Labor Day Yough

Labor Day weekend was dynamic with a little bit of chaos and laughter and frustration and so on. Here are Katie's observations and lessons learned:

This was the first weekend where she didn't go back to sleep upon waking very early in the morning and had a harder time giving in to nap time.We arrived at the ranch Friday night after a pretty normal ride out - stop at Reading for dinner at a diner and then driving until we hit Somerset while Abi watched Elmo and then fell asleep. She hates it when we set up the black sheet to keep the light out signaling sleeptime. She knows that shortly after Elmo will be turned off and she'll be "enclosed" to fall asleep. We did figure out how to tilt the car seat to a more reclined position (only 6 months late!). This time, I raised the A-liner and was more a part of putting it together. We hung by the fire for a little bit and then retired. Abi woke very early, earlier than usual (4:30) and we started our routine of giving her milk and hoping she goes back to sleep for a little bit longer. She was fussy and crying and sniffly so we thought her allergies were kicking up. So, we tried to give her some claritin and she ended up throwing up all her milk all over herself, the sheets, and some of david's clothes. We used up most of the towels we brought too. So, our plans now became a trip to walmart to see about a thermometer, some new sheets, and whatever else might be needed. So, onto the dark, windy roads we went. We returned early enough that people were just waking up and blearily walking toward the coffee pot that Janet lovingly sets up every night and first up has to flip the switch.

This was the first weekend I didn't overpack everything and it came back to bite us. First morning was vomit, the second morning was pee! that's a full-sized set, a pack n play sheet, two sleep sacks (slowly phasing them out), abi's shirt, david's shirt, and towels. Ilesson learned - stow back up towels and sheets in the Abi Shack.

Terrible twos (weakly and sarcastically cheers hooray). Throwing a tantrum in the middle of the ranch and me trying to force her to keep walking while she did the dead legs thing was not my high point as a mother or of the weekend. Thankfully, pro moms were there to tell me to just walk away. I had taken Abi to see animals at the neighbor's place - ducks, roosters, puppy, rabbits, and kittens. Of course, it was plenty dirty and dangerous with bird shit and old children's toys that no longer meet sue-happy parent standards of today, i.e., a trampoline without a net and a deck without a rail that you jump from to get onto said trampoline. Or! you could swing on the rickety swing set until you get high enough to launch onto the trampoline (hopefully). This, in Abi's eyes, was wonderland! duckies! rabbits! dirt and hills and duckies! after ten mins i wanted to take her back where she wouldn't get tetanus or get cut up by all the rocks and roots, so i began carrying her away. Abi began screaming and kicking, so i had to carry her like a football down the rocky slope towards the ranch. Thankfully, pro moms were there to tell me to just walk away. Halfway across the lawn i let her go and kept walking warily. I envisioned Abi darting back towards the neighbor's yard where she had just seen eutopia and i'd have to chase her in the humid and bright early September day. But, funnily, after some rip roaring on the ground, screaming and tears streaming, she got up and came towards me. Who knew she'd come for me over those animals - i surely didn't!

We are slowly packing less and less for her in regards to must haves. Last year we had to have formula and water, enough bottles, her high chair, bibs, at least three outfit changes per day including socks and weather change clothing. This year we have her booster, her bag of clothes, and a bag of misc toys, books, bowl/fork/spoon. Milk is in the cooler with snacks for her and us. She abandoned bibs months ago and we gave up trying to tie and pin it to her. All she eats is finger food anyway that isn't messy like purees.

Motherhood has made me braver. The first sign of this, beyond physically having a child, was doing the Savage River last year without any of my usual pre-river perpetual nervous chatter. This year, it was "naked cucumber," the rapid where they take your picture. Making it silly and fun i took on the Girl Gauntlet, that was thrown by Renee and completed fourth of July weekend, and completed it with a proud little smile on my face. When dared to run a rapid with just my life vest on pre-Abi i wouldn't have done it. I would have himmed and hawed and made excuses (it's too cold, i don't want to get out of my boat) but post-Abi I thought nothing of it. Breast feeding and major abdominal surgery and post-surgery check ups will do that to you i suppose. My body, to me these days is something i carry around and houses my tired, dreamy soul. View at your own risk haha.

Now on to West Virginia! Five days of country, Gauley Fest. Wild and wonderful i hope!