HIGHS and LOWS

Owen, Elliot and I went on a dog days of summer vacation without Daddy -- a plane ride to Kansas City to visit Dzia Dzia and Grandma Fran!

Adventure! Drama! Hilarity!

We had some LOWS...Owen was diagnosed with Roseola right before we left, which meant he had a fever off and on for a week and then a scary looking rash. He was in good spirits and full of energy though, and the doctor said go ahead on your trip. The first night we were there, Owen woke up in the middle of the night with a high fever and wanted to get into the big bed with me. So I gave him some motrin and put him in the big bed just in time for him to vomit his dinner -- including the chocolate ice cream he had for dessert--- all over the nice white sheets and the down pillows. Owen's response? "I don't want to be in the big bed anymore!!!!!!" No kidding. So I stripped the bed and did a load of laundry at 3 in the morning and then sang Owen back to sleep while rubbing his back for 1 1/2 hours. That was the first night.

Then I fell down the stairs while holding Elliot (What can I say, I'm just a California girl who isn't used to those large midwestern houses with more than one story).... Luckily I was only two steps from the bottom and my reflex was to yank Elliot up and out of the way. He was totally fine -- but I did manage to land with full force on my tailbone and got a beautiful sore butt for the rest of the week! (It still hurts).

Then Elliot decided to get super cranky and spent the last three nights waking up literally EVERY HOUR.

Restful vacation week? not so much.

BUT... we had some wonderful HIGHS as well.

Swimming:

Playing:

Grilling:

And, of course, bingo:

It was fun , fun, fun.

And, I learned some valuable lessons:

1. I actually DON'T have to check my email all day long every day, because I really don't miss that much. Shocker, I know.

2. If I don't watch tv (or more realistically, something/ anything from Netflix, which is my downfall) after the kids go to bed, I could actually accomplish some projects that have been on my to-do list for EVER!!!!!! or even better, I could sit and have a glass of wine and chat ( yes, CHAT!!!!!) with my husband. Wow. Thanks Dad and Fran for showing me the light.

3. When traveling on a plane with two small children after bedtime, only one child will sleep at a time, which means that although you won't be completely frazzled, the days of closing your eyes and resting are OVER.

and finally,

4. No matter how much I wanted it to be something else, Elliot will follow in his brother's footsteps. DA-DA is his first word. The first thing Elliot did when we returned from our weeklong jaunt was put his hand on Paul's arm and say (all sparkly and bright) "Da-Da!!!!!!" Meanwhile his sound for me continues to be complaining and desperate:"MMMMMMMMMMah. MMMMMMMMMAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Oh well.

Anyway, thanks for the wonderful trip Dad and Fran! Owen and Elliot and I miss you already.