The Best Laid Plans...

So after a couple of really long and exhausting weeks we were all really excited to get out of town! We were headed for a relaxing weekend in Palm Springs - the same place we were in 2008 (for Paul's birthday) when I was 24 weeks pregnant with Emily.

The plan... chill. We were going to swim and float around in the pool all day, take naps and go to bed early. (The naps and going to bed early would be necessary since we were all sharing the same room.) Emily was talking and talking about going to our hotel and swimming in the pool all day long. I was dreaming of being weightless and floating around with my own personal floatation device attached to my abdomen. Daddy was excited about both of his girls being happy and spending some time away - but not business travel since he had just been in Nashville for 5 days.

I hit a bit of a hiccup that day at about noon when I started having contractions. They were fairly regular (I wasn't timing but was getting them a lot) and so when I put Emily down for a nap I laid down to rest and make them go away. I ended up falling asleep for about 30 minutes and when I woke up they were still there. Hmmm... 34 weeks pregnant... not exactly when I want to start having regular Braxton Hicks. I had a lot when I was pregnant with Emily but they didn't start until my 38th week so there was no concern. These had me just a little unnerved but we continued to prepare ourselves and we packed up and pulled away at 4 o'clock.

As we were driving out of town I got an email response from my doula that I had with Emily (don't have a doula this time). I had emailed her and asked her to just alleviate my concerns... tell me that this is totally fine and have a great time. Her email didn't say that. She had three questions and if I answered yes to even one of them she recommended we not drive anywhere. I answered yes to two of them. Ugh. Just a little more concerned now but trying not to blow anything out of proportion. I called my doctor's office to see what they would say and started to time my contractions so I would have something to tell them. That became the big problem with remaining totally calm... my contractions were coming less than 4 minutes apart in the car. We pulled over so I could lay on my side and see what they did - I wanted the most accurate info. when talking to the nurse. While I laid there they were 8 minutes apart and the decision was made... we were going to the hospital.

Since we were packed to leave town we had plenty of things available to entertain Emily in the hospital and Daddy wanted to take his computer bag - they may have thought we were moving in.
Once inside I told the lady at the desk that I just wanted to figure out what was going on and have the nurses end my worries. When Paul asked about whether or not Emily was okay to go back with us she talked a little about what would happen in the event of a cesarean. Excuse me? I assured her that we were planning on going home, tummy intact!

We were shown to our room and it was lovely. Emily and Daddy enjoyed watching the windsurfers out the window and Lynne (my nurse, whom I loved) swore she saw a whale for a minute.
[Did I mention that my hospital is in Newport Beach and many rooms have a view of the ocean? AAHHH! (Hope we didn't blow our one room with a view on this visit though!!!)]

Before they hooked me up, Daddy went through everything that the nurse was going to be doing and that we were just checking on the baby and Mama but it was going to be okay. Emily was good with that and just sat and waited. Oh, she also talked constantly about how we were going to the hotel and that Mama, Daddy, and Emily were going to swim in the pool.
I was monitored for an hour and checked - thankfully I was not dilated. My doctor's rule was that if, during that hour, I had 5 or less contractions then I would be free to go (without further monitoring or anything done to stop the contractions, etc.). I had four that they counted - not counting a couple of "irritations" or the one I had during my check - and was told that I could go.
But with that great news came some not so great news... we were not to leave town. Our car was loaded. We were ready for a weekend getaway. Emily was SET on a hotel and a pool. So, what choice did we have? We sat in the lobby for a bit while Emily watched a movie...
and Daddy found us a hotel for the night.
Kind of a crazy idea since our local forecast for the next day looked like this.
Oh well, we finally made it to bed at 10 o'clock and were up the next morning and off to breakfast...

before Daddy made Emily's weekend by going to the pool!!

I was a good sport and sat in the rain sprinkles and 5o degree COLD (with my sweatshirt and hood on) while they splashed around for a while. :) Then when the sun finally broke through the clouds for a few minutes, and Emily was sufficiently blue, they warmed up in the jacuzzi and we were on our way home - about a 5 mile drive.
What a fun, relaxing weekend getaway!!!

* My contractions have continued but aren't nearly as regular. I have been instructed to take it easy and NOT lift Emily. As long as things stay the same then I am to assume that the contractions are not "doing anything" and go on about my business - slowly. So, that's that. I have been reading a lot and taking naps instead of all of the other things I would normally be doing. Our plan is to sit on the couch when I am 40+ weeks and smile thinking about how nervous we got at the 34 week mark. In the mean time, keep Bittwo and my uterus (we're all family here, right?!) in your prayers and happy thoughts. :)

Here, Birdie Birdie!!

We have a lot of bird activity around here. We are not only feeding the hummingbirds but are running the neighborhood spa - where birdies come to cool off and clean up.

Emily and I really enjoy watching them splash around in the fountain. The hummingbirds hardly move any water around but the big ones, like the mourning doves, can create quite a mess. It never fails to crack Emily up.

Anyway, last week it was finally time to add another birdie item to our yard. I put Emily in charge of most of it since she is the resident expert in the area of bird feeders.

Ta-Da!
It only took about five minutes before we had our first diner...
and not long before we had more than one at a time.
There have also been plenty of times that a line forms on top of the wall waiting for a perch to open up. Guess it will be time to add to the other hook soon!

Dancing Queen

Whether at a wedding, a club, a party, or just waiting for a restaurant to open - if there is music playing, you MUST dance. And twirling in a dress... REQUIRED!

~Emily Rose

Come Sail Away

Last Thursday night, Nana, Grandpa, and Great Grandma Velda flew in to spend a couple of days with us. Unfortunately, we were pretty sick around here so they elected to stay at a hotel. It definitely made things easier for us but if you know me, you know I hate the idea of "wasting" money so I do feel badly that they had to add expense to their trip.

Anyway, on Friday morning Emily and I picked the three of them up and we were off to the beach! Lots of fresh, non-germy air around there I figured!

Emily had been talking over and over about how she "loved me when I saved her from sinking." It was two weeks earlier and we had been to the beach since but with her genetic disposition to worrying she had thought about it enough to keep her out of the water that morning. (She had been knocked down by a wave and was being pulled backwards, not in any real danger but she was scared.)
I have never seen her more content to dig in the sand and not splash in the water.
She even spent a good deal of time stirring up and watching sand crabs bury themselves.
It was a pretty warm day at the beach, especially in direct sunlight with little breeze, so we moved Nana and Grandma over to the little shady area under the lifeguard stand. I also decided that some cold water on their feet would only be beneficial. Emily wanted to get in on the action too and excitedly waited for Grandpa or myself to dump some on her.
But, because I knew it was important to only have a healthy fear of the water and not a paralyzing fear, I coaxed her to jump in the waves with me. Before long she was back to her old self and having a great time...

only leaving the water to deliver an ice cold treat to Nana and Great Grandma.
Nana thought it was pretty cold... Emily thought it was really funny.
Shortly before we were done playing at the beach we saw a seal swim by... RIGHT in front of us. We had heard him barking on the rocks the whole time but couldn't spot him - wasn't hard when he was about 20 yards away though!
On Saturday we spent a lot of the day playing around the house...


and before we went out to dinner, Emily played a little catch with Great Grandma.

After dinner, much to my surprise, we had a birthday celebration for me! They know how Emily likes to celebrate everyone's birthdays (and that they won't be around on the actual day) so Nana and Grandpa got a delicious mint Oreo ice cream cake (from DQ, yum). The bonus? It didn't contain ANY cake! :D
Emily was pretty darn excited, as you can imagine!

Before being put to bed, Emily insisted on one more game of catch with everyone and even pulled up a chair for Great Grandma to sit RIGHT NEXT to her. (My favorite part was Nana ringing the bell any time the ball was successfully caught, which it was every single time.)

Then on Sunday morning, Daddy was off to Nashville and Emily and I were off to San Diego. After all, Nana, Grandpa, and Great Grandma were scheduled to ship off that evening!! There was a bit of a walk from our car to the ship - good thing all the luggage had wheels!
Emily wished there was just a little more room INSIDE them though - perhaps enough for a stowaway?
It was pretty exciting to see them hand over their documents and head back to the REAL security...
but there wasn't much to do while we waited for them to come back.
For a good while Emily pretended she was a gate in the middle of the walkway...
only being brave until they got about five yards away and then she would retreat to a secure area.
After a while, the three cruisers were back out and Grandpa took Emily to see their ship up close.

(please note the fabulous fencing provided to keep small children from falling in... eek, it was a little stressful at times)

Then Grandpa took Emily around to see all of the other boats coming in the harbor...

and Nana helped her inspect the plants.
After a quick lunch together we returned to the car for their carry on items and then separated. Bon Voyage Nana, Grandpa, and Great Grandma!
*They departed Sunday evening at 5PM for a 14 day cruise to and through the Panama Canal. They will end up in Fort Lauderdale Florida and we can't wait to see the pictures!

**Makes a lot of sense that they chose to sleep somewhere other than our house, huh? No sickness for such a big trip!

Sigh...

It's been a rough week around here.

Emily Rose: pink eye, interrupted sleep, little head congestion

Mama: strep throat, raging sinus infection, wheezing, little sleep

Daddy: week+ of head congestion and cough, sinus infection, interrupted sleep and busy work week with long days

Grandpa, Nana, and Great Grandma Velda: extra cost incurred on trip because who wants to stay in a house full of people with that list of ailments?

BUT - things are finally starting to look up so perhaps tomorrow evening I will be ready to share...