Nashville~Part I

Howdy you'll! We made it to Nashville!

FRIDAY

The kids and I flew in while Matt drove down. Nate loved the airport and getting to see the planes. But he especially loved the luggage cars. We had some time to wait for our plane and enjoyed a little shopping too! I was so nervous about how the kids would do on the flight that I forgot how I don’t like to fly. Or maybe I just realized that. During the take-off I was doing my deep breathing so I wouldn't pass out. Audrey noticed and thought that I looked funny. I probably did! But it didn’t make it any better when she smiled and said, “It feels like we’re falling, mom!” From the airport we hopped a shuttle to the hotel and started to find a place for lunch. I hate being someplace and not knowing where to find food. Nate was on a steady diet of McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin, M&M's and Doritos's. He doesn't eat very well when he is in a new environment. After Matt arrived, I had us checked into the hotel. We threw everything in our room and headed out to the mall and stopped for dinner.

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SATURDAY

In the morning we headed out early to take the kids to the zoo. It was Audrey's choice for a non-LPA event. I thought that it was an important thing to do since this was our family vacation too. Not fair to make it all about him. We had a great time but could have done without the humidity. We saw Giraffes, Elephants, Lorikeets, Meer Kats, Tigers, Lynxes, Clouded Leopards, Alligators as well as amphibians, reptiles, fish and spiders. We even saw bats which Nate screamed at and started to cry. He didn't like that they flew. Guess it's better when animals don't move! We played on their big play scape and hit the gift shop before a little sprinkle of rain showed up. Happy to get to the air conditioned car, we were hot and sweaty. Since Nate wasn't eating to well, we swung through McDonald's for some chicken nuggets (which he ate one) and headed back to the hotel. Time to hang around and bump into some familiar faces. We finally found Kim and Preston! I also ran into Katie and Bill from The Little Chocolatiers. I talked with them for awhile. Later we left for dinner and ste at Rippy’s BBQ on Broadway. Nate finally ate a PB&J sandwich!

SUNDAY

Sunday came fast. Happy 4th of July!! We ate some breakfast and then tried to spot some friends. Yeah, finally some Facebook and blogging friends were found. We had a quiet morning at the hotel and Nate was getting sleepy. Matt headed down to the 4th of July festivities at the waterfront with Audrey. I took Nate to Panera Bread for another PB&J and a yogurt smoothie! After we went for a walk and found Walgreen's which was closed. Thank God there was a Dollar General across the street and I shopped there. Got a few munchies for the room. On the way back to the hotel Nate fell asleep and I took him straight to the hotel room for his nap. By the time he woke up it was a race to get him ready and head out for dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory with our POLP's. I wasn't expecting to wait 30 minutes for an elevator and by the time we walked over to the restaurant it was already 5:30. We were to be there at 5:00. There were 9 more of us left to be seated and they wouldn't let us till 6. That really sucked because everyone else was in the first seating and all the kids got to hang out with each other. They were ready to head down to the fireworks while we were eating our dinner. We thought about going but after we got outside and saw the massive crowd I knew Nate wouldn't do well. I was having a hard time getting the stroller through the crowd. I gave up and headed back to the hotel. Plus, I forgot ear plugs and that wouldn’t have gone very well. I figured we watch them on TV, after all Detroit's fireworks are televised. I watched NY City's beautiful fireworks on TV instead because they don't televise Nashville's. Big bummer!

MONDAY

Today was a busy day! We started by driving out to the Loveless Cafe for breakfast. It was really good and the homemade preserves with biscuits were to die for. Then we rushed back to make it for Nate's first doctors appointment (appt). First appt was with Dr Yahner a nutritionist. I get concerned over my kids eating habits but Nate is normal. I did learn that his portion size needs to be really small. Boy can that kid pack it away some times. Next appt was with Dr. Jallo a neurologist. I had him examine Nate and then look at his MRI. All good news and it is very unlikely that Nate would need decompression surgery! So we are done with neurologist. We did the free hearing screening in which they said Nate didn't pass on his left ear. We see our ENT in August and will talk about it then. After some lunch Nate had his last appt with Dr. McKenzie an orthopedist. He checked him head to toe and after answering some concern we were giving a clean bill of health. So unless anything of major concern comes up the next National will be more social. Trying to fill in the blanks, my memory has escaped me. I can’t remember what happened after Nate’s last appt. He probably napped and then we headed someplace for dinner.

Ketchup!!

I can’t believe that so much time has gotten away from me. In a week the family leaves for Nashville, TN. By that time I will have so much to blog about as if I don’t already. It’s been two months since I’ve posted anything. Maybe some will understand how much it takes to stay on top of blogging, Facebook, e-mails, general surfing and research. I was starting to have a deep and meaningful relationship with my computer. I missed the interaction with my family and seeing Nate cry because I pulled out the laptop finally did me in. I stepped back from blogging and have drastically cut back my Facebook. Really, it was the Facebook that fueled the obsession.

I left off some place back in May. I can hardly remember what I did the day before and now I have to think back that far? I’ll just hit the highlights. I talked about Nate starting Speech Therapy. He went a total of 6 times before the end of the year (school year). He is not much for the school scene and barely wants to interact but that’s okay. Nate likes to hang back and observe and he definitely absorbs everything in. He has really increased his vocabulary. He still needs help in pronunciation which will come in time.

Audrey has finished Kindergarten and graduated to the 1st Grade. It was bittersweet. I’m so proud of her but there is the realization that she is growing up and with that more white hairs have popped up on my head. I once again have planted a garden this year. I was a week behind in getting everything planted and had to replant some plants that died. This year I planted a little less and some different things. I have tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow bell peppers, onions, red cabbage, broccoli, cilantro and my herbs; oregano, thyme and chives. Usually I’m super-psyched about gardening but the bug isn’t hitting me. Maybe I’m just thinking about my vacation.

So you may be wondering what I have been doing in all my non-computer time. Well, I joined a gym! I need to work out and lose all the pregnancy weight. I need to be healthy for my family and hopefully not be sick anymore. I get to put Nate (Audrey too) in childcare which is good for him in socializing and increasing his vocabulary. I was going on a pretty regular basis until my kids decided to be sick. Nate came down with a sinus infection in late April which we treated. In about 3 weeks he came down with his second sinus infection which again needed antibiotics. The second was the worst because it spread to his eyes. He woke up in the morning with his eyes glued shut. I had enough, I requested to see and allergist. Of all the times he has gotten sick, it must be due to him having allergies. This week we found out that he is allergic to dogs and we have one! Short from getting rid of the dog, we can treat him with antihistamines and use an air purifier. I have been in super cleaning mode to eliminate as much dog hair as possible. Or should I say impossible. I won’t be sorry when his times up, I just have to wait another 10 years or so. I was also told that when you have allergies you are more susceptible to colds and other things. The picture is more clear now. On a side note at the doctor’s office today was a very friendly stray cat that Audrey tried to take home. Really, that darn thing actually jumped in my car as I opened the door. Why was I at the doctor’s today? Seven days till Nashville and Audrey got Strep Throat. This has been a bad year of ailments. I’ve paid my dues, my doctors are rich!!

We also went to a small farm to see some animals. I happen to run into an old college friend and her 3 year old son. We got together for the kids to play and for us to catch up. It was so nice. I hope that we have more time to get together.

I’ll end it here with more things to come.

District 5 Spring Regional

Maybe it’s time to update the blog! Once again I start to write and get sidetracked and then never get back to it.

Nate and I attended our first regional on April 17th. We had a good time getting to meet new people. I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more younger kids for Nate there. I bumped into a mom that I haven’t seen in a year. She has a beautiful 3 year old daughter with Achondroplasia. We talked for a little bit. I realized that I didn’t push myself to get to know more people. I wish I was the social butterfly that my daughter is. Things are pretty laid back at a regional. I attended a parent’s meeting, general meeting and then traveled to the site for the DAAA games. This was our first time checking things out there. Nate really enjoyed watching the kids play soccer. Maybe something he would be interested in. He’ll reach the age requirement by the National in Dallas, TX.

Nate has also started speech therapy. At first, I thought he was doing real well. He was saying some new words and I figure that “explosion of language” was going to come. After several attempts to get him to use words instead of screaming he would eventually just laugh at me. He amazingly knows what everything is but just can’t get those words to come out. Since a few meetings, he is trying more and becoming easier to understand. Our next meeting we are going to meet another LP! I think I may know who it is (they can’t tell us.)

Audrey has another month or so of school left. I’m excited to get the break but it only means that summer is around the corner. We have packed a lot into our summer this year. Audrey has 2 camps and we have Nashville. Around all that, I have my mom coming in from Iowa and we still have to find time for our trip to Northern Michigan. Most of this except for Nashville will be rudely interrupted due to me having to be in court. I’m an eyewitness and am therefore required to appear. It would be so much easier if the a**hole would just plead guilty (it knows it is guilty and they have evidence) and waive it’s right to a trial. But it wants everyone else to suffer and be miserable along with it while wasting the taxpayers money. I went from being a victim to finding it my duty to make sure it isn’t on the streets anymore.

Audrey also had a field trip to a farm this week. She had a great time. I wish I could of gone but didn’t have a babysitter for Nate. She enjoyed getting to hold a baby pig! I’m just glad she didn’t ask for one! She saw cows, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, ducks, chicks, kittens, rabbits and a dog. They also had a chance to make butter. I’m awaiting photos from a friend. maybe I can post them later. Here’s a couple pictures of Nate and one of my pink dogwood tree.