Baby Update and Other News

Well, we're on the countdown! Only 6 1/2 more weeks to go until Baby Elizabeth makes her appearance. There are a lot of things happening around the same time: we're moving, Grandma and Grandpa Chatterley come home from Georgia, Brent should start to get invitations for interviews from medical school, and Brent starts Fall classes.

I get overwhelmed just thinking of all that activity! My motto is one day at a time! I've started packing up boxes of books and movies and blankets (definitely the blankets--it's way too hot!)

We were going to try to stay in our neighborhood, but unfortunately, nobody has an empty basement for us to rent. One gal did offer to kick her kids out of their basement for us! As it is, we signed a rental agreement for a house not far from where we are now. They are remodeling the kitchen and adding A/C. If that weren't already tempting enough, it also comes with a washer and dryer! I'm in heaven!

Baby Contest Results

Summerfest was last weekend and we entered Sammi in the Baby Contest. At first I was really hoping for first place, but then I realized that meant we would ride in the parade and that didn't seem like much of a prize to me! In the end, Sammi won Third Place which was some recognition, but most importantly came with a package of fruit snacks and a package of gold fish crackers. That, I believe, was Sammi's highlight of the day!

We ended the day by watching the parade from our driveway. I love the floats. Sammi loved the helicopter and the firetrucks. Brent loved the cars, probably. I forgot to ask him... We sipped Brazilian Lemonade while we watched. It was delicious!

Note on the recipe: I used sweet and condensed milk instead of the heavy cream and sugar. It's a little tart without the extra sugar, but so delicious.

Sammi so Cute!!

I love this dress I made for Sammi, but I love this pose even more.
What an angel!

Trip to Colorado

Sammi and I took a trip to Colorado this week for my brother Maxwell's high school graduation. Congrats, Max!! On the flight over Sammi threw up twice! I was not ready for that and had no extra clothes in my carry on. Bummer. There were some very nice ladies on the plane who were quite helpful and didn't act the least bit disgusted by the smell or the mess. They are angels!! So the next day I called the pediatrician and found out all the things I could do to help her not get motion sick on the way home. They worked like a charm and she slept most of the way home and didn't throw up at all! Yeah!!

The tricks I learned for flying with a child:

• sucker to suck on during take off and landing to help little ears adjust to the changing air pressure.
• a small cup of Coke to settle the stomach (The pharmacist told me the Coke syrup is very similar in composition to the anti-nausea medicine I could buy from him. We went with Coke!)
• candied ginger (think ginger ale) also helps.
• Benadryl to help her get sleepy.

The nurse told me it's probably the only time that they would ever recommend a sucker and a cup of Coke for a child! But both seemed to work very well. Sammi loved the sucker. I'm hoping against all hope that she forgets about it.

Aside from that disaster, the trip was amazing! It was so fun to see my family and to celebrate with Max as he graduated. Sammi got a chance to play with her cousin Weston. They had a grand time together. They played in the backyard, learned about wheelbarrow races and picked pine cones together. What more could two toddlers want!

Bedtime Routine

The other night Sammi was in the diapering-mood while Brent was trying to get her ready for bed. She insisted on putting diapers on her babies and then putting them in the rocking chair. She took care of each baby individually. As she placed (or threw) them in the rocking chair, she would pull the cow so it would sing "Old McDonald" for the newly-put-to-bed baby.

They all slept soundly that night!