Leavin' on a jet plane...

Last week Avery, Olivia and I took a "vacation". I use the word vacation lightly because who am I kidding? Traveling alone with two kids is no vacation. It would have been easier if Justin could have made the trip with us, but he had to work the days we were going.

For our adventure we traveled by plane to San Diego to watch my little brother, Thomas, graduate boot camp and become a United States Marine. We were able to stay with my sister, Amanda, and her little family. I was even able to finally meet my niece, Penny.

Justin dropped us off at the airport, but after he left us at the tram we had a little trouble getting through security that included a meltdown by Avery and all of our carry on luggage being taken apart, but that's a story for another day. Once we got on the plane both girls were so well behaved and Avery loved the plane. She sat in her carseat next the the window, ate snacks and watched her DVD's like a big girl. She even had some airplane pretzels and said thank you to the flight attendant without being prompted. (My polite little girl!)

Once we arrived Amanda picked us up at the airport and we got all three kids in the car. Good thing she just got a new SUV or we would not have fit! While we were there Avery loved helping Aunt Mandy make dinner and play with her sister and cousin. 

 

On Thursday we were able to go to the depot where Thomas had spent the last 13 weeks and after what seemed like forever we were finally able to see and talk to him. I may have cried. Luckily I rented a stroller because it was so hot none of the kids wanted to walk or even stand while we waited for hours for the drill instructors to release the recruits to their families. As you can see Olivia fell asleep and Avery stole Sophie the Giraffe. I swear that thing can keep even her entertained. Once we got to see Thomas I was so amazing to see how much he had changed, but that he was still the same Thommy we had been missing.

On Friday we attended his graduation where he officially became a Marine. What was normally a 20 minute car ride took us 2 hours and all the kids had meltdowns on the way (Avery worst of all, naturally) but once we got there we got settled in and at least the bleachers were in the shade. It was seriously hot (like 90+ at 10am) but the girls did relatively well. Avery was fascinated with the marching band and tried to march back and forth on the bleachers like they did. Unfortunately there wasn't much room because they were packed! Luckily the ceremony was only about an hour and then we were free to take Thomas with us!

After all that we went to lunch and a miracle occurred. On the 10 minute car ride to the restaurant both my kids fell asleep. I successfully transferred them, still sleeping, to the stroller where they slept for the entire lunch. Luckily Penny was so well behaved in the big girl high chair I was actually able to eat a hot meal and have an adult conversation. It was a amazing.

One of my favorite things was finally getting to meet Penny. Seeing her on Skype is just not the same as snuggling that little peanut in my mommy nook and feeling that full head of hair brush against my cheek when she leans on my shoulder for a baby hug. It was amazing seeing all three cousins play together and the way she and Olivia interacted was just adorable.

All in all it was a stressful "vacation" but one I am glad I took. I wouldn't have missed Thomas's graduation for the world and seeing my sister, meeting Penny and making those memories are a few things I wouldn't have gotten had I not taken the girls. They even got their very first set of wings which are now in their baby books.

Olivia: 5 months!

THIS MONTH YOUR BABY MAY:

• reach accurately for an object as eye-hand coordination improves Olivia has really excelled at this. She is able to reach for her toys on her play mat and on the mobiles on her swings.
• hold her head steady when sitting upright as neck muscles strengthen It seems silly that this is a 5 month milestone. She has been doing this for seriously at least 2 months.
• sit supported for up to 30 minutes and sit alone for a few moments as back muscles strengthen Olivia does not exactly like sitting up unless she is leaning against me. She hates sitting in the Boppy. She is always arches her back to lay down.
• roll from stomach to back Oh yes. This has been going on for months. She actually doesn't like being on her stomach at all so this was the first trick she learned.
• raise her chest with arm support while lying on her stomach as arm muscles get stronger Yep! It looks like she is doing stretches.
• mimic sounds and gestures. Olivia is a huge fan of blowing raspberries and she loves to do them back to you if you do them to her.
• repeat strings of syllables in a rhythmic way. Yes! It almost sounds like she is singing.
• babble to get attention Olivia loves to babble especially when she has been sitting in the car for a while.
• show positive reaction to different sounds Happy sounds make smiles and deeper sounds get super-sad-face.
• make different sounds for different needs They aren't *too* different, but it's definitely interesting how I know what she needs by what she sounds like.

Olivia: 22 weeks!

MONTH:6
WEEK: 22
WEIGHT: 15lbs +
LENGTH: 25in +
HEAD: 42cm +
MILESTONES: Olivia is getting very close to sitting unassisted. As you can see here she is what I like to call kick-standing. She is using her arms to old her up, but she can sit like this for about a minute.
OBLIGATORY ADORABLE PICTURE: We took this one on Tuesday -- a day before 22 weeks -- because we left for San Diego before it was daylight on Wednesday.
EATING: Still exclusively breastfed and going strong. 
VISITS/OUTINGS: The day after this photo was taken we went on a big adventure. More about that in a separate post.
FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: Olivia loves rolling. She could care less about trying to crawl or scoot, but if there is something she wants to get she will roll like nobody's business to get it.
MOMMY FEELS: So lucky to see all the milestones with Olivia I missed with Avery having gone back to work the first time around.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO: The holidays. Halloween first, then Thanksgiving and of course Christmas!

The difference a year makes.

In November 2009 Justin and I were just recovering from the miscarriage and I was especially vulnerable. It tore my heart out just to walk by the baby aisle at Target. Then one day I had to buy something for a friend of mine's son's first birthday. We went shopping even though I never found something for her son I just had to buy this cute green sleeper with little football-playing dinosaurs.

At the time I thought I would forever have an empty uterus and would be haunted by this empty piece of clothing, but I didn't care. Apparently self torture was my way of coping.

Now, 14 months later, that sleeper is not so empty. My amazing, beautiful, perfect baby girl finally fills it out. It's so amazing the difference a year makes.