can do it...) And, I guess we will see if that helps. I hate for him to cry and I hate even more that I am the one causing it... There goes that motherly guilt again. So, feel free in my comments section to suggest other possibilities if you would like.

Also, feel free to tell me your guilty secret. That might make me feel better :)

Things I love

Again, I have been saving up :)

Kari:

• She watched the Little Mermaid the other day and walked around the house singing "AHHH, AHHHH"
• Her imagination is taking off. Suddenly she like to dress up and plays games with her dolls.
• I also love her facial expressions.
• She is a great big sister. Sometimes she resents helping me (Aww, why do I have to help clean up), but most of the time she will scamper away at my littlest request.

Kaitlyn:

• She and Kari were playing pirates with swords. Kaitlyn was storing hers in her diaper (instead of just her waist band). I didn't, however, love when she pooped and came up to me because her hand was "sticky". I am even sure she put it in her mouth to sample it... Gross!
• Her vocabulary is suddenly huge. She repeats everything you say, and is working on perfecting words she already says, but says incorrectly. Indeed, I love the mispronunciations almost as much :)
• I love her ringlets in the back. So beautiful.
• She suddenly is cuddle jealous (even though she didn't really like to cuddle before at all...)

Dylan:

• Is doing a pretty good job of holding his head up. He is not in the "support me" stage so much as "catch me as I throw my head by" stage.
• He talks and coos to me. He also smiles (have yet to catch it on camera).
• He is a great cuddler. My only one who does it voluntarily. :)
• He recently gave up his 2 am feeding... Now, if only I could train myself to go to bed at 9 instead of staying up for a while.

I also truly love me a good thunderstorm.

I love that the door handles at Pa's house are so old, you can actually see through the key holes... I kinda thought that was movie magic :)

I love when Hubby gets to come home and spend the weekend with us.

And, last but not least, I love when all the children are asleep at the same time :)

Happy Mothers Day

I have been out of town for a bit. We usually go to Pa's where he lives in the back woods and doesn't have Internet. So, I have been saving up :)

First, Mother's Day. Hubby was so sneaky... He took Kari out on a Daddy Daughter ice cream date (which he told me about) and took her shopping for a Mothers Day Present (which he didn't tell me about). He has always kinda had a thing about "Hallmark" Holidays (you know, holidays that only exist for the sake of the card and candy makers). This one he says "although I am glad you are the mother of my children, it is really more for them to celebrate you... etc". And this year, Kari is old enough to at least kinda understand. So, he managed to sneak this into the house

without me noticing (No really, it is huge! I must have been in the other room) and managed to get a 4 year old to keep a secret (also a major accomplishment) for a whole 12 hours. When I got out of the shower, Kari (and Kaitlyn and Dylan) surprised me with this balloon (which does in fact sing "You are my Sunshine" when you hit it... which incidentally Kaitlyn found great... I did not :) a card (which Kari signed herself), a bag of candy and a container of whoppers (my current favorite). I was also recognize in our little branch for having the youngest child (Dylan was 7 weeks at the time). Yay for mothers everywhere! I can only imagine the holidays will get more fun now as our children start to understand what they are for.

Also, this isn't for mothers day, but this is a pair of "Slippers" Kari made me:

(with the help of her daddy). She is so inventive :)

Bowling

I wish I brought my camera. It would have been super fun!!! Tomorrow, besides being Mothers Day, is my 7th wedding anniversary. Yes, you read correctly, I have been married for 7 years. So, I found a babysitter and Hubby, Dylan and I planned to go out to lunch and go bowling. We went bowling all the time when hubby was in training in Ft. Benning because it was cheap ($1 a game) and we didn't really have anywhere else to go (since I couldn't go in the barracks). We even bought me a cheap pair of bowling shoes so we wouldn't have to rent; totally paid off since we paid $9 (I think) for the shoes and have played more than 3 games since ($3 rent x >3 games = we saved $). However, when we got to the bowling alley, we found out there was a tournament going on until 5 (we went around noon).

So, we ate lunch at Olive Garden (love the shirley temples) and went back to pick up the girls.... Once again, Melissa was a life saver, and watched the girls for us. We came back home, put them down for a nap, took one ourselves, and then.... Well, we decided to take the girls bowling. I am glad we did because it was super fun! Kari rented shoes (which she thought was super cool) and picked her own ball. She wanted to bowl like mommy and daddy, so, she took the ball in one hand, walked up seriously to the line, put it down on the floor between her legs and pushed. It was great. :) Kaitlyn even got into it, and kicked/pushed it down a few times. The bowling alley had a speed thingy and told us how fast we bowled. Hubby hit high 20s (MPH) and I was in the 12-15s. Kari and Kaitlyn were around 3-5 :) Anyway, they had tons o fun and it was great to watch them. Dylan even behaved himself during both lunch and bowling. A great day over all. And to top it all off, Kari and Daddy are on a Daddy/daughter playdate to go get ice cream.

Happy mothers day to me, and happy 7 years to us!!!

More Dylan

Now that I know (or at least think I do) what causes Dylan issues, I have been doing my darndest not to drink milk. However, totally spaced and took the hubby up on his offer for some Marble Slab ice cream over the weekend. I'd like to think that both Dylan and I benefit from this arrangement since I get the ice cream and the pediatrician prescribed paregoric (which is a form of opium) to get Dylan through the hard parts.... However, I need to do better. Anyway, the bouncy chair has been a lifesaver. Poor kid sleeps on his belly with the chair vibrating away. So sweet.

And, these pictures speak for themselves. Dylan kinda plays with his feet when he nurses. I am also sure he spent quite a bit of his time in utero this way: the soles of his feet touching. If he could intertwine his toes, he would. Cute kid :)

Outfits

Kari picked out her own outfit today. Purple shirt, purple shorts (not the same color purple) shoes, socks, and hat. Oh well...

Kaitlyn did not pick out her outfit. I did. I thought it was pretty cute :)

We were out of town for a few days, so I will have to do a better update later. However, this morning, Kari and Dylan were laying together on the floor and Dylan was "talking" and "holding her hand". Kari looked at me and said: "Even for a little kid, I like Dylan." Gotta love her :)