Going to Grandma’s – or Great-Grandma’s, more like!

Miss Libby took her first real road trip this weekend!  

Her suitcase (that was once mine) all packed, she was loaded up into the car with some of her favorite things, to see her great-grandparents and some of our friends, too! 

The first leg of the trip (to Macon) was great, as she slept until about 20 minutes before we got to Macon.  We stopped at Chick-Fil-A to grab a bite, change Libby and let her out of the car seat for awhile.  The next leg, I hopped into the back seat to play with Libby.  We played for a little while… and then the crying began.  I did my best to stop it or at least keep it at a minimum and finally she fell asleep for a bit longer.  Then there was more crying – but shortly after, we arrived at our first destination!  Bottle ready, we got out at Mema Mabel’s house, did the re-introductions and got to feeding her! 

We had a nice afternoon there and then headed to our home base for the weekend at Boobus & Mema’s house.  Miss Baby fell asleep when we went to dinner at Carey Hilliard’s – one of my favorite Savannah places - and woke up as we were getting ready to leave.  So that was a success!  We went home and made preparations for bed and put her down after I broke my rule and rocked her all the way to sleep.  Hey- I figure things are different on trips away from home.  We had prepared her for the sleeping portion of the trip as best we could by using her pack and play all week for both naps and bedtime.  I don’t know whether we needed to or not- but something worked!  She slept in the room with us right through the night until 7 a.m.! 

Then, she woke up but didn’t know we were in the room, so she did her usual morning routine of rousing herself fully before calling for us.  Michael moved his pillow to the end of the bed so we could switch directions and watch her as she woke up.  What a fun treat!  She had another good night last night too and slept till about 6:40 a.m.  This was particularly good – and important since her only real naps during the day other than a couple of catnaps were her morning nap both days.

She also got to have a bath in the kitchen sink, had a great time playing with all of her great-grandparents, her Great Aunt, her Great-Great Aunt and Uncle, our friends Bryan and his wife, Alicia – and the woman, the myth, the legend, Terry Ryan out at her beach house at Tybee!  (No, we didn’t venture onto the beach this time.  I honestly never even thought about it until just now.)  I tried to be relaxed, but we had a semi-tight schedule to keep and I was a bit tightly wound even though I think I faked relaxation pretty well. 

Last night, we ate at one of my other favorite spots – Jalapeño's!  Libby and I had to make a quick run home in the middle of dinner though.  Since she’d already had one messy diaper that afternoon, I wrongly assumed that we’d be set with just some extra diapers,  wipes and a changing pad at dinner.  However, I was incorrect.  Thank goodness the restaurant is just about a mile and a half from their house!   It was a valuable learning experience for mom!

The trip was quite a success.

The trip home.  Was rough.  Libby had been stuck in that darn car seat off and on for three days – and she doesn’t love it to start with!  So there was some crying on the first leg (to Macon) but then she finally gave up and napped.  But by the second leg, she wasn’t kidding anymore.  She wanted OUT.  I tried everything – shaking the ice in my cup, shaking her rattle, flying her Dolly, singing, clapping her hands and stomping her feet, playing her favorite games, making faces, rocking the whole car seat contraption back and forth or up and down as best I could, blowing air in her face until I was light-headed – anything to keep her entertained for 30 seconds to two minutes at a time.  Between options, there was wailing.  By the time we got to the north side of I-285, we were both crying.  I felt so helpless.  I knew what was wrong and I could do NOTHING about it.  That’s one thing that was better in “the good old days:” you could hold your poor, worn out, child in the car! 

Our evening after we got home wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be.  I tried to put Libby down for a nap by rocking her to sleep, but it was obvious that wasn’t going to happen.  She was looking around her bedroom in wonder.  I think she missed it!  Then, she started doing a lot of what she has been lately – grabbing my hair, pulling my face to hers and either giving kisses, or just tasting my cheeks, nose and chin – but this was more than ever.  It was just precious.  I’m obviously going with kisses.  I was telling Michael about it and he compared it to “It’s a Wonderful Life” where George Bailey comes back home after his encounter with Clarence and grabs Mary and kisses her over and over saying, “Are you real?!”  So this will be henceforth known as Libby’s “Are you real” move.  I don’t know that she’ll keep it up as intensely, but she was at it again when I was putting her to bed.  I cried again – but this time with the sweetness of my baby and thinking of how just when I think I couldn’t possibly love her any more, I do!  What a wonder!

Mandy, Nick, Ryan and Maggie Arnold took care of Commissioner while we were gone.  What wonderful sweeties!  We didn’t have to worry about her for a second.  Also in the first picture you see above, Libby is sporting an ensemble they got for her last week and we all LOVE it!  They even dropped her off at our house tonight so we got to see them all!

Libby’s also loving her exersaucer since it allows her to stand with assistance and she is quickly mastering the multitude of educational devices it offers.  It’s really no wonder kids have ADD.  That thing is crazy with the lights, sounds, colors and just STUFF it does! 

But don’t worry- I give her stuff where she has to actually be creative on her own, too.

Now- it’s off to bed as I’m one tired momma!  Tomorrow morning is Libby’s four month Doctor’s appointment with height, weight, shots and the works.  Her daddy’s coming with us, too!