Another Word for "Put Your Hat Back On"? RECAP.

I know it has been awhile since I blogged...the last two hardly count since they were mostly just pictures so I could keep the badgering emails at bay while I enjoyed some family time and now I'm back and wondering why I didn't blog more while I was gone since I had an extra set (er, extra THREE sets) of hands to help me with Olivia. But, alas, I didn't, so I'm going to do a quick day-by-day recap Jill-style while she sleeps soundly to the sound of the hairdryer on low. (In great Lauren-style: Dear White Noise, I love you. The end.)

Wednesday, July 15th: Fly out of beautiful Santa Barbara and land in a convection oven that looks a lot like Phoenix. Olivia does fabulously on the plane and much to my mom's disappointment is asleep until we put her in the car. Olivia makes a horrible 3 month impression by screaming the entire ride home.

Thursday, July 16th: Too hot to do anything outside, so I eat a little breakfast and watch my mom and dad light up like the Christmas tree in Times Square while playing with Olivia. We hit up Buffalo Wild Wings because apparently you still get cravings post-pregnancy.

Friday, July 17th: Pretty much repeat the day before except add in delicious blueberry pancakes and stay home for some yummy tilapia instead. Spend a good majority of the day watching Nana and Poppy marvel at every move she makes. Pack up and try and condense two suitcases into one. Ponder why the breast pump is my enemy.

Saturday, July 18th: Get up WAY too early and arrive at the airport with more time to spare than David and I ever have. Head out to Hotlanta and enjoy every minute of Olivia being the BEST traveller EVER. Changed a dirty diaper in our lap and no one complained. Atlanta weather is beautiful and my Cheeseburger in Paradise salad is everything I remember it to be. Watch Peyton get to know his cousin.

Sunday, July 19th: Hello, Atlanta Zoo! Another beautiful day in Atlanta and another educational adventure for Olivia. Too bad she sleeps the entire time. Eat dinner out at a not-worth-mentioning restaurant and come home to condense my one suitcase into an even smaller one. Ponder why the breast pump is my enemy.

Monday, July 20th: Leave Ryan's and head north for a cabin in Blue Ridge. Two miracles occur in the car - Olivia laughs in her car seat and falls asleep without crying. Really enjoying having two people in the backseat with her. Arrive at the cabin after several scary twists and turns down narrow gravel roads and feel as if we are truly in God's country. Olivia naps on the back porch. We feast on Kentucky Kernel chicken. Nighttime comes and Dad hears Olivia cry while I change her diaper. Thus begins the first of three nights where Nana sleeps downstairs in our room.

Tuesdsay, July 21st: Dad convinces us that the town of Young Harris (where he and I are doing an installation the next day) will be full of cool shops and better than the town of Blue Ridge. Drive there to find it is really a one-horse town. Scope out the residence hall and eat at a place called Rib Country where none of us orders ribs. (Ryan's choice.) Back at the cabin, Olivia gets in her swimsuit and takes a swim in the hot tub. Envision gold medals around her neck.

Wednesday, July 22nd: 5:30 arrives WAY too soon and we are out the door for the installation. Start the day off horribly when said-enemy is packed without necessary pumping materials. Ponder how I will get through the day without release. Continue horrible day when Labor Ready guys call to say they are out of gas. Go to four gas stations before finding one with a gas can for sale. Arrive back at college by 8:30 to find no truck full of mattresses and a wet-spot on my shirt. Wait. Wait. Wait some more. Get a call with the news that the truck wasn't loaded and won't arrive until 3pm that afternoon. Head back to cabin for lunch, a nap, and RELEASE. Leave Olivia again (heart breaks) and drive the 45 minutes back to the middle of nowhere. Arrive to no truck. Wait. Wait. Wait some more. Truck finally arrives at 6pm. Haul mattresses and complete a floor and a half by myself. Finish job by 9:30 and dread the scary drive home in the dark. Make it home in one piece only to find Olivia asleep in her bed. Heart breaks again.

Thursday, July 23rd: Question how morning comes so quickly. Pack up and head back to Atlanta. Watch in awe as Olivia laughs in the car, sucks on my pinky finger and falls asleep without crying. Wonder if we've turned over a new leaf. Arrive back to Ryan's and spend a good majority of the afternoon working on Olivia's photo book on Shutterfly. Realize my baby girl is growing too quickly. Eat at California Pizza Kitchen (Ryan's choice to meet my requirement of a "non-chain restaurant", huh?) and come back and pack. Watch Katie Holmes "dance" and wonder how many strings Tom Cruise had to pull.

Friday, July 24th: Head off to the airport and realize not everyone in the South is friendly. Switch seats with Dad and hope the 3rd person in our aisle will switch with him. Priest sits down next to Mom. He "prefers an aisle seat." Contemplate the cons of cursing a priest. Olivia wows the passengers on the flight with her traveling skills. Change another dirty diaper in our lap. Take that, Holy Man. Arrive back in the convection oven. Relax for awhile and head to a baby store to custom design a magnet board for Olivia's nursery. Get a sweet tea from Chick-Fil-A to curb my withdrawals. Arrive home and watch Olivia try and figure out how to use the ExerSaucer. Pack bags....again. Ponder why the breast pump is my enemy.

Saturday, July 25th: Try to keep a happy face while I take Olivia back home and away from her Nana and Poppy. Make my mother promise not to cry. She fails. Arrive in Santa Barbara and realize that someone has turned off the convection oven. Somehow manage to pack two suitcases, a bag of laundry, a large picture frame, a car seat, two adults and Olivia in Michele's Jeep Wrangler. Head home and enjoy a nice Girl's Night In.

Overall, the trip was WONDERFUL. A huge thanks to my parents for all of the help they gave me with Olivia. It was so nice to be able to take a nap or take a shower without feeling guilty or worrying that Olivia might wake up. Also, thank you to my parents AND to Ryan for having all of the necessary baby stuff at your homes for us. It was so great not having to take a Pack N Play, activity gym, swing, car seat, or toys on the plane. (Next time, let's work on that breast pump!) And, a big thanks to David for letting me go and spend some time with my family. You were definitely missed.

It is, however, nice to be home. I am hoping that we can stay home for awhile. All of this traveling has thrown Olivia's sleep habits into a downward spiral and I'm not sure how many more sleepless nights I can take.

***And, Blogger, I think you have just officially replaced my breast pump as my new enemy. You and your spaces in unnecessary places, your old-school picture uploads, and your sometimes centering and sometimes justifying to the left. You make me not want to post pictures. And, hear this, BLOGGER, that's why I'm doing this in the first place.