An Attention Span Like The Life Of A Fruit Fly

I think I may have gotten 2 hours of sleep last night. I remember being at least semi-conscience until midnight then awake around 1:30 and 3, semi-conscience then out of bed at 4 when I heard a dog barking, back in bed half an hour later and tossing and turning until 6 or so. Poor Doug. HA! Who am I kidding? I wouldn't be so uncomfortable if it weren't for him.

It's Thursday so Brenna & I ventured out to the gymnastics center for an hour of play. She flitted from balance beams to trampolines to the pit of foam... Round and round the gym... I had trouble keeping up.

I paid $2.05/gal for gas today. Damn Big Corn! Yeah, I use E85 in the truck. Wish we could use it in the car. Thirty cents a gallon difference is great. And it really hasn't changed our gas mileage since we use it exclusively (the more you use it the better you do).

I think baby has turned. Lots of pressure down low. Walking is getting uncomfortable. Sitting is getting uncomfortable. Sleeping is getting uncomfortable. I'm just uncomfortable. Blech.

Update: 2:29pm

Naptime: 1pm

At 1:47pm Brenna is still awake and amusing herself by doing "This little piggy went to market" on her toes. How could I tell what it was? Because the "Wewewewe all the way home" part is clear as day.

Shortly thereafter she falls asleep. And shortly after that the lawn guys show up and begin running their machines right outside my bedroom window. Damn. I'm up, I'm up. Bastards.

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The Change is Upon Us

Yes, I'm afraid it's true; I'm relatively sure The Change has begun. My happy, nothing bothers her, sooooo laid back child has begun to (gasp) have tantrums. About nothing.

I'm sure that whatever is setting her off is not "nothing" in her mind. In fact, I'm relatively sure the fussing stems from her inability to vocalize what is wrong.

Here's one example (of half a dozen) from yesterday: I was getting ready to brush my teeth. I asked Brenna if she wanted to brush her teeth. She said, "teeth," which has always meant yes. So I fix her toothbrush. A fit of "no no no no", foot stomping and tears began. And I couldn't get it to stop. Nor could I figure out exactly what went wrong. So I let her scream- and I tried to ignore it. Not so easy with a child clinging to your leg.

So a question to all you mommys out there- what is the best way to deal with this? I don't want to "give in"; especially when I don't know what I'm "giving in" to. Should I try to distract her with another activity to make her forget what has made her upset? Do I just ignore her until she calms down? Do I even try to figure out what has set her off? (I think yesterday's episode was because she wanted my toothbrush) I need these to stop as quickly as they began. I'm not sure I can handle a little Sybil with a new baby.

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Thank You Kyle!

A big THANK YOU goes out to Kyle in Des Moines. He made my day!

I was drudging through cleaning when I noticed a box on the front steps. The side said "Babies R Us". Knowing that I didn't order anything I wondered for a minute and then realized that someone sent us a baby gift!

So, again, thank you Kyle for adding some brightness to my day! When you feel like a whale dragging itself around on a beach the thought means so much!

BTW- when I first moved to Des Moines in 1990 I lived on the same street you live on now. Sing it with me: "It's a small world, after all. It's a small, small world."

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Next Verse Same as the First

OK, so noone could connect with my "Blah" post? Please. I think I know some of you better than that.

Today feels the same. It's raining and chilly (I like the chilly part- fall is my favorite time of year). I have the desire to do something, I look at the things that need done- my Ireland scrapbook is on one corner of my desk begging to be finished, Brenna's fairy costume needs finished, I have a bunch of calls to make- and I just don't care. I think baby is sucking the life out of me. I am heading in to the last month- OK, so I have 5 weeks- and am slowing down significantly. I am beginning to feel like one of those 600+ pound people who goes on Dr. Phil whining about their weight and saying it's all genetic. I am huge.

So today I will entertain you with some videos starring Brenna. Just click on the photo stills to be taken to the video.

We'll begin with Brenna the Geek. Background: Brenna was watching "Buzz" (translation: Toy Story 1 or 2, it really doesn't matter, she loves Buzz) when Daddy decided to turn on the Super Geek Bar Computer. Brenna then wanted up. I suggested logging on to the Sesame Street website where we found this game starring Elmo. It's interactive Elmo!




Next we have a cameo by Mommy. See how truly huge I am. Ugh. It's no wonder I don't want to do anything. Brenna loves to put rubs (translation: lotion) on the baby and give her kisses.




(Third video has been removed due to technical errors. I will try it again in another post!)

sigh Now I suppose I should do something worthwhile.

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Blah

Blah. Blah. Blah. Pffftttt....

It's just one of those days.

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Sunday Morning Rambling

Toby wanted out around 6:45am and I could hear Brenna beginning to wake. So far she is still in bed but I don't expect that to last long.

It's another beautiful morning to be outside; cool, slight breeze, quiet. Well, it was quiet until a just now. Someone a block or two away has started something that sounds like a chainsaw. Or a weed whacker. It is disturbing my peaceful morning. If I lived closer I would be outside in a heartbeat telling him where he can shove it! Ahhh, it's off now.

So I am sitting here with my Irish Breakfast Tea and have just finished a sub-par blueberry muffin and am wishing for a big Irish breakfast. If I could have a castle view my morning would be perfect. Maybe that lottery ticket I bought yesterday will pan out. haha!

So... today's plans. I need to go to Home Depot for some wallpaper border to cover the existing stuff in the basement room to make it coordinate with the bedroom that will be moving down there today. I should also pick up some wire for Brenna's fairy wings that I am making for her Renaissance/Halloween costume. Then to Michael's to retrieve an item I had framed. And maybe some sparkly stuff for those wings. And then the fabric store for a special needle and whatever else will make it easier to sew through silk organza. That should be enough, right?

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Not Too Late to Switch

When Brenna was born we used a hospital that came very highly recommended by my sister. It didn't "smell", the nurses were incredible and the tour we took set our minds to ease.

When the time came I was checked in to a huge corner-room birthing suite. Sweet! Unfortunately I had to have a c-section and they then moved me to the other wing where the rooms are much smaller (and they misplaced my favorite grey yoga pants which I miss to this day).

Now, I have never understood why, if you have a c-section, you are moved to a shoebox room. It was so tiny that I couldn't have more than two visitors at a time. It sucked.

Fast forward to now: I am using the same OB group but a different doctor. He has agreed to deliver baby on a day that he is usually not scheduled to do surgery and has been urging us to use the hospital directly across the street from his office. I didn't want to because I wasn't any more impressed with them than I was with the other hospital.

Until yesterday. Yesterday they held the open house of their new wing which is almost completely for maternity. It is gorgeous! Delivery takes place on one floor and recovery is on another. The rooms are spacious with memory foam double beds (so you can cuddle with your other kids) and a table for your guests to sit and join you. There is a couch (instead of a fold-out-chair-type-thing) for hubby to sleep on, huge walk in showers, tiled bathroom floors, and most importantly for all the geeks, wireless internet in the rooms! Seriously, it's like checking in to a Fairmont!

Now I just have to switch everything from hospital A to hospital A+++. And I am hoping for the west corner room. Seriously, it is twice as big as my first apartment. Maybe 3 times as big...

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milestone

http://www.jasoncoleman.com/BlogArchives/2006/08/15_years_ago_tomorrow.html

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/05/katrina_what_the_media_missed.html

http://dolinar.com/column/politics/katrina.html



http://www.tcsdaily.com/Article.aspx?id=082406B


Need a laugh, read, Warring over the heart of the party, by Robert Scheer. Scheer is a syndicated columnists

Ben Fritz has an engaging essay about Scheer at Spinsanity.



http://politicscentral.com/2006/08/23/the_pamela_report_at_the_beach.php


I'm getting old, here's what this year's freshman class knows.

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Simple Courtesy... Or Is It?

Today after playing at the gym Brenna & I had to make a quick stop at the grocery store. As we were exiting there was an elderly lady in front of us. I was poking along behind her as we were in no hurry. Apparently the high school cheerleader behind us was in a hurry because she rushed past me to get to the first exit door where she ended up behind the elderly lady. Right before the second exit door she cut in front of the lady, causing the lady to almost crash her cart to avoid hitting her, in her rush to get out the door.

OK, that's rude, but wait, there's more.

As coincidence would have it we all parked in the same row. Cheerleader was closest to the door, then another car, myself and the elderly lady. Cheerleader wasn't fast enough so she had to wait for both the lady and me to walk behind her car before she could pull out of her parking spot. She was in such a hurry that she didn't notice that the guy who had parked between us was coming around his mini van to get his child out and almost hit him.

When I got home I did what few people would probably do. I called the school and spoke with the activities director. I told him how offended I was by her rudeness and asked him to remind his students that they represent the school- especially when they are in uniform. He was very understanding and completely in agreement and said that it would be brought up at the scrimmage tonight as a "group informative".

The activities driector has cheerleader's description and type of car. I am pretty sure he knows who she is. I hope she is dualy embarassed and learns a lesson.

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Up With the Coffee Maker

I think I have mentioned before that our coffee maker grinds beans before actually brewing the coffee. And I'm sure all you coffee drinkers out there will vouch, along with Doug, that coffee tastes better when it is freshly brewed. Me, I'm a tea drinker; I don't care.

The coffee maker has become my morning alarm. As soon as it begins grinding beans Toby, our dog, makes his way into our bedroom to be let outside. If one of us doesn't get out of bed quickly enough he begins to poke me with his paw. His claws are sharp; it's usually easier to just get out of bed when you hear him coming.

This morning Brenna was up with the coffee maker as well and ready to eat. She wanted strawberries and string cheese. Fruit & protein, no problem.

Ah, it's Thursday. Usually that would mean Nature Girl would be coming over this afternoon to play and watch Brenna but she went back to school this week so now we will head back to the gymnastics school on Thursday mornings. At least it wears down my little Energizer Bunny and she naps well.

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Morning Rambling

It is shortly before 7am and I am coming to you from our back deck. It is a lovely, though dewey, morning and the air has a slight chill to it. My laptop is sitting on Brenna's Disney Princesses placemat to keep it dry and I am sipping Irish Breakfast Tea and enjoying a bagel without someone beside me saying, "Bite, bite." It's almost as nice as showering alone.

I was awakened this morning by a totally weird pregnancy dream. I gotta say, you don't undestand weird until you have pregnancy dreams. This one included one of Doug's grandmothers, my brother and sister, two of my sister's friends from high school (at their high school ages), a very large stadium where the MN Wild were playing hockey and in another part there was a basketball game going on and people were "diving" from the higher seats to the lower. I lost Doug somewhere, had to find my way to his grandmother's house with my brother and one of my sister's friends, found my sister at a Renaissance Festival, still couldn't find Doug, got harassed by two very bad Renaissance cross dressers... It was all very surreal. And vivid.

There are lots of people walking their dogs this morning. One lady's dog just pooped. I was actually watching to see if she cleaned it up- and she did. I really dislike people who don't clean up after their dogs. Toby would probably really enjoy a walk but I am at the waddling stage right now and can't have him pulling on the leash.

A school bus just stopped- at 7 am- am picked up the girls across the creek. YIKES! 7am! And they live in town! They must be one of the first stops on a circular route. Crap, can you imagine being on a bus for what must be an hour when you live maybe 10 minutes from the school? Egads!

Geese are flying east over my house from the lake to who-knows-where. A crane just did a fly-by of the gazebo on my deck. He was huge.

It's shortly after 7am. In a minute the coffee maker will begin grinding beans, Brenna will wake and my day will "officially" begin. The chill in the air will turn to humidity and the air conditioning will turn on.

If you made it through this rambling post I congratulate you. I don't think I've ever written so much and said so very little!

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Sliding into the Home Stretch

We are 6 weeks out from B-Day. Or should I call it C-Day? Anyway, in 6 weeks and 2 days, if all goes as correctly as it has been, Doug will probably be doing a big "Welcome" post for the new baby. Who still doesn't have a name.

I actually asked him yesterday what he thought of Avery. His response? "You mean like the labels?" Yeah, I guess that's out.

Nothing exciting at the OB today. I gained 3 pounds, my belly is measuring "right on target" for 33 weeks and baby's heart rate is 145. Blah.

I have finished the front of baby's quilt. There are things I wish I had positioned differently and I actually went to the fabric store to repurchase all the fabric and begin again. Unfortunately the fabric I wanted wasn't available; in the case of the chenille it doesn't exist. sigh I am extremely picky, everyone else who has seen the quilt top really likes it. So it is off to my mom who is going to do the quilting and some work with her serger while I begin the dust ruffle and the cover for the changing table.

There is still so much to be done. This coming weekend I want to get all the "spare room" stuff moved out of what will be baby's room which will require the help of male relatives as our gym equipment needs moved to make way for the bed. It's a big standing gym; it won't be an easy job. Bribery may be required.

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Got The Time?

Brenna does.



As of today she has a new clock in her room- specially made just for her by Mommy.

As those of you who check in regularly know, my sister, SILs and I venture out once a month for a marathon scrapbooking session at Archivers. Six hours of scrapbooking; including dinner, special products, demos and prize drawings. It is really the only time I can get anything done and it is nice to get out.

Archivers also has classes focusing on new trends, holidays and other goodies. Today's class was the clock. This class was different from others in that everyone wasn't making exactly the same thing. We had to bring our own pictures, paper, accessories... whatever we wanted on the clock. Since I couldn't figure out what I wanted on a clock I decided to make a clock for Brenna's room to go with her fairy motif.

I used a couple of Wallies that I had purchased on clearance and decorated them with assorted colors of Stickles for extra umph. I added a cute fairy quote, ribbon, flowers on the hands and more Stickles on the numbers.

Lovely, isn't it?

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Another Early Morning

Ugh. We had a storm roll through early this morning. A storm which I probably would have slept through had it not been for two things: my dog and my uterus.

Toby wears a radio collar for his instant fence. Unlike an invisible fence, which is a buried wire, the instant fence is a radio signal sent out from a central unit. Much less expensive and mobile, not to mention that it just works better as the collar won't turn off as soon as he breaks the boundary (which an invisible fence does). Unfortunately, once, during a big electrical storm, his collar went off and now storms freak him out a bit. So sometime around 3:30 he came upstairs to have his collar taken off.

About that time my not-so-little in-utero-baby began to kick and punch. No matter which way I turned, how I propped the pillows or what I did she kicked and rolled and kept tempo with the thunder. Terrific. There weren't any late summer storms when I was pregnant with Brenna so I didn't know about this. My OB's nurse told me that when storms roll through the maternity wards get really busy. Hmmm, if the storms continue baby may not make it til October 4.

I had really hoped for some good, solid sleep tonight as I have lots to do today. Now I know there will be no skipping nap time. At least it's Thursday, which means Merrit's Nature Girl will be here to watch Brenna for a few hours. It's the last time before school begins. sniff, sniff I know that someone is gonna miss her.

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When Did This Happen?

Tonight as Brenna was taking a bath, removing foam numbers and letters from their netting and reciting them (and getting many correct), I looked at her and realized that she looked bigger today. Physically taller than she looked yesterday.

Which probably explains why she can open doors now.

sigh

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Our Day at the Fair

Beware! Lots of photos!

We decided to brave what we knew would be insane crowds and head to the fair today. We arrived about 10am and set about seeing the animals.

First stop: rabbits. Brenna had never seen a bunny up close before and there were some really cute ones there. She was very excited to pet one.



Next we stopped at a display of gazebos which had a wonderful place to play.





It had a slide off the back, plenty of places to climb and crawl and a gear shift. Such fun!

And then off to the animal barns. Brenna really liked the cows. She tried to crawl into this little guy's pen.


Here's the biggest bull at the fair- the "Super Bull", weighing in at 3,090 lbs. That's a lotta bull...




And the largest boar- Waldo, weighing in at 1,199 lbs. That's a big BBQ....




Here Brenna pets a little puffball baby chicken.


Brenna drives a tractor. The big ones have a passenger seat. Hmmm, they never had those when I was a kid.


Today was a great day for the fair; mid 80's with a nice breeze. But it is always fun to cool down. There are 3 sets of fountains around the fairgrounds; kids are drawn to them.


Somehow I doubt Grant Wood ever thought his "American Gothic" would be reconstructed with balloons...


For Fantastagirl: Butter Superman (ya'll know he's from the Des Moines metro, right?)


The annual butter cow:


Butter Bill Riley, "Mr. State Fair". Bill Riley has sponsored and MC'd the state fair talent show for 60 years. Wow, that's a lot of corn dogs...


Finally, around 3:30 Brenna let her exhaustion overtake her. Five hours of walking, riding, taking in the sights. I wish someone had a stroller to push me around while I slept.


Here is a view of people wandering about. It was crowded today. Lots of good people watching.


You see everything at the fair- teen girls in short skirts and heels (honestly, you can't safely walk through the cow barn in those shoes), teen boys who haven't mastered the art of wearing pants that cover their boxers (and who have to hold them up with their hands because they truly don't get how to wear them that way) and we saw lots of kids on leashes (many of them with "puppy" like Brenna's.

And lots of very bad fashion. The one that really stands out in my mind was the guy with very bad prison-type tattoos in long gym-type shorts, torn & stained wife-beater shirt and leather vest. Oh, yeah, he was stylin'. Add in the women who thought the shelf bra in their tank top provided enough support (really, honey, if you are over a "B" cup you need a bra... oh, and another thing, if your belly is bigger than your boobs I suggest a looser top) and the guys who searched their closets to find the perfect T-shirt ("Forget milk & cookies- I'll take titties and beer" or "I may be weaned but I still like boobies"). Ah, such classics. Only at the fair.

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That's Entertainment

We've had a very entertaining morning.

After a light breakfast consisting of pastry and milk (for Brenna, tea for me) we did the morning mambo with Bear and danced with the Wiggles.

Noticing the huge diggers across the creek we ventured out to the deck and enjoyed the cool breeze and watched them dig big holes and put in pipes.

Tiring of that Brenna decided to serve tea in her kitchen. Then, digging out a grass skirt and leis, she showed me how to shake the skirt.

Now we are downstairs and Brenna is watching her new favorite movie: Baby Einstein Neighborhood Animals or as she calls it "Puppy, puppy, puppy!!!" and coming in to check on me every so often. I am, alternately, blogging and watching my belly move. Baby is active today.

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Here's a cheery thought that my sister was only too happy to share with me last night.

Her husband's cousin is having a baby, due within a week of ours. We had our ultrasounds about the same time and theiy were told "It's a girl". They have painted the room pink and prepared for a girl. They had another ultrasound just the other day. And.... IT'S A BOY! Oh, my.

As far as I am aware my doctor has no plans to have another ultrasound performed. So... think we'll have a surprise, too?

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Sights from the State Fair Parade

Last night we ventured downtown to take in the sights and sounds of the State Fair Parade. Although people lined the streets there was plenty of parking and we didn't have to walk far. In fact, we walked into the air conditioned skyway system and sat there during the worst of the heat. Plenty of room, comfortable... a place for Brenna to run around when there was a break in the action.



On Brenna's back you see her puppy backpack/ leash. She likes to wear it. And to be honest, she's gotten so fast and I've gotten so slow that it has been a blessing to have.


Here is an entrant in the "Largest Boar" contest:
18 Squeeler, weighing in at 80,000 lbs.


After people began to leave (most kids can't sit through the entire parade) and it got cooler outside we moved below our skywalk post to the street. Brenna really enjoyed the bands and I thought she would have fun up close.


Here she is stomping and dancing with the Isiserettes, a local drill and drum corps. (Click the picture below for video)



OK, so the sights aren't so much of the parade. It was a parade- Shriners in their cars, politicians shaking hands, lots of tractors (Brenna would jump up and down, pointing "Tactor, tactor, tactor!"), horses and bands. Brenna was as much fun to watch as the parade itself.

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A "Fair" Forecast?

The Iowa State Fair kicks off tomorrow evening with the parade through downtown Des Moines. The state fair is one of those things that you love or hate. I don't know anyone who is indifferent to it.

I love the fair. I love the animals, the food, the people watching. For last year's fair photos click here If you slow down and just relax you can meet people from all over the world at the Iowa State Fair. They have a map in one of the buildings that you stick pushpins in to show where you are from. By the end of the fair every country is usually represented.

So, today, I was checking out the weather forecast for the next week and a half. Every day shows possibility of rain or storms with highs in the 90's. Ugh. But we will soldier through it to experience food on sticks, large pigs and the giant slide.

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Add on Another Pound

We have begun the every-two-weeks OB appointments. In the past two weeks I have gained one pound. I remember when I was pregnant with Brenna I seemed to gain a ton of weight the last trimester. With this one, not so much. I personally think that this baby is so active she is burning my calories for me. Well, that and she has a foot or something permanently pressing on my stomach- which must be what gastric bypass feels like, without the surgery.

Otherwise everything is looking good- baby's size, my blood pressure; the doctor says there is no reason for another ultra sound which is sad in a way as I have a 3D photo of Brenna and won't get one of this baby.

The cesarean section has been scheduled. Unless baby decides she just can't wait we are set for 7am Wednesday, October 4. Which means I have to be at the hospital at 5am. So I have to drag myself and Doug out of bed around 4am. It almost makes going to sleep seem unnecessary, huh?

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As I was attempting to leave the OB I had to make another appointment. At that time the line was stretching out the door. I did my best to notice who was at the end of the line and wait my turn. Which put me behind a family originally from Kenya. Unfortunately the wife spoke no English at all and her husband had a very limited command of the language. I assume the appointment was made through a translator and one was not requested at the time the appointment was made. As you can imagine this caused quite a backup at the desk, not to mention a scramble for a translator.

Now, I understand that English is a difficult language to learn. I get it. What I don't understand is: If you know you need a translator why don't you bring one with you? Obviously you use them for other aspects of your life. Why is it the responsibility of the doctor's office (or DOT or hospital) to provide one for you? If you suspect that a translator will be necessary shouldn't it be your responsibility to provide one?

Did you know that federal rules require that any medical provider receiving Medicaid or Medicare offer interpreters? I just don't understand why it is the responsibility of the medical provider, or the Federal Government, to provide this service. I just don't get it.

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In Case You Want To Know....

Until I can create pretty links and convince Doug to put them on the side of the blog (where his campaign stuff is, which is why I don't want to do it) I will just, shamelessly, admit that I have baby registries set up with Target and Babies R Us.

You would think that those places, being online and all, would have nice little buttons for you to add to webpages and such. Nope. Not that I can find. I can make pretty links in FrontPage but this isn't FrontPage now, is it? And Blogger help isn't any. Ugh. I'll have to dig out an HTML book. That's some dry reading. Until then click on the text, not the pretty pictures. (I know how some of you are drawn to the big red bulls-eye)

Update: HAHA! I did it! With Doug looking over my shoulder- but I did it! Pretty linky pictures! Click them!






Of course we don't need much, but there are a few things that will just make life easier. Besides, it's a new baby... a few new things would be nice. :)

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Is This Progress?

Tonight we were winding down and enjoying (?) Sesame Street when Brenna produced a silent and deadly odor. After checking her pants, which revealed nothing, I asked if she needed to poopy. She nodded "yes" and up to the potty we went.

We read a book, we sang some songs, we made up a song about pushing out the poopy...

Then she looked ate me, eyes wide, and said, "Uh-oh."

And farted.

We never did get any poopy but this has to be the beginning of understanding. Right?

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I can tell you what she does understand. She understands that Daddy is a pushover. Tonight he was left in charge of bedtime. I folded some laundry, tossed another load in the dryer and settled in to the elimination episode of Rockstar: Supernova (what the hell is Zayara still doing there?!?!) when I hear the tell-tale sounds of little feet on the wood floor. Sure enough Brenna came downstairs followed by daddy who said, "She is tired but doesn't want to go to bed." Uh-huh. So she hung out with me; danced and applauded with the show. And went to bed at 9. Mommy's immune to the "I don't want to sleep" whining.

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You're Sure That's A Baby In There?

Lately I'm not so convinced. She is doing her best "Alien" impression. You know the part: the alien pushes it's way out through the guy's gut... Yeah, that's what baby is trying to do. Last night she was kicking so hard that I told Doug she was going to rip her way out and wake him in the middle of the night... "Feeed Meeee"....

As it was she stirred herself around enough to give me an awful case of heartburn that no antacids would cure. (Why do they call it heartburn when it is on the other side?)

Still no name. Doug is still very partial to Eibhlinn (Ave-leen). In the traditional spelling. Yes, I am prepared for the spelling & pronunciation fallout. I will try not to be too bitchy about it.

I am restless today and it is too freakin' hot & humid to do much. I constructed the changing table for the baby's room and will do the dresser later. For some reason I want to get that room ready. I'm probably just getting anxious. We stil have to prepare the basement room to be the "spare" and do some painting. Mom & I need to make the bedding and a few other things will need pretty, decorative covers. We have two months- if baby holds out til October 4.

Wow, that's not far off.

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Seriously, What Has Crawled Up Mother Nature's A$$

Yeah, OK, I am posting about the weather. yes, my life is really that dull. After weeks of 100+ degree days we are being deluged with rain. Great, heavy downpors of rain. Not that I am complaining too much- we really needed it and it has brought the temperature down. But I have to go grocery shopping today. I avoided it yesterday due to the heat and I'm not too thrilled about going out in a downpour.

I could tell you about planning a trip to Texas to visit Doug's family in November. We haven't been to Texas since Brenna was about 5 months old. I think Doug's mom was up once since then, and so was his dad. I haven't seen his brother since that time. And, since they won't come up after the baby is born (heaven forbid they get cold) and have been asking when we are coming down, we have decided that the week of Thanksgiving will be best.

So, I have been perusing all the options, of which there are 3:

1) Rent an RV to save on hotel costs as neither of Doug's parents really have room for our entire family. And I really don't feel like being crammed into a tiny space.

2) Rent a mini van and pay for hotels (did I mention that if we drive we will be taking Doug's grandmother with us? There is no way she would let us go without her as she has been -strongly- hinting that she wants to go. We won't all fit in the Explorer, hence the rental of something).

3) Fly, rent a car & hotel

Let me tell you, renting an RV is costly. Almost $600 more than option 3. $600 in gas alone plus 25 cents per mile. That's more than the rental charge! Yikes!

Options 2 & 3 are coming out even. We are leaninng heavily toward flying as it will be less hassle than driving. Think about it- would you want to spend 4 days driving with an infant who is nursing and a toddler who will be just potty trained? Nope, me either. Although I am sure that option 3 will cause us a bit of grandma guilt.

Right now I am waiting on the travel agent to get back to me. She worked some magic with our trip to Ireland so I am seeing what she can do with this.

After all is in place we just have to call Doug's family to let them know we are coming. And tell one of them that the other one gets us for Thanksgiving... That should be fun.

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