 | Diary Navigation:
|
March 12, 2003
March 3-10: Spring Break
The week before our trip, the kids came down with colds. It started off on Sunday afternoon, February 23rd. Mitch was napping, I was doing laundry and studying for midterms. Jerry had taken Rachel to the park to play. They weren’t gone long when I heard the back door open and Jerry walked in with Rachel in his arms. She said she wasn’t feeling well and then vomited all over the kitchen. I cleaned her up and made a bed for her on the sofa in the play room. Thirty minutes later, I heard it, the well known sound of gagging that comes with vomiting. I took her upstairs and put her in the tub, dressed her, blow-dried her hair, and made another fresh bed for her on the floor with her sleeping bag. I started washing the soiled towels and bedding. She tried to drink some water, but it came up too. I knew that she had a stomach virus. This went on for about 24 hours. That night, she and Jerry had a slumber party, just the two of them, on the floor of the playroom. She stayed home from school 4 days that week. She felt much better, but by the end of the week her nose started to run and she had a deep cough. We were back to the Demi Moore voice. Mitch managed to stay healthy during the week, but by the next weekend, he, too, had a runny nose and was coughing. They were both on children’s Pediacare and Robitussin CF. It was a tough week because Rachel was sick, Jerry was taking his week of vacation, and I had to work and had midterm exams three nights that week. Jerry had other plans for the week (golfing, landscaping, fertilizing the yard, etc.), but he cared for Rachel without complaint.
Spring Break Vacation in CA (March 3rd – 10th):
The weather in Houston was rainy and dreary and I was more than ready to get out of town. I dreaded having to pack the suitcases, though. Inevitably, I always pack too many things that I simply don’t or won’t use or need. Why must I pack so much crap? If I forget something, it won’t be the end of the world. Why must I pack 4 pair of PJs for myself, when I can use my sister’s washing machine or (heaven forbid!) I could wear the same pair two nights in a row. Traveling with two small toddlers means taking lots of things with us like diapers and pull-ups, sipper cups, medicine, clothes, toys/books, bedding, jackets, a stroller, and two car seats. I packed their toiletries in separate bags. I ended up packing two large suitcases and a small carry-on piece of luggage to hold the medicine, snacks, drinks, change of clothing, diapers, wipes, etc. I packed coloring books, crayons, stickers and books in Rachel’s suitcase on wheels. I woke up early, showered, dressed, and finished packing before the kids woke up. I assessed the “luggage situation,” and ended up with 2 large suitcases, 2 car seats, 1 double stroller, 1 purse, 1 carry-on bag, 2 kids, and 1 mom. Ack!! What was I getting myself into?! I had breakfast with the kids and got them dressed. Jerry came home at 11 and we put the kids and luggage in the car. It was raining and cold outside. Jerry drove us to the airport. We waited our turn for several cars ahead of us to unpack and pull away from the curbside check-in. Someone attended to our luggage and we checked the 2 suitcases and 2 car seats at the curb. I put the kids in the double stroller and had planned to put my carry-on under the stroller and pull Rachel’s suitcase on wheels behind me. There was not enough clearance under the stroller seat to put the bags underneath. I put my purse under there along with our 3 jackets. I carried my purse, the carry-on bag, and Rachel’s suitcase and began to push the double stroller with the kids. Sigh. What a mistake this was. The double stroller weighed 45 lb. empty. Adding the 2 kids, I was pushing 113 pounds and carrying three bags. Jerry parked the car and then met us back in the terminal. He was not allowed to accompany us beyond the security area, so we decided to eat lunch in a restaurant inside the terminal. After eating, we bought milk and water and stuffed them in the carry-on bag for the flight. We said goodbye to Jerry and passed through security with no problems. Our gate was the first one past the security area. We arrived just when pre-boarding started. We checked the stroller at the gate and got on the plane. Our seats were near the back of the plane. It was not easy to walk down the aisle holding Mitch with three bags hung over my shoulders bumping against each seat as we passed down the aisle. Rachel sat in the window seat and I sat in the middle holding Mitch. A Japanese businessman named “Kim” sat on the aisle seat and he stayed quiet for the first half of the flight (grin). After pushing back from the gate, an announcement was made that there was a problem with the electrical system and, rather than return to the gate and delay our departure, we would continue and hope for the best. It seemed like everyone reached for the air vents at the same time. They were not working. Another announcement followed that due to the inclement weather, our takeoff would be delayed. More announcements were made which made no difference as we sat and waited and sweated. Mitch finished his entire milk supply during what became our 90-minute delay on the runway. I was trying to contain him and keep Rachel entertained, as we were not allowed to recline our seats or tray tables and she wanted to color and get things out of her bag. After 90 minutes, we were cleared for takeoff, and by this time Mitch was having nothing to do with either sitting still on my lap or taking a nap. He stood on my lap jumping up and down and stared at the people behind us, pointing, laughing, and giggling as only a toddler can do. I briefly admired him because only a kid could get away with staring at people like that. I struggled to keep him seated on my lap while “Kim” did his best to keep his hand on his armrest, marking the line in the sand which he hoped Mitch would not cross. Occasionally a stray kick, a hand, or his shoe would cross the line. Kim had an eyeglass case in his shirt pocket. It was a bright gold case. Mitch kept eyeing that case, and I was holding my breath hoping that Mitch wouldn’t make a grab for it. After the drinks were served, I prayed that Mitch would not kick Kim’s 7-Up into his lap. Eventually Kim gave up and decided to be friendly with Mitch. Rachel got out her Magna-Doodle sketch pad, and Mitch had been writing on it. Kim took the sketch pad and began to draw silly pictures on it and he talked to Mitch. He clapped his hands and helped entertain him. He opened up his eyeglass case and let Mitch hold it. He snapped it open and shut, and Mitch was totally in awe. It was as if a totally different person sat beside us in the same chair for the second half of the flight to Tucson. We flew to Tucson against the jet stream. The flight was 3+ hours, for a total of 4.5+ hours with the delay on the runway. We landed 1.5 hours late. Of course we missed our connecting flight. There was only one more flight to Sacramento, but it was not leaving until 8 p.m. We had 2 hours to burn in the airport and I really wished I had just taken one umbrella stroller for Mitch instead of the double stroller. It was so huge and heavy and bulky. Never again will I ever use it. Through the kindness of strangers, our flight and airport delay was made so much easier. A young lady named Jennifer with a daughter named Hannah befriended us. She saw how I was struggling and offered to assist me in the bathroom. I was able to use the restroom and then helped Rachel go and then changed Mitch while she helped watch the kids and our bags. I had to give them both medicine and buy more drinks as the airline didn’t offer food on board. The terminals in Tucson are far apart. They have several moving sidewalks to quickly move people through the airport. Rachel really loved the moving sidewalks. I thought she would fall right off the end of the sidewalk, but she was able to stop herself and regain her balance. Jennifer and her husband helped us at the gate and helped us get on the plane. What a Godsend they were. The flight to Sacramento left on time. It was a 2-hour flight and it went smoothly. The guy on the aisle seat let Rachel play with his Gameboy. I read books to Mitch and he laid across my shoulder. Rachel announced that she had to go potty, so the entire row had to clear out so we could exit our seats. Mitch would not let the flight attendant hold him, so I put Rachel on the potty and held the door ajar as I crouched in front of her holding Mitch. What a small space for 3 people to occupy. She sat for a while and I kept asking, “did you pee yet?” and she would say, “not yet mommy.” Then she announced that she was done and hopped off. Oh my! There was a poopy the size and shape of a tennis ball sitting right there. We’ve always made a big deal when Rachel uses the potty and especially when she poops. Rachel is very proud when she poops and likes to call either Jerry or me to the scene so we can “ooh and goo” over her accomplishment. She told me how proud daddy would be of her, and we got her hands washed and then I asked the flight attendant to hold Mitch while I used the potty. He screamed the entire time. I finished as quickly as I could and we returned to our seats. We landed and waited our turn to exit. Jennifer helped carry our bags and jackets as I carried Mitch and held on to Rachel.
I had called my sister from the plane to tell her of our delay. She and her children (Peter, 10; Carly, 7) were waiting for us down in the baggage claim area in Sacramento. I was so happy to see her! Traveling by myself with two small toddlers on the plane was quite a challenge and not something I’d like to do on a regular basis, but it was worth it. Our bags and car seats arrived undamaged. We carried everything to the van and got the kids into their car seats. We arrived in Modesto near midnight. The kids and I slept in Carly’s room. Rachel and I slept in the bed, and Mitch slept in a pack-n-play crib. Carly and Peter slept in Peter’s room (he has bunk beds).
My 28-Pound Necklace & Mitch to the ER:
On Tuesday, we woke up to beautiful weather: temps in the 60’s and a clear blue sunny sky. Carly and Peter went to school on Tuesday and Wednesday and Cindy took them out of school on Thursday and Friday for our trip to Carmel. We met Cindy’s husband Peter and my brother Brian for lunch. After that, we went shopping and the kids played in the yard on the swings and slide. The kids have a bunny named Ginger. She’s very sweet and she plays in the back yard during the day, so the kids enjoyed petting her and singing to her. Cindy made spaghetti for dinner and we had brownies for dessert. We come from a long line of well established sweet tooth-aholics, so dessert is nearly as important as the main course. Possibly even more important.
Rachel and Mitch still had runny noses, and Mitch didn’t want anyone else touching him, holding him, or even looking at him. He was fine as long as it was just me, but when Cindy or the kids or anyone else came around, he would immediately run to me, cling onto my legs and want to be held. He fussed and cried a lot. This was serious stranger anxiety, like we have never seen or experienced before. He ended up being a 28-pound necklace which I wore around my neck for most of the trip. Mitch slept very fitfully on Tuesday night and moaned throughout the night. On Wednesday, we had planned to drive to Monterey/Carmel after Peter and Carly got out of school. I told Cindy I wanted to take Mitch to a doctor before we left as he was just not acting like himself. He began tugging and pulling on his ears that morning, and I sensed he had an ear infection. Our health insurance required that we go to an ER or urgent care since we were outside the state of Texas. I was dreading the wait. Cindy dropped Mitch and I off at the ER and took Rachel shopping and to lunch. We signed in at noon and were seen by the doctor by 1 p.m. Not bad at all. Mitch had a temperature of 100. Both of his ears were infected, but the right ear was very bad. Although Mitch had already had doses of children’s Tylenol, Pediacare, and Robitussin that morning, the doctor gave him Motrin 4 and numbed his ears with drops. He prescribed Amoxillin and numbing ear drops for the pain, and we were on our way with only a $100 co-pay. Cindy said it was probably best that we went to the ER during the day as most people can go to their regular doctor during the daytime hours.
Beautiful Beaches of Carmel and Monterey, California:
We packed the van and drove to Monterey. We got in at 6 p.m. We stayed at the Andril Cottages in Pacific Grove. Boy were they ever nice. We had a 2-bedroom cottage with a large living room, kitchen and bathroom. There was a giant screen TV in our living room with a VCR and a TV mounted on the wall in each bedroom with a VCR. We had a fireplace and a large patio attached to the cottage with chairs and a sliding swing. Cindy made dinner and we unpacked the van. Rachel and I shared a king-size bed with Mitch in his crib beside us. The bed took up nearly all the room, but we managed to have our suitcase and side tables in the room. Cindy’s room had a queen-size bed and a single bed, perfect for her and the kids. We baked chocolate chip cookies and watched a movie and then put the kids to bed. It wasn’t long before we were nodding off, so we cut our talk short and went to bed too. On Wednesday, we all showered, had breakfast and headed to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Mitch was not happy and would not sit in the stroller. My shoulders were aching, and I didn’t want to carry him around for 3 hours. Cindy took us back to the cottage and I played with Mitch and held him while he took his nap. He was just not feeling well, and I think he needed the rest and peace. Cindy took all 3 kids back to the Aquarium. Rachel loved the sea otters and seals. They bought souvenirs: a sea otter for Rachel, which she named Andre; and a sea otter book for Mitch). They returned 4 hours later with pizza for me. I told them that Mitch just wasn’t feeling well, and gave them all some money to spend at the mall. Cindy took them to the mall and they each bought toys (Rachel got a Polly Pocket play set, Carly picked out a paint set, and Peter got some action figures). They went to Carmel beach on the way home. Carly & Peter waded out in the water, and Rachel ended up falling in the water, clothes and all. They rolled around in the sand and came home soaking wet. When they got home, it was dinner time. We went into town to eat at a small Italian restaurant. Mitch would not get into or stay in the high chair, so I was left holding him again. We ordered our food. When the salads came, Cindy said it was time for me to eat. She scooped Mitch up in her arms and away they went. I ate my salad and wolfed down my salmon. I went to rescue Cindy and held Mitch while she ate. It was nice to get out in public after being holed up with Mitch in the cottage all day. We got some movies on the way home and Peter watched Austin Powers in the bedroom and we watched the Rat Race on the big screen TV. Mitch slept very well and so did Rachel. I was able to get up early and make a cup of tea and have breakfast alone before they woke up. The kids played ping pong and took walks down to the beach. We had to check out by noon. We cleaned the cottage, packed the van, and turned in the keys. We drove to Carmel beach and Cindy took Mitch for a stroller ride while I took the 3 kids down to the water. Can I just say how nuts these kids were? Man, the temps were in the 60’s, but the wind was blowing like crazy. The sea water was freezing. Yet, Carly was in her bathing suit wading into the water. Peter dove into the water (clothed in shorts and t-shirt), and Rachel was barefoot in the surf. Peter had goose bumps on top of goose bumps, and Carly refused to get out of the water. We are talking March in the northern Pacific. Brrr! Rachel and I built sandcastles and made blueberry pies. Peter ran up and down the huge sand hill and then decided to roll down the hill like a log. He was covered in sand and just laid in the sun for a while. After a while, the sensible Peter woke up and ran to me for a towel. He took off his wet pants and put on some dry clothes while I hid him behind a towel. Carmel beach was so beautiful, so breathtaking. The water was aqua blue, just like in Cozumel, Mexico. The sand was pure white, the air was so fresh and clean. It was windy, but a fantastic day. I didn’t want to leave. But we had to leave. We hiked up the hill to the car and shook out most of the sand from our shoes. Just for fun we picked up some real estate leaflets from some seaside homes. They wanted a cool $7.9 million for a small cottage with just 2 bedrooms. Man, you have to have some serious cash to live out there. I noticed there was a Starbucks on every other corner. You couldn’t go far without bumping into a Starbucks. I don’t drink coffee, but I was thinking how easy it would be to just walk around all day and drink coffee. Just when you finished a cup, you’d run into another Starbucks. A nonstop caffeine high, though I can think of better ways to get high.
On the drive back to Modesto, the kids argued over where they would eat dinner. Carly, the Taco Bell-aholic, put in her request for Taco Bell, Peter seconded her request. Rachel wanted McDonald’s and pointed at every set of golden arches along the way. Mitch wanted his thumb, and I just wanted some peace and quiet. Especially after hearing “are we there yet?” and “how much longer?” and “she’s looking at me,” and “it’s my turn to sit in the front seat,” for the 20th time. We drove through a Burger King and stopped at Taco Bell. Everyone was happy. We got home early Friday evening. The kids ran around in the yard, while we unpacked and I started laundry. Cindy made dinner, and the kids went to the video store. Peter came home with the most ridiculous but also funny movie we have ever seen. It’s called Kung Pow. It was a martial arts spoof movie. It was one of those movies that is so ridiculously dumb that I laughed so hard I was crying. I bathed the kids and got them to bed and it wasn’t long before I was asleep too.
On Saturday, we made breakfast and Carly showed Rachel how to make magnets using her Perla beads. It took a lot of patience and time for Rachel to sit down and place each bead on the loom. Each creation took nearly 30 minutes for her to finish. We put paper over the design and ironed it for 2 minutes. The beads melted slightly enough to harden, and we glued magnets on the back. Over 2 days, she made 12 magnets. She was hooked. A bead junkie. Just so she doesn’t put any of them up her nose, I am fine with this new hobby. Cindy took her to Target and bought her a starter kit, and we bought her 2 Easter dresses, some Barbie sandals, and another Polly Pocket. Mitch got some new books and a Diesel and Salty for his Thomas collection. Peter agreed to babysit all 4 kids (what a treat!) on Saturday afternoon while Cindy and I did some sister bonding and shopping at the mall. It was fun to try on new spring clothes at Macy’s and other stores. I got new sunglasses, Capri’s, t-shirts, and a cool running suit with flared legs. I haven’t owned a jogging suit in 20 years. Not that any jogging will get done, but it is perfectly fine for lounging around in while doing absolutely nothing. (grin) I bought a box of Cinnabons at the mall for our dessert that night. I don’t know why, but I had never even considered giving Mitch a cinnamon roll before. Why? I don’t know, but shame on me. Carly gave Mitch some of her Cinnabon, and his face just lit up and he grabbed for more. He ate more than half of a large Cinnabon all by himself. Pure delight! When he was done, he was sure to smear his sticky mouth and hands all over the shoulders of my new white t-shirt. My sister just laughed at this, and I told her that’s why I love to wear Capri’s and solid t-shirts. They are so comfortable and easy to wash and care for. Even better that they are inexpensive and in style, not that I’m ever in style much these days. I don’t buy it unless it can be washed and air dried. When my kids are 4 and 6, I’ll start dreaming about a nice wardrobe, one that is stylish and maybe even consider buying something that must be dry-cleaned.
By Saturday, Mitch was feeling so much better. He was laughing and smiling and clapping and not as irritable. I think the antibiotic did its job, and his nose dried up and there was no more cough. It’s hard for me to see my children suffer in pain or be sick. I’d take on any illness or pain for them, without a doubt. Pete grilled T-bones on Saturday night. We had his family over for dinner on Sunday night after church. My brother Brian was back in town, and he joined us for dessert before leaving for his trip to sunny FL. It was really fun to visit, hang out, and watch the kids play and enjoy each other’s company. The kids sat on the back porch swing and just swung themselves silly. They chased each other around the yard, played basketball, and skated out front. It was nice to see my sister and her family. I had not seen her since October 2000, when we traveled to Modesto to have Rachel baptized in the church where my brother preaches. Cindy had not seen Mitch before, and I wanted her to see him while he was still small and sweet. We both wished that we lived closer, as we would like our children to see each other more often. I think the cost of living in California just blew me away the most. There are small, and I do mean small (1400 square feet) homes out there with 3 tiny bedrooms, 1 ½ bathrooms for $250K-300K. Cindy & Pete are taking their kids to Hawaii next month for Spring break. I’m looking forward to when our kids will be older, so we can take trips like that, but right now I’m still enjoying them as they are so small and needy. We want to take them to Disney World while they are still young, but I want them both out of diapers and walking with no need for a stroller and other cumbersome baby gear before we go to Disney. I think we will definitely plan another trip to CA, though, and it would be nice to rent cottages for a week in Monterey or Carmel again.
The week went by so quickly, yet we were ready to return to Texas. The kids missed their daddy, I missed my husband, and he missed me! I got up early on Monday to shower, dress, and get everything into the suitcases. I got the kids up and had them dressed and fed. Mitch had some Cinnabon, he just loved it. Cindy drove us to the airport in Sacramento, and we arrived 90 minutes early. I decided to check the double stroller with the baggage, I just didn’t want to deal with that massive monster again. I did some creative packing, cramming socks into shoes, and boxes of girl scout cookies into side compartments. I also packed Rachel’s suitcase inside one of the bigger suitcases, so we wouldn’t have to lug it around. We said goodbye to Cindy and I carried Mitch while Rachel held my hand. I had my purse and one carry-on bag stuffed to the gills with diapers, wipes, snacks, medicine, toys, juice boxes, water, and milk. I let the kids run around in an open area before we took the escalators upstairs to clear security. Rachel enjoyed the escalator, it doesn’t take much to impress a toddler. We cleared security without setting off any bells or alarms and didn’t have to take off our shoes. We walked to the gate, the last gate down the terminal, and pre-boarding began as soon as we arrived. Rachel left her sipper cup in the terminal, so we backtracked to get it, but quickly got back on the plane and seated. Again, toward the back of the plane. This time, we were flying with the jet stream, so our flight was smooth and we had 3 seats, a whole row to ourselves. Rachel sat in the window seat and Mitch had the middle seat. I sat on the aisle and did my best to corral them with my legs crossed. The kids were active on this flight, playing, talking, and climbing on each other. Mitch stood up on his seat and stared at the people behind us. Seated behind us were two mothers and 2 small children. They talked to each other and Mitch grabbed the little girl’s nose when she got too close. They passed potato chips back and forth through the spaces in the seats. We landed on time. I only had trouble exiting the plane when I carried Mitch up the aisle with my bags bumping into all the seats on the way up the aisle. Rachel stayed beside me and held my hand. We had time to use the restrooms, get some drinks and pizza, and get on the next plane. This flight also traveled with the jet stream and ended up being a 2-hour flight, instead of a 3-hour flight. Yay! I had to sit in the middle seat holding Mitch, with Rachel in the window seat. Mitch fell asleep 30 minutes into the flight and didn’t wake up until we were descending into Houston. I couldn’t help Rachel with her food as half of my body was devoted to supporting Mitch. She picked at her pizza and drank her juice box. We landed without incident and were anxious for our turn to get off the plane. I had asked Jerry to meet us at the baggage claim, so I was surprised to see him standing just beyond the security gate. What a relief to see his beautiful smiling face and open arms. Rachel ran right into his arms, and Mitch lit up and smiled when he saw daddy. Mitch was second to be held by daddy, and I finished in dead last place.
Warmly,
Megan
 |  |
|
want to keep a diary on iParenting?
Authoring a diary on the iParenting network allows you to chronicle your family's story, preserving it for years to come. It's also a great way to get the most out of the iParenting community. Click here to start...
|
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families. 
