I hit a skunk on the way home from dinner last night.
Oh. My. Word.
I immediately drove to the car wash and sprayed the van as best as I could. Once I got the girls in the house and started on their bedtime routine, I took off the clothes I was wearing and tossed them, and my coat, in the washer with a big dose of vinegar in the rinse cycle.
I opened a window in the garage.
I put a bowl of vinegar in the van.
I put a bowl of vinegar in the kitchen.
I opened the other garage window.
I backed the van out of the garage.
I poured vinegar on the garage floor.
I opened the garage door first thing this morning. I would have left it open all night, but in the past that has earned us a garage-dwelling possum. So, no.
E3 wanted to know the skunk's name. I suggested Stinky.
Everything still reeked this morning, like a skunk had sprayed the entire backyard, but I had some errands to run. So, I loaded E3 and F into the van and endured 10 miles of, "Stinky!", "I smewl somefing!", "Watch out for a skunk on the road!", "I smewl skunk!", before they finally moved on to saying non-sensical things and laughing at their brilliant hilarity.
Before we headed home, we got burgers and fries - mine with onion - to help combat the interior stink. Then, we went through the automatic car wash and splurged on the double wash. It seems to have helped a bit, as I can only smell it when I'm standing right next to the van.
The bowl of vinegar is still out there though(I hardly sloshed any while driving!), and I left the van parked on the driveway and the garage door open.
My Mother-in-law is staying with the girls (and, hence, the van) while I join Rob at a conference in Florida. I hope the air has cleared before I leave tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
An Even Dozen
That's how many years of marriage Rob and I celebrated on Sunday. We're now going for the Baker's Dozen anniversary - maybe somebody will bake us something next year.
We actually celebrated with dinner at The Melting Pot last weekend since I was going to the big old Scrap-o-ganza this weekend. I was home by noon or so on Sunday though, and after a gazillion hugs and 'I missed you!'s' from the girls they had us take a seat so they could present us with our anniversary gifts.
The gifts were in a small green bag and we had to take turns pulling out items. I went first and pulled out a dollar; Rob pulled out two dollars. E1 then pulled out another dollar, handed it to me and announced, "Two dollars for each of you."
Next, I pulled out a piece of Trident gum and Rob pulled one out as well. Then I pulled out a small pot (empty lip gloss container?) that contained two pieces of Dentyne Ice gum...and an apple seed.
We ate the Trident, and agreed to put our dollars in our vacation bank - a big plastic jug in which we save coins. It was the Hawaii Vacation Bank, but now it's the Texas Vacation Bank.
The next morning E3 asked if the apple seed was still in the pot, and E1 informed her that Dad had already planted the seed - and the location it's planted is a surprise.
We actually celebrated with dinner at The Melting Pot last weekend since I was going to the big old Scrap-o-ganza this weekend. I was home by noon or so on Sunday though, and after a gazillion hugs and 'I missed you!'s' from the girls they had us take a seat so they could present us with our anniversary gifts.
The gifts were in a small green bag and we had to take turns pulling out items. I went first and pulled out a dollar; Rob pulled out two dollars. E1 then pulled out another dollar, handed it to me and announced, "Two dollars for each of you."
Next, I pulled out a piece of Trident gum and Rob pulled one out as well. Then I pulled out a small pot (empty lip gloss container?) that contained two pieces of Dentyne Ice gum...and an apple seed.
We ate the Trident, and agreed to put our dollars in our vacation bank - a big plastic jug in which we save coins. It was the Hawaii Vacation Bank, but now it's the Texas Vacation Bank.
The next morning E3 asked if the apple seed was still in the pot, and E1 informed her that Dad had already planted the seed - and the location it's planted is a surprise.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Dreamsicle
I had a dream last night, and it was one of those where you wake up and you're still agitated by the events that took place.
We were in the beach house on Kauai, and I had been up for nearly two hours - I read for a while, then showered and dressed before the girls rolled out of their beds. I had brought the girls to the upper unit to get some breakfast, but Rob told me that his Mom and Christine had gone out to get breakfast and would be back soon.
Now, it should be noted that I eat breakfast within an hour of waking almost without fail. I wake up with the need to pee, and the need to eat - I usually squeeze a shower in there in an attempt to be more civilized (and because without a shower I feel like I spend my whole day waiting for the day to begin).
So, we were all hanging out, waiting for breakfast, and I was doing what I could to keep the girls busy. Another two hours passed before I finally pulled out some Triscuits and cheese to make melted cheesy crackers - a favorite after school snack.
Still, Rob maintained that his Mom would be back soon with breakfast and why couldn't we just wait. I argued that we HAD been waiting, and two hours was long enough for the girls to wait, and I'd been up for four hours and was HUNGRY, DAMMIT.
It took at least an hour after I woke up this morning to shake my feelings of frustration from that dream.
We were in the beach house on Kauai, and I had been up for nearly two hours - I read for a while, then showered and dressed before the girls rolled out of their beds. I had brought the girls to the upper unit to get some breakfast, but Rob told me that his Mom and Christine had gone out to get breakfast and would be back soon.
Now, it should be noted that I eat breakfast within an hour of waking almost without fail. I wake up with the need to pee, and the need to eat - I usually squeeze a shower in there in an attempt to be more civilized (and because without a shower I feel like I spend my whole day waiting for the day to begin).
So, we were all hanging out, waiting for breakfast, and I was doing what I could to keep the girls busy. Another two hours passed before I finally pulled out some Triscuits and cheese to make melted cheesy crackers - a favorite after school snack.
Still, Rob maintained that his Mom would be back soon with breakfast and why couldn't we just wait. I argued that we HAD been waiting, and two hours was long enough for the girls to wait, and I'd been up for four hours and was HUNGRY, DAMMIT.
It took at least an hour after I woke up this morning to shake my feelings of frustration from that dream.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
If The Phone Doesn't Ring It's Me
Man, you guys are a tough crowd! I admit to having told my husband that his breath smelled like raw hamburger and not ONE comment about it. Maybe that means it wasn't that rude and he should be glad I didn't compare it to something else, eh?
Day two of a new exercise streak on The Schwinn, for both of us.
E1's Brownie troop took a field trip to Cold Stone Creamery tonight. I should have Schwinned for much longer to make up for my participation in the field trip. Ugh. E1 declared it awesome! though, AND when asked by one of the leaders if anyone had ever been to a Cold Stone she got to answer, "Yes. In Hawaii." La Di Da!
I've been having trouble getting the last load of laundry out of the dryer, regardless of how many loads I do each day. There's always that one load just languishing there, taunting me as I walk past to bed at night...haunting my dreams. Okay, not really haunting, but it'd be nice to finish what I started that day. Tonight, at least, it's just whites/undies, AND at least it's not a load that's still in the washer. Leaving stuff in the washer not only sets you up for stinkies, but it darn near guarantees that someone will wet the bed or throw up in bed forcing you to shift loads in the middle of the night.
It was 60 degrees today!
This weekend I have a girls-weekend away. Scrap booking. Yeah, so what? (Honestly, I'm this close to moving on to the photo web-site albums...I'm just not there yet). So, anyway, weekend away...snackage...girl talk...beer. Should be fun.
Next weekend: Parents weekend away. WOOT!
And me, without having finished recapping my last trip. I'm such a jet-setter.
Day two of a new exercise streak on The Schwinn, for both of us.
E1's Brownie troop took a field trip to Cold Stone Creamery tonight. I should have Schwinned for much longer to make up for my participation in the field trip. Ugh. E1 declared it awesome! though, AND when asked by one of the leaders if anyone had ever been to a Cold Stone she got to answer, "Yes. In Hawaii." La Di Da!
I've been having trouble getting the last load of laundry out of the dryer, regardless of how many loads I do each day. There's always that one load just languishing there, taunting me as I walk past to bed at night...haunting my dreams. Okay, not really haunting, but it'd be nice to finish what I started that day. Tonight, at least, it's just whites/undies, AND at least it's not a load that's still in the washer. Leaving stuff in the washer not only sets you up for stinkies, but it darn near guarantees that someone will wet the bed or throw up in bed forcing you to shift loads in the middle of the night.
It was 60 degrees today!
This weekend I have a girls-weekend away. Scrap booking. Yeah, so what? (Honestly, I'm this close to moving on to the photo web-site albums...I'm just not there yet). So, anyway, weekend away...snackage...girl talk...beer. Should be fun.
Next weekend: Parents weekend away. WOOT!
And me, without having finished recapping my last trip. I'm such a jet-setter.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Ten Thing Meme
Finally, I have a chance to tackle Lisa's meme tag. Crikey, where do I begin?
Ten Things You Don't Know About Me:
1. I have little patience for ignorance. Not that I think I'm intellectually superior or anything, but if you forward an email WARNING! or rumor without consulting Snopes first, I'm going to mentally mumble mean things in your general direction.
2. I am of an introverted personality; I dread (in various degrees) most social situations, including those I've set up myself and those involving only immediate family. However, once I'm in there I usually have fun.
3. I definitely know that I will never choose a career as a teacher. I've volunteered in Kindergarten, people - trust me.
4. My younger sister is fighting ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Okay, so maybe some of you know that, but I figured I'd throw it out there in light of the previous post. We used to go out to movies (on the down-low, because we didn't want to have to invite anyone else) before she had to start conserving her energy and shit. I miss it.
5. I once admonished one of E2's classmates for talking "baby talk" when I was volunteering, telling him I hear that from the 3-year old's at home and I wanted to hear big kid talk in Kg. Moments later, I realized that's the way he talks - he wasn't goofin'. What a hag I am! (see # 3).
6. I like my wine to be Riesling, and I enjoy a fruity rum drink as well.
7. I'm the second of four children (three girls, one boy). In our senior years of high school we were voted:
Ten Things You Don't Know About Me:
1. I have little patience for ignorance. Not that I think I'm intellectually superior or anything, but if you forward an email WARNING! or rumor without consulting Snopes first, I'm going to mentally mumble mean things in your general direction.
2. I am of an introverted personality; I dread (in various degrees) most social situations, including those I've set up myself and those involving only immediate family. However, once I'm in there I usually have fun.
3. I definitely know that I will never choose a career as a teacher. I've volunteered in Kindergarten, people - trust me.
4. My younger sister is fighting ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Okay, so maybe some of you know that, but I figured I'd throw it out there in light of the previous post. We used to go out to movies (on the down-low, because we didn't want to have to invite anyone else) before she had to start conserving her energy and shit. I miss it.
5. I once admonished one of E2's classmates for talking "baby talk" when I was volunteering, telling him I hear that from the 3-year old's at home and I wanted to hear big kid talk in Kg. Moments later, I realized that's the way he talks - he wasn't goofin'. What a hag I am! (see # 3).
6. I like my wine to be Riesling, and I enjoy a fruity rum drink as well.
7. I'm the second of four children (three girls, one boy). In our senior years of high school we were voted:
- Elaine - Best Dressed
- Amy - Biggest Psycho
- Kurt - Best Smile
- Me - Best Manners
Rob enjoys that one immensely.
9. I have an acute sense of smell. I once told Rob that his breath smelled like raw hamburger (see #7).
10. I'm currently addicted to the Kinsey Millhone Mysteries by Sue Grafton, and books by Jennifer Weiner, but I also love me some Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
I Called My Congressman And He Said Quote
I got a dandy email from the ALS Advocacy group informing me that the President has included in his budget, funding for a national ALS registry:
We are pleased to share with you that the President’s Fiscal Year 2008 Budget includes nearly $1 million to establish a national ALS registry at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is a tremendous victory for the ALS community, especially considering that the budget reduces or eliminates funding for many other health programs. This is the first time that funding for the registry has been included in the President’s budget...
Because of this, we have a great opportunity to both continue, and increase funding for an ALS registry and build on the efforts already underway at the CDC to establish a national ALS registry (Click here to learn about the projects that have been implemented by the CDC).
You can help build support for the ALS Registry Act today:
E-mail Your U.S. Representative - We urge the entire ALS community – PALS, families, and advocates – to contact their U.S. Representatives and ask them to become an original cosponsor of the ALS Registry Act. A sample letter you can e-mail to your Representative is available on our website here or by visiting the Advocacy Action Center at www.alsa.org/policy. If you do not know the name of your Representative, simply enter your zipcode in the space provided on the Advocacy Action Center and the site will identify him or her for you.
Considering that it's been nearly 68 years since Lou Gehrig gave his name to ALS and there's still no answer as to what causes ALS, and so, no cure, I say it's about frickin-frackin time.
Please write your Representative. Feel free to tell them Beloved Aunt Amy needs to get better so she can catch up on kicking Nelson's butt.
We are pleased to share with you that the President’s Fiscal Year 2008 Budget includes nearly $1 million to establish a national ALS registry at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is a tremendous victory for the ALS community, especially considering that the budget reduces or eliminates funding for many other health programs. This is the first time that funding for the registry has been included in the President’s budget...
Because of this, we have a great opportunity to both continue, and increase funding for an ALS registry and build on the efforts already underway at the CDC to establish a national ALS registry (Click here to learn about the projects that have been implemented by the CDC).
You can help build support for the ALS Registry Act today:
E-mail Your U.S. Representative - We urge the entire ALS community – PALS, families, and advocates – to contact their U.S. Representatives and ask them to become an original cosponsor of the ALS Registry Act. A sample letter you can e-mail to your Representative is available on our website here or by visiting the Advocacy Action Center at www.alsa.org/policy. If you do not know the name of your Representative, simply enter your zipcode in the space provided on the Advocacy Action Center and the site will identify him or her for you.
Considering that it's been nearly 68 years since Lou Gehrig gave his name to ALS and there's still no answer as to what causes ALS, and so, no cure, I say it's about frickin-frackin time.
Please write your Representative. Feel free to tell them Beloved Aunt Amy needs to get better so she can catch up on kicking Nelson's butt.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
The Weather Is Here, I Wish You Were Beautiful
The weather is ugly today, and only planning to get uglier. Here's my backyard in the last hour:
First sleet...
...then snow!See why I miss Hawaii? Let's go back, shall we?
Upon our arrival Tuesday night, Christine gave us the five minute tour of the downstairs unit of our beachhouse, with a few rules and safety precautions thrown in, and then we all trooped to the upstairs unit to see Grandpa Bob, Grandma Carol, Eric and Janet and enjoy the bbq pork steaks they'd prepared for us.
"Man, I wonder if we looked that bad when we got here," the ever-silver-tongued Eric wondered aloud.
The rest of the evening is lost in a blur...I know we ate dinner, and it wasn't long after that E3 announced she was ready to go to sleep. We went back down to our unit and began getting sleeping arrangements made - so befuddled was I that instead of pulling out the sofa bed for Christine, I just assembled blankets and pillows on top of the sofa. I'd realize my mistake around 5am the next morning and feel bad about it. Especially since the bed Rob and I got ROCKED - so much so that I wanted to take it home as my souvenir. Once the girls were settled in, Rob headed back upstairs to hang out with the grown-ups. I had a moment to think, "Bed?" before it was, " zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz." I slept like a rock, unmoving, until about 5:30a.m. Wednesday morning.
Wednesday, after breakfast, Eric and Janet took off for a drive and everyone else was going to walk to the beach. At first, I tried staying at the house to catch a nap, but when sleep wouldn't come I trekked to the beach as well.
Later, we packed some lunch and then drove to Waimea Canyon
and then up above the NaPali coast.
Yes, I KNOW I posted pictures of these places already. I might just start posting them every day.
On our way back to the house, we stopped at SnorkelBob's to rent snorkel gear for Rob, E1 and I. More time was spent at Poipu beach before we grilled for dinner.
The roosters and chickens, they were abundant, as are the theories as to why they're all over Kauai. We saw them everywhere. Janet even got a picture of one walking past a Kentucky Fried Chicken sign - I got a picture of one standing on an un-used bbq grill and I've titled it Grilled Chicken.
Thursday, Rob, Christine, the girls and I headed out to Lydgate park to play in the sand and try some snorkeling.
We found a mermaid at Lydgate Park!
Did I mention that Flat Stanley was with us for a short time? He even managed to hook-up with a local before heading back to Cousin J on the mainland.
That evening we had dinner at Brick Oven Pizza, then sent the kids home with Grandma and Grandpa so we could go out to Tradewinds, possibly the only bar that stays open past 10 pm on Kauai. Janet had a Big Ass Draft.
Friday, we drove to a Opaekaa Falls and the menehune fish pond, then continued on to Hanalei. You know, where Puff the Magic Dragon frolicked.
Winter mists, as opposed to Autumn, but really it's all the same as Hawaii has no seasons.
We ate some burgers before driving down to Hanalei Bay in hopes of playing on the wide, shallow, beach. It had been overcast all day, had drizzled through lunch, and unfortunately, the sun still refused to peek out. We spent some time out on the dock/pier watching the surfers before we continued down the road. We DID see our first bicycle with a surf board rack here, which was amusing for us mainlanders, and we did venture out to a beach as the drizzle ended and Rob, E1, and E2 observed the waves.
After a quick stop at a flea market, we zipped home and got ready for a luau. Attending a luau was something I had wished we'd done on our last trip to Hawaii. We chose the luau at the Sheraton because it was the only beach-side luau on the island.
Once we figured out where we were going at the Sheraton resort, we signed in for the evening's events. We were treated to shell leis, and ushered to a small knoll for a picture. Christine said she was going to stay out of the photo so it would be just our family, and as I was unloading my bag and our jackets I nodded my assent. It wouldn't have bothered me either way...but then two complete strangers stepped into the photo.
If two Hawaiian teenagers can be in our photo, surely Aunt Christine can be as well, don't you think?
The luau was fun for all. E2 danced along, as best she could, on the sidewalk behind us. E3 claimed the pineapple bowl, when it became apparent no one else would be eating any fruit.
E1 enjoyed the mahimahi and generally just tried not to get snot on anyone. Rob managed to find a fellow Cardinals fan in the crowd, and he, Christine and I took full advantage of the all-you-can-eat-and-drink policy. 
Saturday morning, the girls played Play-doh (it was at the beach house!) while I read and rested. I was the second in line to get the head-cold thing and it was beating me down. Rob, Christine, Eric, and Janet went on a river kayak & waterfall hike excursion (we cancelled my reservation the day before). After lunch, we ventured out to Salt Pond beach.
That evening we enjoyed dinner at Tomkats Grille and a little wandering around Old Koloa town before heading home to pack our bags for our Sunday flight to Oahu.
[Edited to add: This took me a lot longer than an hour...now back to our regularly scheduled weather.]
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Island
I know, I know. I've been absent. I've got a post I've been trying to work on, telling all about the trip...but it's just not happening. I don't know what to do with it. Do I continue, adding links and photos, or just scrap it and mention this and that from the trip as I go? Bleh.
It's a relatively nice day today, weather-wise, and E2 and I spent some time outside (I told her she needed to frolick because she was getting more squirrely by the minute - and frolick she did) this afternoon before she hauled Rob off for a 4-wheeler ride at Grandpa Bob's.
I think part of my glumness (aside from being ready for winter to be OVER) is that I still have a cough lingering around. See, here's a perfect opportunity to share something from our trip: we were all sick. It wasn't bad, really, although I did finally call my dr to get some antibiotics - no easy feat with a four-hour time difference. Head colds, fevers, coughing up lung tissue...it just doesn't seem as bad when you're in paradise. Heh. Really though, it wasn't that bad. Inconvenient, yes, what with the continuous buying of cold meds, fever reducer, and tissues. Annoying, yes, with the constant need for tissues from my clan (no how many I stashed in my bag, it was never enough), and the coughing, coughing, coughing. It's a wonder the islanders didn't ship us off to Kalaupapa.
Anyway, I'm still coughing (most of us are) and it's a drag. And, I still miss Hawaii.
Waimea Canyon, Kauai
NaPali Coast, Kauai
Menehune Fish Pond, Kauai
My Sister-in-Law Janet, enjoying a Big Ass Draft at Tradewinds , Kauai
It's a relatively nice day today, weather-wise, and E2 and I spent some time outside (I told her she needed to frolick because she was getting more squirrely by the minute - and frolick she did) this afternoon before she hauled Rob off for a 4-wheeler ride at Grandpa Bob's.
I think part of my glumness (aside from being ready for winter to be OVER) is that I still have a cough lingering around. See, here's a perfect opportunity to share something from our trip: we were all sick. It wasn't bad, really, although I did finally call my dr to get some antibiotics - no easy feat with a four-hour time difference. Head colds, fevers, coughing up lung tissue...it just doesn't seem as bad when you're in paradise. Heh. Really though, it wasn't that bad. Inconvenient, yes, what with the continuous buying of cold meds, fever reducer, and tissues. Annoying, yes, with the constant need for tissues from my clan (no how many I stashed in my bag, it was never enough), and the coughing, coughing, coughing. It's a wonder the islanders didn't ship us off to Kalaupapa.
Anyway, I'm still coughing (most of us are) and it's a drag. And, I still miss Hawaii.
Waimea Canyon, Kauai
NaPali Coast, KauaiMenehune Fish Pond, Kauai
My Sister-in-Law Janet, enjoying a Big Ass Draft at Tradewinds , KauaiMonday, February 05, 2007
E To The 1 = 9th Birthday Fun
We interrupt the vacation stuff to celebrate E1's 9th Birthday. Her family shindig was on Saturday, and tonight we'll be celebrating...ahem, we celebrated over burgers, fries, and leftover ice cream cake!
I posted this on a message board in December ’98 in response to someone asking what to expect with a c-section because she had just learned that she'd be having one the following week. I cleaned it up somewhat to protect the innocent, also because there were lots of LOL's and I referred to Rob as Dh throughout (because I was all cool with abbreviations and stuff), and because it was a very choppy account of events. It's still a bit choppy, really, and has mistakes, but that's how it's staying. HARUMPH!
E1's Birth Story:
This is the nutshell version of what I experienced. My section was due to E1 being breech and my BP was up - I delivered 3 weeks early.I went to my regular appt on Jan 26th or thereabouts, and figured it would be quick as usual…although, I did have some swelling in my left ankle that weekend to report.
My blood pressure was up. Dr M felt my belly – baby was still breech. He had been keeping an eye on baby’s position and had decided there was too much amniotic fluid to do a version – he couldn’t get a grip on baby’s head. He had the nurse check my BP again – sometimes it can be high if you’re rushing to the appt, etc. Still high. Things were not looking good – he wanted to send me over to the hospital for a Non-Stress Test.
“Have you been resting as much as possible?” he asked.
“Well,” I said, “I pretty much just go to and from work. When I’m at work I can sit as much as I want and get up whenever.”
“You just saw your last day of work.”
BUT, BUT, BUT…I still had 3 weeks of things to get into place for my maternity leave! He agreed to make his final decision after the NST, but even then I would only be allowed to go to work for one day – in and out as quickly as I could, and TAKE IT EASY!
Then he dropped me with, “Worst case scenario, we may need to do a c-section tomorrow.” WHAT???????
I was stunned. I walked out the medical building and started to cross the street to the hospital, but then I stopped and walked back through the building to the parking lot. I called Rob from the car and told him that I'd been sent to the hospital for some tests and that Dr M said we might be having the baby the next day. It was a tearful phone call, because it was starting to hit me and I was scared, but he said he was on his way over and would find me at the hospital. I went back up to the Dr office because I forgot to get some papers at the desk on my way out, and then I headed over to the hospital.
The Dr's office told me to go straight to the LD floor – didn’t need to stop at admitting. Once at LD, I was told I should have stopped at admitting. Over the years, I’ve found this is a very common occurrence! The nurse that would be doing my NST spoted me in the hall and called me down –she told the nurse at the desk she would call down and take care of things with admitting. I think she could see the fear on my face; she was very calm and reassuring. The Non-stress test results were okay. BP was MUCH better when I was lying down. Rob made it to the hospital and hung out with me for the rest of the test. He had called both our parents on his way over.
On departure, I was assigned a 24-hour urine specimen – which means I had to collect my urine in a jug for 24 hours, keep it refrigerated, and bring it in to the lab. I also got permission for the one day, quick-as-possible, visit to work.
I called my boss at home, and filled him in. He was a super great guy, who had recently become a dad, so he was very understanding. Because of the urine collection I'd been assigned, I decided to stay home the next day, and go in to work the following day. On that day, Rob called regularly to check on me at work and even had the receptionist hounding me to get out of there.
We sent out a mass e-mail to family and a few friends so they would all know what’s up.
Friday, I had a biophysical profile done in the Dr's office to check and see if baby was cooked enough. My BP was still up, so I went for another NST. The c-section was tentatively scheduled for the following Thursday, and an amniocentesis was scheduled for Wednesday to check the development of baby’s lungs.
After a weekend filled with getting things in order, Wednesday rolled around. The amnio went okay – Dr M would call with the results later that evening. My next stop was up to L&D to have another NST to make sure the amnio didn’t send me into labor. Chris – the nurse from the first NST was there again, and told me that if the c-section was a go the next day she’d be one of the nurses in the room!
While there, I had some blood drawn …pre-lab work for surgery, including a rhogam test to check for antibodies since they pierced the amniotic sac. They send me down to x-ray to have some pre-surgery x-rays done…my lungs, I think. We had to wait for the rhogam blood work, so we left to find some lunch. When we returned, I got a rhogam shot, and we were done. We had no idea going in that morning that it would be an almost all-day affair. Rob had to go into work to take care of some things, so he went to work and I went home.
Dr M called that night. Baby’s lungs were mature; c-section would happen as scheduled at 7am the next morning. I got all the 'don’t eat and drink' instructions. As I was packing my hospital bag that night I commented that I'd be glad to get the waterproof pad off the bed because it was causing me to sweat at night. Rob suggested we throw caution to the wind and just take it off - woo!
Rob's sister Christine moved in to dog-sit.
The next morning I checked in at 5am. Then it was undress and put gown on... Wait... IV in place... Wait... Catheter in and tummy shaved... Wait... My stomach was growling – I had been fasting since 7pm the night before.
Next was a wheelchair ride down to the OR - and a dandy hairnet before entering (it was a very cold and breezy trip!). The anestesiologist introduced herself and asked if this was my first C-birth. YES - She assured me she would explain everything that was happening (and she did).
I hopped up on the OR table and took my arms out of the gown for BP cuff, heart monitor, etc. Everything was ready for the insertion of the spinal block...BUT where was the doc? DOC WAS 20 MINUTES LATE!!!!! Good thing I think he's awesome.
Chris tucked my head under her armpit telling me to 'think poor posture' while they worked on the spinal. This was high on the creep factor scale - I think it took them a few tries - I felt a ZING!!! down one leg or the other a few times and they wanted to know about it, but they didn’t want me to move, and THAT was difficult. Therefore, it was very helpful to have my head in that nurse's armpit :o) If I had known, I could have practiced that position at home - Sit on the floor and basically hunch forward like you're trying to get your head between your knees and then concentrate on relaxing. I just took deep breaths and tried to stay relaxed all the while thinking 'once this part is over there will be no pain until it wears off'. Dr M walked in (finally!) and took the nurse's ‘armpit’ position with me and talked gently telling me to relax, etc. Nurse Chris took a 'Mom' tone with Dr M and was calling him by his first name - heh!
Once the spinal was done I laid back and they tied my arms down. Barbaric - YES - but apparently, some women feel the need to 'help out'. Sometime around there, Rob was let in wearing a lovely paper ensemble and they gave him a stool by my left shoulder. I remember telling him that I was able to focus on his face – I had been trying to focus on some rivets in the ceiling, but the room kept spinning.The numbing of the spinal made me feel nice and toasty warm, but I couldn’t feel myself breathing. They had Rob hold his hand over my mouth and nose so that my breath would hit my face - which helped a lot. From what I’ve learned since, I think I may have been overmedicated with the spinal – I was numb up to my NOSE!
The assisting doc came in and introduced himself. They put a paper curtain up so Rob and I wouldn't see anything. Dr M decided to do one last u/s to check baby’s position. I remember thinking that I was going to pitch a fit if they decided that she had turned and we didn’t need the section, lol. I guess they wanted to know what to expect when they got in there.
More waiting, they spread iodine on my belly (but I couldn't feel it), and then surgery began. Since I couldn’t feel anything it seemed like nothing was happening. Rob did look at one point, and said, “You won’t believe the tools they use for this!” Later he told me it reminded him of pig slaughters he’d seen on his grandfather’s farm. LOL
"Look Robert, I have feet!" (Rob said Dr M was wiggling E1's feet back and forth while her body was still inside) "It's definitely a girl!" from the doc. (YES - my doc is a cut up!). Then they pulled her out and Rob said, "she has lots of dark hair!" He was expecting her hair to be blonde (the tech had seen hair on the u/s).
I went in to surgery at 7am (doc was 20 min late) E1 was born at 8:03am. The nurse took her over to the warming table and, once she checked out okay, they wrapped her up and brought her to us. She was crying, but stopped as soon as we started talking to her – VERY COOL! Then Rob went with E1 and the nurse to the nursery while they stitched and stapled me back together.
Once they were done, I had to stay there an hour while they monitored my vitals and repeatedly asked if I could move my toes. I had LOTS of CHILLS and they gave me some warm blankets. I was VERY tired and tried dozing, but they kept interrupting with questions. Then they 'cleaned me up' down there. One nurse informed me that my Dr is REALLY good about ‘cleaning you out’ and I probably wouldn’t have discharge for very long. Um, great...thanks.
Eventually they wheeled me to the nursery and brought E1 out for a short visit, before continuing on to my room (about 11am). They kept E1 in the nursery until about noon or 12:30, I think.
I had a morphine drip with the button I could press to get more- but it rations how much you get. I would say the first 2 - 3 hours I was back in my room were the worst because the incision hurt. At one point I asked for an ice pack because the incision area felt hot. The nurse told me it wouldn’t help. Once E1 was brought in and Rob put her in bed by me the pain didn't seem so bad. :o) After that, things get fuzzy - the morphine affects you more than you realize at the time! Oh, and I was HUNGRY again!
The nurse asked if I was ready to try nursing, but I was just too out of it, and didn’t feel up to it. So, Rob got to feed her formula until the next morning. I’m not sure, but I think I insisted on him feeding her since I would be doing it once I was breastfeeding – thus, he wouldn’t have a chance again for a while. However, he was quick to share that task with his parents when they arrived later and I remember feeling resentful. Looking back, I guess the nurses may have given her formula while in the nursery as well…I’m not sure. Luckily, she had no problem latching on the next morning.
My catheter, BP monitor, and IV came out the next am - although they left the IV stump there in case they would need to start one again for any reason. My incision dressing was removed and I was helped up and to the shower. Wicked chills here too. I didn't sit in the shower even though there was a place to sit - mine had a hand-held showerhead, so I just leaned on the rail and moved the showerhead where it needed to go. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get back up if I sat! This whole process was very long and drawn out - I moved very slowly and had a lot of assistance from a nurse. Once I had my hair dried and I was back in bed I felt 80% better though - being clean was nice. I was exhausted.
They wanted me to keep turning - not stay in the same position for more than an hour or so. This was a bit painful, so I tried to time it in conjunction with the pain meds, and adjust the bed as needed, and use those bedrails. It also helped to have Rob arrange support pillows, etc. – except the one time he gave me a BIG PUSH - OUCH!
I brought two pillows from home - the hospital's are crummy. My cousin, recently having had her own c-section advised me to bring slippers with no back...so I wouldn't have to bend down to get my foot in it.
Getting the gas out was a BIG issue for those nurses. They would not let me eat solid foods until I had had a bowel movement – no soft foods until I passed gas. I was SO HUNGRY and they would only give me liquids – including coffee with every meal. BLECH! Walking was supposed to help with the gas, so I walked as much as I could. I was also given stool softeners. They finally gave me soft foods my last day there (I begged!) after trying to convince me to have an enema. I was convinced one nurse in particular was stalking me with that enema box. Later, when relating the enema part to my parents, I told them my response was “Isn’t there something else I can do?” Rob QUICKLY corrected me and said, “Oh no, you said, ‘GOOD GOD! Isn’t there something else I can do?!’” I realized he was right and laughing about it was very painful! They gave in on the meal issue, allowing me some scrambled eggs, because once I was home I would be eating whatever I wanted to anyway. I didn't have a bowel movement until a week after E1 was born.
I KNOW I don't remember the discomfort as clearly as it was. One thing that I experienced - and I've only heard of the same thing from one of my friends who had a vaginal birth - was flashbacks. When I would try to relax and fall asleep - no matter what I was thinking about - my mind would always wander back to the whole c-section process and would focus on the painful things. It was pretty vivid too. That lasted about 3months...I even told Rob that I thought I was experiencing PostTraumatic Stress. Months later, if I concentrated I could still give myself a chill.
E1 was born on a Thursday, and by Saturday night, DH was stir-crazy in our hospital room. He’d spent every night at the hospital – at my request – and had only been home for a short time one day. The nurses kept trying to go over education stuff with us, and visitors would arrive and interrupt us. Rob kept asking the nurses to come back later and I was feeling peeved, because they were just trying to do their job and give us an opportunity to ask questions. In hindsight, I think I was also feeling a little ‘un-bonded’ with E1 and there he was being SUPERDAD. I didn’t change a single diaper in the hospital – Rob changed them all. He kept very detailed notes for the nurses regarding the diaper changes, feedings, and cord care. He would go and ask them any questions I had, buy them sodas and chat. He was GREAT! Unfortunately, I was starting to hate him for it!
On Saturday night, my parents were there and Rob left to get some dinner. I told them that he was “getting on my nerves”!
The second day we were home, I confessed to Rob about the getting on my nerves comment. I wanted him to hear it from me, and not as a passing comment from my parents. I bawled my eyes out while telling him because I felt sooo bad. I think I was a BIT hormonal. He was very understanding, but it was months before he could tease me about it without me bursting into tears.
E1 - four days old
I posted this on a message board in December ’98 in response to someone asking what to expect with a c-section because she had just learned that she'd be having one the following week. I cleaned it up somewhat to protect the innocent, also because there were lots of LOL's and I referred to Rob as Dh throughout (because I was all cool with abbreviations and stuff), and because it was a very choppy account of events. It's still a bit choppy, really, and has mistakes, but that's how it's staying. HARUMPH!
E1's Birth Story:
This is the nutshell version of what I experienced. My section was due to E1 being breech and my BP was up - I delivered 3 weeks early.I went to my regular appt on Jan 26th or thereabouts, and figured it would be quick as usual…although, I did have some swelling in my left ankle that weekend to report.
My blood pressure was up. Dr M felt my belly – baby was still breech. He had been keeping an eye on baby’s position and had decided there was too much amniotic fluid to do a version – he couldn’t get a grip on baby’s head. He had the nurse check my BP again – sometimes it can be high if you’re rushing to the appt, etc. Still high. Things were not looking good – he wanted to send me over to the hospital for a Non-Stress Test.
“Have you been resting as much as possible?” he asked.
“Well,” I said, “I pretty much just go to and from work. When I’m at work I can sit as much as I want and get up whenever.”
“You just saw your last day of work.”
BUT, BUT, BUT…I still had 3 weeks of things to get into place for my maternity leave! He agreed to make his final decision after the NST, but even then I would only be allowed to go to work for one day – in and out as quickly as I could, and TAKE IT EASY!
Then he dropped me with, “Worst case scenario, we may need to do a c-section tomorrow.” WHAT???????
I was stunned. I walked out the medical building and started to cross the street to the hospital, but then I stopped and walked back through the building to the parking lot. I called Rob from the car and told him that I'd been sent to the hospital for some tests and that Dr M said we might be having the baby the next day. It was a tearful phone call, because it was starting to hit me and I was scared, but he said he was on his way over and would find me at the hospital. I went back up to the Dr office because I forgot to get some papers at the desk on my way out, and then I headed over to the hospital.
The Dr's office told me to go straight to the LD floor – didn’t need to stop at admitting. Once at LD, I was told I should have stopped at admitting. Over the years, I’ve found this is a very common occurrence! The nurse that would be doing my NST spoted me in the hall and called me down –she told the nurse at the desk she would call down and take care of things with admitting. I think she could see the fear on my face; she was very calm and reassuring. The Non-stress test results were okay. BP was MUCH better when I was lying down. Rob made it to the hospital and hung out with me for the rest of the test. He had called both our parents on his way over.
On departure, I was assigned a 24-hour urine specimen – which means I had to collect my urine in a jug for 24 hours, keep it refrigerated, and bring it in to the lab. I also got permission for the one day, quick-as-possible, visit to work.
I called my boss at home, and filled him in. He was a super great guy, who had recently become a dad, so he was very understanding. Because of the urine collection I'd been assigned, I decided to stay home the next day, and go in to work the following day. On that day, Rob called regularly to check on me at work and even had the receptionist hounding me to get out of there.
We sent out a mass e-mail to family and a few friends so they would all know what’s up.
Friday, I had a biophysical profile done in the Dr's office to check and see if baby was cooked enough. My BP was still up, so I went for another NST. The c-section was tentatively scheduled for the following Thursday, and an amniocentesis was scheduled for Wednesday to check the development of baby’s lungs.
After a weekend filled with getting things in order, Wednesday rolled around. The amnio went okay – Dr M would call with the results later that evening. My next stop was up to L&D to have another NST to make sure the amnio didn’t send me into labor. Chris – the nurse from the first NST was there again, and told me that if the c-section was a go the next day she’d be one of the nurses in the room!
While there, I had some blood drawn …pre-lab work for surgery, including a rhogam test to check for antibodies since they pierced the amniotic sac. They send me down to x-ray to have some pre-surgery x-rays done…my lungs, I think. We had to wait for the rhogam blood work, so we left to find some lunch. When we returned, I got a rhogam shot, and we were done. We had no idea going in that morning that it would be an almost all-day affair. Rob had to go into work to take care of some things, so he went to work and I went home.
Dr M called that night. Baby’s lungs were mature; c-section would happen as scheduled at 7am the next morning. I got all the 'don’t eat and drink' instructions. As I was packing my hospital bag that night I commented that I'd be glad to get the waterproof pad off the bed because it was causing me to sweat at night. Rob suggested we throw caution to the wind and just take it off - woo!
Rob's sister Christine moved in to dog-sit.
The next morning I checked in at 5am. Then it was undress and put gown on... Wait... IV in place... Wait... Catheter in and tummy shaved... Wait... My stomach was growling – I had been fasting since 7pm the night before.
Next was a wheelchair ride down to the OR - and a dandy hairnet before entering (it was a very cold and breezy trip!). The anestesiologist introduced herself and asked if this was my first C-birth. YES - She assured me she would explain everything that was happening (and she did).
I hopped up on the OR table and took my arms out of the gown for BP cuff, heart monitor, etc. Everything was ready for the insertion of the spinal block...BUT where was the doc? DOC WAS 20 MINUTES LATE!!!!! Good thing I think he's awesome.
Chris tucked my head under her armpit telling me to 'think poor posture' while they worked on the spinal. This was high on the creep factor scale - I think it took them a few tries - I felt a ZING!!! down one leg or the other a few times and they wanted to know about it, but they didn’t want me to move, and THAT was difficult. Therefore, it was very helpful to have my head in that nurse's armpit :o) If I had known, I could have practiced that position at home - Sit on the floor and basically hunch forward like you're trying to get your head between your knees and then concentrate on relaxing. I just took deep breaths and tried to stay relaxed all the while thinking 'once this part is over there will be no pain until it wears off'. Dr M walked in (finally!) and took the nurse's ‘armpit’ position with me and talked gently telling me to relax, etc. Nurse Chris took a 'Mom' tone with Dr M and was calling him by his first name - heh!
Once the spinal was done I laid back and they tied my arms down. Barbaric - YES - but apparently, some women feel the need to 'help out'. Sometime around there, Rob was let in wearing a lovely paper ensemble and they gave him a stool by my left shoulder. I remember telling him that I was able to focus on his face – I had been trying to focus on some rivets in the ceiling, but the room kept spinning.The numbing of the spinal made me feel nice and toasty warm, but I couldn’t feel myself breathing. They had Rob hold his hand over my mouth and nose so that my breath would hit my face - which helped a lot. From what I’ve learned since, I think I may have been overmedicated with the spinal – I was numb up to my NOSE!
The assisting doc came in and introduced himself. They put a paper curtain up so Rob and I wouldn't see anything. Dr M decided to do one last u/s to check baby’s position. I remember thinking that I was going to pitch a fit if they decided that she had turned and we didn’t need the section, lol. I guess they wanted to know what to expect when they got in there.
More waiting, they spread iodine on my belly (but I couldn't feel it), and then surgery began. Since I couldn’t feel anything it seemed like nothing was happening. Rob did look at one point, and said, “You won’t believe the tools they use for this!” Later he told me it reminded him of pig slaughters he’d seen on his grandfather’s farm. LOL
"Look Robert, I have feet!" (Rob said Dr M was wiggling E1's feet back and forth while her body was still inside) "It's definitely a girl!" from the doc. (YES - my doc is a cut up!). Then they pulled her out and Rob said, "she has lots of dark hair!" He was expecting her hair to be blonde (the tech had seen hair on the u/s).
I went in to surgery at 7am (doc was 20 min late) E1 was born at 8:03am. The nurse took her over to the warming table and, once she checked out okay, they wrapped her up and brought her to us. She was crying, but stopped as soon as we started talking to her – VERY COOL! Then Rob went with E1 and the nurse to the nursery while they stitched and stapled me back together.
Once they were done, I had to stay there an hour while they monitored my vitals and repeatedly asked if I could move my toes. I had LOTS of CHILLS and they gave me some warm blankets. I was VERY tired and tried dozing, but they kept interrupting with questions. Then they 'cleaned me up' down there. One nurse informed me that my Dr is REALLY good about ‘cleaning you out’ and I probably wouldn’t have discharge for very long. Um, great...thanks.
Eventually they wheeled me to the nursery and brought E1 out for a short visit, before continuing on to my room (about 11am). They kept E1 in the nursery until about noon or 12:30, I think.
I had a morphine drip with the button I could press to get more- but it rations how much you get. I would say the first 2 - 3 hours I was back in my room were the worst because the incision hurt. At one point I asked for an ice pack because the incision area felt hot. The nurse told me it wouldn’t help. Once E1 was brought in and Rob put her in bed by me the pain didn't seem so bad. :o) After that, things get fuzzy - the morphine affects you more than you realize at the time! Oh, and I was HUNGRY again!
The nurse asked if I was ready to try nursing, but I was just too out of it, and didn’t feel up to it. So, Rob got to feed her formula until the next morning. I’m not sure, but I think I insisted on him feeding her since I would be doing it once I was breastfeeding – thus, he wouldn’t have a chance again for a while. However, he was quick to share that task with his parents when they arrived later and I remember feeling resentful. Looking back, I guess the nurses may have given her formula while in the nursery as well…I’m not sure. Luckily, she had no problem latching on the next morning.
My catheter, BP monitor, and IV came out the next am - although they left the IV stump there in case they would need to start one again for any reason. My incision dressing was removed and I was helped up and to the shower. Wicked chills here too. I didn't sit in the shower even though there was a place to sit - mine had a hand-held showerhead, so I just leaned on the rail and moved the showerhead where it needed to go. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to get back up if I sat! This whole process was very long and drawn out - I moved very slowly and had a lot of assistance from a nurse. Once I had my hair dried and I was back in bed I felt 80% better though - being clean was nice. I was exhausted.
They wanted me to keep turning - not stay in the same position for more than an hour or so. This was a bit painful, so I tried to time it in conjunction with the pain meds, and adjust the bed as needed, and use those bedrails. It also helped to have Rob arrange support pillows, etc. – except the one time he gave me a BIG PUSH - OUCH!
I brought two pillows from home - the hospital's are crummy. My cousin, recently having had her own c-section advised me to bring slippers with no back...so I wouldn't have to bend down to get my foot in it.
Getting the gas out was a BIG issue for those nurses. They would not let me eat solid foods until I had had a bowel movement – no soft foods until I passed gas. I was SO HUNGRY and they would only give me liquids – including coffee with every meal. BLECH! Walking was supposed to help with the gas, so I walked as much as I could. I was also given stool softeners. They finally gave me soft foods my last day there (I begged!) after trying to convince me to have an enema. I was convinced one nurse in particular was stalking me with that enema box. Later, when relating the enema part to my parents, I told them my response was “Isn’t there something else I can do?” Rob QUICKLY corrected me and said, “Oh no, you said, ‘GOOD GOD! Isn’t there something else I can do?!’” I realized he was right and laughing about it was very painful! They gave in on the meal issue, allowing me some scrambled eggs, because once I was home I would be eating whatever I wanted to anyway. I didn't have a bowel movement until a week after E1 was born.
I KNOW I don't remember the discomfort as clearly as it was. One thing that I experienced - and I've only heard of the same thing from one of my friends who had a vaginal birth - was flashbacks. When I would try to relax and fall asleep - no matter what I was thinking about - my mind would always wander back to the whole c-section process and would focus on the painful things. It was pretty vivid too. That lasted about 3months...I even told Rob that I thought I was experiencing PostTraumatic Stress. Months later, if I concentrated I could still give myself a chill.
E1 was born on a Thursday, and by Saturday night, DH was stir-crazy in our hospital room. He’d spent every night at the hospital – at my request – and had only been home for a short time one day. The nurses kept trying to go over education stuff with us, and visitors would arrive and interrupt us. Rob kept asking the nurses to come back later and I was feeling peeved, because they were just trying to do their job and give us an opportunity to ask questions. In hindsight, I think I was also feeling a little ‘un-bonded’ with E1 and there he was being SUPERDAD. I didn’t change a single diaper in the hospital – Rob changed them all. He kept very detailed notes for the nurses regarding the diaper changes, feedings, and cord care. He would go and ask them any questions I had, buy them sodas and chat. He was GREAT! Unfortunately, I was starting to hate him for it!
On Saturday night, my parents were there and Rob left to get some dinner. I told them that he was “getting on my nerves”!
The second day we were home, I confessed to Rob about the getting on my nerves comment. I wanted him to hear it from me, and not as a passing comment from my parents. I bawled my eyes out while telling him because I felt sooo bad. I think I was a BIT hormonal. He was very understanding, but it was months before he could tease me about it without me bursting into tears.
E1 - four days old
GRRR
I had a post about E1 - another side bar from the vacation tale - and I lost it. So, until I stop grumbling and get back on it, here are the lyrics to the song that reminds me of E1 (it's her birthday today!).
"Unwritten" by NATASHA BEDINGFIELD
I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, oh, oh
I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, yeah, yeah
"Unwritten" by NATASHA BEDINGFIELD
I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, oh, oh
I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
Oh, yeah, yeah
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Sandbar...I mean Side Bar
There's a new travel blog called Lucky Charms listed in my links. It's our friend Captain Dave, from our sailing adventure this summer. He's quit his engineering job and is following his nose to whatever saltwater it leads.
Also, I've almost never had keyword searches show up in my stats. Recently though, I've had a few searches for my brother-in-law Eric. I find that amusing and curious. If you know Eric please feel free to give me a shout!
Also, I've almost never had keyword searches show up in my stats. Recently though, I've had a few searches for my brother-in-law Eric. I find that amusing and curious. If you know Eric please feel free to give me a shout!
You Can Throw Your Luggage Down...
We left for our Hawaiian Extravaganza in the wee hours of January 16th. It was 19 degrees. Nineteen. We left the house five minutes ahead of our planned departure time after having a breakfast of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
The drive to the airport was uneventful, and then we froze while unloading the van in the nineteen degree windy weather. The girls and I shuffled into the airport while Rob took the van to long-term parking, and as we waited a security officer stopped to chat. He wondered where our warm coats were - didn't we know it was cold outside? We were all wearing two layers, plus the light jacket we were bringing on the trip - not exactly suitable for winter in the Midwest. I shared our destination, and our desire to not drag winter coats with us. He understood, and was jealous.
Rob returned and we made our way to check-in, only to discover that our flight to Cincinnati was an hour behind schedule. We had two other options and chose a flight to Atlanta that was leaving at the time our flight was scheduled. We had to fly East first because you can't get to Hawaii from St Louis - you have to go somewhere else first.
The flight was under two hours and a good warm-up for the girls. It went off without a hitch; they all deemed flying 'fun' and E3 slept a good portion of the flight.
Atlanta's airport had a few kid-friendly areas sprinkled throughout, which made the time between flights a little less boring.
It wasn't long before we boarded the flight for Honolulu. Nine plus hours is a long time to be on a flight. Not the longest flight ever, or anything, but long, long, LONG.
E3 was bored much of the time. The things I brought to keep her occupied were mostly a waste of my carry-on space. She did watch a movie on the dvd player for a while, but mostly she just wanted to eat and use the restroom. Thankfully, she succumbed to an almost two-hour nap after I created a 'nest' for her on the seat between Rob and I. She slept most of that time with her head on my leg and her feet resting against Rob's shoulder.
As the flight droned on, E1's nose was becoming increasingly runny. By the time we arrived in Hawaii (a LONG time later) we'd exhausted my supply of tissues, and the tissues from the restrooms, and had moved on to toilet paper. As we waited near the baggage carousel for Rob to grab our luggage, she once again turned to me with her hand cupped over her nose and asked, "Mom, do you have a tissue?" Why, in the name of all things holy she hadn't started keeping her OWN supply of tp for this purpose was beyond me and I was tired and fed-up, and feeling a bit stuffy myself. So, I instructed to wipe her nose on her sleeve. Classy.
BUT! We were about to find a restroom to shed our long-sleeved shirts, so I figured she may as well use it. After about the tenth wipe, I finally gave up and deposited E3 and our carry-on pile by Rob and took the older two girls to the restroom where we stripped off the long layer, washed our snotty hands, and stocked up on more tp (I had wet wipes on the flight so we weren't spreading THAT many germs).
We loaded up the luggage cart and hauled all of our stuff to Hawaiian airlines where we re-checked the luggage (for some reason they didn't check it straight through to Lihue), re-entered security, and found our gate. We ate ice cream, and called Christine to report our progress...and asked them how to get to Wal-Mart because we forgot car seats, and needed tissues and cold medicine. Christine and Rob's parents generously made the trip to Wal-Mart for us, before meeting us at the airport in Lihue. The flight to Lihue was a mere 20 minutes, then we grabbed the luggage, and adjusted car seat straps while we waited for Rob to hunt and gather the rental car. Eventually he arrived, we loaded things up, and we set off behind our fearless leaders to go to the rental house. It was around 7pm Hawaii time - 11pm for our body clocks.
The drive to the airport was uneventful, and then we froze while unloading the van in the nineteen degree windy weather. The girls and I shuffled into the airport while Rob took the van to long-term parking, and as we waited a security officer stopped to chat. He wondered where our warm coats were - didn't we know it was cold outside? We were all wearing two layers, plus the light jacket we were bringing on the trip - not exactly suitable for winter in the Midwest. I shared our destination, and our desire to not drag winter coats with us. He understood, and was jealous.
Rob returned and we made our way to check-in, only to discover that our flight to Cincinnati was an hour behind schedule. We had two other options and chose a flight to Atlanta that was leaving at the time our flight was scheduled. We had to fly East first because you can't get to Hawaii from St Louis - you have to go somewhere else first.
The flight was under two hours and a good warm-up for the girls. It went off without a hitch; they all deemed flying 'fun' and E3 slept a good portion of the flight.
Atlanta's airport had a few kid-friendly areas sprinkled throughout, which made the time between flights a little less boring.
It wasn't long before we boarded the flight for Honolulu. Nine plus hours is a long time to be on a flight. Not the longest flight ever, or anything, but long, long, LONG.
E3 was bored much of the time. The things I brought to keep her occupied were mostly a waste of my carry-on space. She did watch a movie on the dvd player for a while, but mostly she just wanted to eat and use the restroom. Thankfully, she succumbed to an almost two-hour nap after I created a 'nest' for her on the seat between Rob and I. She slept most of that time with her head on my leg and her feet resting against Rob's shoulder.
As the flight droned on, E1's nose was becoming increasingly runny. By the time we arrived in Hawaii (a LONG time later) we'd exhausted my supply of tissues, and the tissues from the restrooms, and had moved on to toilet paper. As we waited near the baggage carousel for Rob to grab our luggage, she once again turned to me with her hand cupped over her nose and asked, "Mom, do you have a tissue?" Why, in the name of all things holy she hadn't started keeping her OWN supply of tp for this purpose was beyond me and I was tired and fed-up, and feeling a bit stuffy myself. So, I instructed to wipe her nose on her sleeve. Classy.
BUT! We were about to find a restroom to shed our long-sleeved shirts, so I figured she may as well use it. After about the tenth wipe, I finally gave up and deposited E3 and our carry-on pile by Rob and took the older two girls to the restroom where we stripped off the long layer, washed our snotty hands, and stocked up on more tp (I had wet wipes on the flight so we weren't spreading THAT many germs).
We loaded up the luggage cart and hauled all of our stuff to Hawaiian airlines where we re-checked the luggage (for some reason they didn't check it straight through to Lihue), re-entered security, and found our gate. We ate ice cream, and called Christine to report our progress...and asked them how to get to Wal-Mart because we forgot car seats, and needed tissues and cold medicine. Christine and Rob's parents generously made the trip to Wal-Mart for us, before meeting us at the airport in Lihue. The flight to Lihue was a mere 20 minutes, then we grabbed the luggage, and adjusted car seat straps while we waited for Rob to hunt and gather the rental car. Eventually he arrived, we loaded things up, and we set off behind our fearless leaders to go to the rental house. It was around 7pm Hawaii time - 11pm for our body clocks.
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