A day at the bird pond

Today we braved the hot Reno weather and went to Virginia Lake, just a few blocks away from my mom's house. Bailey had a great time feeding the birds, which included a very few ducks, lots of geese, even more pigeons, and a variety of other little birds.

Avery wanted me to put her down so she could crawl after the birds, but, I just didn't want her to get that dirty!
This picture doesn't do these birds justice- they were huge! They were as big as Bailey.


When she realized there would be no crawling in the dirt, she tried to get me to let her pet a bird. Poor Avery.
Bailey ate just about as much bread as she fed the ducks.


We tried to play on the playground out there, but it was just too hot. I wondered why the playground was so empty. So we decided to take a walk around the lake, but there was not enough shade and we were sweltering. We took a seat on a bench to watch the birds and after a minute there is a big splat right in front of me. I looked up, and we were sitting directly under some birds. We had missed being pooped on by inches! After that, we just called it a day and headed back home for a drink and air conditioning.

The worst airport experience ever

On Monday, we flew from Salt Lake City to Reno and we were lucky to make it. My first mistake was to underestimate the amount of time it took to get the airport. We got there really, really late- only 45 min. before our flight. I had also assumed the the SLC airport would be just like the Columbus airport. I had forgotten the SLC airport is always busy, so when I walked inside and saw the long line at the check in counter, I almost cried. On top of that, I had luggage and carseats on a smartcart, Avery in the sling, two carry-ons over my should and a screaming Bailey who wanted to hold my hand. Unfortunately, one of my hands was pushing the cart while the other was keeping the carseat from toppling off. I got in the long line, despairing, and I felt like everyone in the whole airport was staring at me. Bailey was out of control. While she screamed at the top of her lungs, she was also hitting, scratching and biting me. I didn't know what to do! I was practically in tears.

I finally grabbed an airport employee and told her of my dilemma. At this point, it was 3:50 at our flight was at 4:20. She told me there was no way we were making it. And then she said I could try to get SkyCab and maybe, just maybe, we could get there on time. Of course, he was already helping someone else. He soon helped me, even though I didn't have any cash, and we ran off to security.

I was prepared for security. I didn't go through the long family line, didn't have any liquids, had Avery in the sling, and was wearing flip flops. I least at did something right. (In case you are wondering, Bailey is still screaming.) We made it through, and a good samaritan carried the car seat and one of our bags right to the gate. That allowed me to hold Bailey's hand and the horrible screaming ended.

The plane had already boarded, but luckily we got there in time. After twenty minutes of Avery crying, things finally settled down. They were great on the plane.

Unfortunately, I will flying back to Columbus by myself as well. I think I will get to the airport a little earlier next time.

Lagoon

Our five week long vacation is about half way over. We have been super busy. Last week I took Bailey to Lagoon with her cousins. Unfortunately, Mike was already in Portland in his storage closet and therefore couldn't come. (He thinks we waited to do all the fun stuff until after he left.) I was the pack mule, as I anticipated, but Bailey had a great time riding the rides with her cousin, Benjamin.

Bailey is definately going to miss having so many people to play with when we go home. I have a feeling she really really won't entertain herself at all.

Need I say more?

A typical night

7:00pm: Mike leaves for scouts, I put the girls in a bath.

7:30: Two clean girls leave the bath, Bailey is coloring in her room, I am putting Avery down.

7:45: Bailey tells me she has peed in her panties. Of course, I didn't put her in her training panties because she has not had an accident in weeks.

7:50: I lay Avery down, and go to deal with Bailey, who has peed all over the bathroom floor right next to the toilet. I tell her she has to clean in up. She falls in the puddle and gets covered in her own pee. Nice.

7:55: While she is in the shower, I clean up the big mess, and then clean her up.

8:05: Bailey and Avery are both in bed. Yeah. Time to relax.

8:05-8:50: Bailey gets up about four times having to go to the potty. Mike comes home and tells her no more potty, and no more getting up.

9:00: Avery wakes up. I refuse to feed her- it's only been an hour. She cries for a few minutes and goes back to sleep.

9:40: Avery wakes up again. I decide maybe she really is hungry and try to feed her.

9:45: While I am feeding Avery, Bailey is yelling in her room, "DADDY! DADDY! DADDY!" I am worried that she is going to really wake up Avery, who is almost asleep. Mike goes back and wraps up Bailey's baby.

9:50: Avery is in her crib again. Finally.

10:30: We are getting ready for bed. Bailey is still awake.

10:45: I am seriously exhausted. We turn out the lights, and Avery wakes up again.

11:00: After feeding Avery, she is back in her own bed. I think that Bailey is asleep.

1:00: Avery wakes up and kind of eats, again.

4:30: Avery wakes up and kind of eats.

5:30: Avery wakes up again. I refuse to feed her. She fuses for a few minutes and goes back to sleep. Mike has to be up in a half an hour but doesn't go back to sleep.

6:00: Mike gets up, Avery fusses a little, but I still don't get her up.

6:30: Mike leaves. Maybe now I can go back to sleep.

6:50: Bailey wakes up, I tell her it's too early and that she needs to go back to bed. She at least stays in her bed.

7:00: Avery wakes up for the day and eats. Bailey hears us up and gets up as well.

I am ready for a good night's sleep! And a vacation by myself. Maybe Mike can come if he promises to just let me sleep...

Tutu Cute

Here are a few pictures of the girls in their new favorite p.j.'s. I can never get a picture with both of them smiling...

Doesn't Avery's hair look pretty blond? This week I had someone comment about her blond hair. She has some dark spots, so I'm betting it comes in brown. We'll see when she gets more hair- hopefully soon.

Ear Conundrum

It has been a while since my last post, but I have a good reason. Our lives have been consumed with one thing for the last month- Avery and her endless ear infections.

Since the end of April, when we started letting Avery cry in out in a desperate attempt to get more sleep, she has had constant ear infections. Of course, when I realized this, I felt terrible. Here I was, letting her cry for two hours in the middle of the night, and she was in pain. I am pretty sure that I cannot do that again.

Over that last month, Avery's system has been flooded with antibiotics. She started out taking amoxicillin, which did nothing. Then, she took Omnicef, which worked for three rounds, but did nothing the fourth. She then got a shot of rocephin. And then another. All was well for a few days, but a week later she got a third rocephin shot and a round of zithromax. Despite that, a few days later, she had yet another infection and a fourth rocephin shot.

I obviously felt bad for out little baby, but this has seriously worn me out. She was up for two to three hours almost every night. I have worked hard on not being the naturally clumsy me, but the exhaustion has brought it back out. One night I set a cookbook on fire because I turned on the wrong burner. That was pretty exciting.

Avery got her tubes put in last Monday. Finally! I was hoping for instant relief, but I was not that lucky. The first night she was up for two hours. The next night, similar. However, last night, she slept for five hours straight, got up and ate, and then slept for another five hours. All I can say is hallelujah. Hopefully my cookbooks, and more importantly my children, are safe from my sleep deprived accidents.