We all survived Wyoming

They added the 1908 to the sign as they celebrated their 100 years.

Madison "enjoying" her first grasshopper

It was 80 degrees the day we arrived but we also brought with us the first frost of the Fall and this is Uncle John's garden after one night freeze. He lost everything, but not before we got to enjoy some "turban squash" which we had never had before.  They had TONS of gourds that decorated many a front step in town.

Madison at the hotel the first night getting comfortable with her signing cards.

This was actually taken when we were still at home, Daddy taking her for a ride in her wagon. It is one of my favorite.

I had every intention of blogging every day of my “vacation” to Wyoming and at the end of each day I was so out of steam that I didn’t get online but only once.  I kept thinking, “make a mental note and blog that funny thing”. I will do my best to recap briefly.

·       Get a babysitter for the ‘getting ready day’!

·       Pack light and use the “I can buy it when I get there” motto (unless you are going to Wyoming I later learned)

OkOkay, here is my version of PACKING LIGHT....Pack Mule...I have one suitcase, two carry ons, stroller, and back pack, not to mention Madison carried in the front. Here she was looking at the sky lights in the Denver Airport.  Rick not only had the camera, but he had two additional suitcases. Mind you, we were only gone 6 DAYS! I definitely learned my lesson, although I still didn't have everything I wanted.

·       Board the plane, buckle up and poop. You read it right, I learned they have baby changing stations in the airplane bathrooms, a shelf that comes down over the toilet. Oh Joy.

·       Learned the hard way that a 12 hour travel day was 1 hour too long for Madison.

·       Rental car yes, Rental car seat definitely NO

·       I need to teach Madison to do the Fist Bump like Howie Mandell, ‘give me kisses’ is not the same with snot nosed cousins.

·       I learned I was a high maintenance California Mom

·       Buy it when you get there might work if you were going somewhere other than where we went! Things we missed the most were: YoBaby Yogurt, Earth’s Best Baby Food, Pampers, No Salt Added Veggies, disposable bibs, sippy cups with straws (I brought one but forgot the darned straw!)

·       Never say Never: Pacifier on demand, eat in front of the tv, sleep in bed with Mom and Dad, Juice from a bottle, shopping cart without the cover, stay up as late as I want

·       If you have food restrictions for allergy reasons, expect someone to challenge your efforts. (Specifically, chocolate, strawberries, eggs, citrus and all nuts).  I am also trying to limit her exposure to sugar because both of her parents are recovering sugar addicts so why start something? Needless to say she ended up having strawberry yogurt, strawberry ice cream, chocolate cake, Chinese food fried rice with egg, and she found several peanuts on the floor which she handed over instead of eating. I was asked “Can she have candy?” I said “nope” and then had to argue why she couldn’t have hard candy? Are you kidding me, has no one heard of a choking hazzard? She lived and so did I, barely.

·       Return home was easier, sucking juice from a bottle while not Mom’s favorite idea, was worth it in the long run. They say sucking on the airplane helps babies not experience pain in their ears when taking off and landing.  She had no trouble and only cried one time when she heard another baby crying. It was so cute actually, he was screaming and she stopped sucking and looked all concerned and then sat up, cried a little and signed “baby”. I said/signed, Baby is sad but with his Mommy and okay.  She stood up in my lap and looked around the cabin looking for the baby. It was so adorable seeing her express empathy.

·       Madison slipped right back into her routine when we got home which was one of my main concerns, but all is well.

 

All in all it was a learning experience and Madison had a great time and her relatives fell in love with her and were amazed at her ability to communicate with them with her signs.  I was very proud.