Birthday Weekend #3: The Finale

As if having a 1st birthday party on your actual birthday and then having a second 1st birthday party a week later with all your friends at home was not enough... 1st birthday parties #3 and #4 were celebrated last weekend. These were extra special parties, 'cause they got to be celebrated along with Daddy's 27th birthday. Daddy's birthday wish this year was to celebrate it with most of his family in Oklahoma, and oh what a trip it was.

Jump back a week and a half ago with me to the very wee hours of September 11th, around 3:30am. What I thought was gut wrenching heartburn due to the spaghetti dinner I'd wolfed down before church, turned into much more of a nightmare. Let's just say this is not a stomach bug you want to even think about having 12 hours before you're supposed to be on an airplane ride alone (thank you WorldPerks miles for that little bit of inconvenience) for the first time with your 12 month old. It's not a stomach bug you want to have period. There are no amount of details that you even want to know about this... only to say that it. was. straight. up. horrible. With every ache, chill, fever, and pain that come along with a bug like this, I somehow managed to get Reese and myself packed. Reagan came home a little early to bathe and dress our little booger, then he packed the car and away we went.

The first plane ride was great. I even had an empty seat next to me, so Reese got to wiggle and squirm and look out the window to her little heart's desire. As soon as we landed in Memphis and I retrieved her stroller, she was sawing logs which allowed me some much needed rest during our layover. Little did I know our next filled-to-capacity-flight would be taken on one of those little puddle jumpers, and anyone reading this that has had a child knows what a near impossibility it was to get her to sit still in a small confined space for over an hour. (My thanks again to the WorldPerks people for the absence of my husband during this flu stricken flight.) Just when my flu ached body thought it could stand no more crawling and squirming, the plane landed. The end was in sight. I could hand her off to daddy again and resume my recuperation.

Not so fast, Mama.

I mean, for hours you've had this little girl in your arms. What makes you think that the little flu-bug germies decided to skip over your girl as you traveled together for the past 6 hours? Oh no Mama... this is not the end. It's only the beginning.

So the plane taxi's in to our gate, and for the first time in two hours Reese is sitting still, facing the aisle, on my left leg. Listen with me now to the "ding-ding" as passengers are invited to unbuckle their seat belts and begin shuffling into the aisle to exit this tiny little sardine can.

Reese took the "ding" as her invitation to let loose... loose of the banana she'd just inhaled, and all down the aisle of the plane. Whew- she missed me, and any other passengers, thank God. So let me be a smart one now, and turn her to face me, so I can comfort and console my "just-vom'd" baby and apologize to those still in their seats, along with the flight attendant who will have to clean it all up.

So we're up, out of our seat, trying to exit the plane. Wait for it.... wait for it...

BLUH again... only this time, she got me. From shoulder to kneecap. More bananas. Yum. That sure helps my own gag reflex at this point in my day. There was a little comic relief in it all though... the flight attendant actually handed me a single wet paper towel, and asked if I knew I had it running down my leg.

Thanks for your help- you go ahead and keep that though. I think you'll need it worse than me once you see what she left for ya back there sweetheart.

This would be one of four times for the vomming Reese over the weekend... one time in which I actually caught it in my hands at a restaurant, and another in which we awoke to it crusted in her hair and all in her bed the next morning. That sweet girl passed it on to her Nana, too, who was sharing in the pukey love by Saturday herself. Bet she was grateful for that visit.

(Side note: Regardless of the amount of puke I was covered in, I think this story pales in comparison to this one... geesh!)

This next part is especially dedicated to my sister-in-law, of whom I went through serious withdrawals without this weekend. There was a certain degree of sanity missing from my brain without you there, sister!!! These pictures were taken all weekend with you in mind! Thought since you couldn't be there I could at least capture as much of it as possible in pictures! Getting excited to see you in a few weeks!

Stop one was a couple days with Nana... just long enough to make her sick!

Stop two... a couple days with Granddad and Kerry Ann!

Last stop... history in the making. Daddy's birthday present was for everyone to go to the last Monday Night Football game to ever be played in Texas Stadium as we know it. How 'bout them Cowboys!!! :) (Begins with a shot of Brother being a teacher!) lol :)

Lastly, I really just felt that this picture deserved a space all its own... hope you'll love it as much as we do. (saved a spot to photoshop you in next to your dad, there...) :)