Home sweet home

I have declared today a mental health day and I am trying to recover from our whirl wind vacation. I love traveling but the last few trips have taught me that my wanderlust is much smaller with two kids in tow.

Passed out on the drive to see a water fall.

I am not really sure where to start with sharing the adventures of our vacation. It was SO good seeing my family. I love and miss them all so much. My baby sister is now an official high school graduate, my dad is a retired Army Officer and my mom is on summer vacation from school. I am official blond again, and maybe just a bit less sane.

New hair! Happy late mother's day! :)

The whole time we were up there Drew refused to sleep. Like at all. The first week was him going to bed at 12 and waking up at 4am even with the melatonin, the second week he slept a tiny bit more (you know, 11-6 but he would wake me up from 2-3). We were so busy that it was pretty much impossible for me to nap, and by the end of the two weeks I was running on caffeine and will power. Lucky for me, Seattle is the coffee capital of the world and there was no shortage of blended sugar free white mocha's with raspberries and an extra shot. I am now going through a coffee with draw since I pretty much only drink it at moms or on Thursdays when I go into the nearest coffee shop 30 miles away.

Alynn won everyone over with her bubbly personality and red hair. (as if I had any doubt!), Drew was a crack up and kept us all laughing even though we were sleep deprived, I know that everyone is going to miss them. Drew thankfully did fantastic other than the sleeping issue. I was so incredibly proud of him. We only had one or two major breakdowns and were able to avoid more. It is so incredibly exhausting to always be conscious of what he is doing, how is is responding and avoiding things that would set him off. I am so worn out from that alone I think I could sleep for a week. I was told while I was up there that someone doesn't think he is autistic or has sensory issues but that I need to spank him more. I think a little part of me died. I am glad he was acting "Normal" but that it only because of me being always aware and setting him up to succeed. I am still going with my gut and we will still be testing this summer and fall until I am content with our answers.

One of the best things from our vacation was meeting another special needs mom. Debbie was completely amazing and a huge advocate for autism. She let me pick her brain, invited me to her support group, and let me tag along with them to her son's therapy. But most importantly she told me I wasn't crazy and that I needed to fight for him until I was happy. Only Nayt and I know what is going on behind closed doors with him and only we can get him the help he needs. Drew's eating, sleeping and break downs are NOT normal of a 3 year old. It was huge to hear all that.

It was a very interesting trip too. I fell head over heels in love with down town Seattle. I loved the busy striving urban feel and think that once the kids are out of the house Nayt and I will be moving there for a year or so doing things for his bar. I wouldn't want to live there permanently but for a year it would be fun.We got to go to a Saturday market, pikes place market, see a drug deal going down.  watch my sister kick butt performing, (and get her uncut new cd!), do a photo shoot in a grave yard and watch a Army retirement ceremony which is an amazing to watch.

And than there was the air plane ride. Oh god I now hate flying. i am so sad that becoming a mom has sucked all my love of flying out of me. I am even dreading the flight to North Carolina next month even though it is just Nayt and I. I thought I was so prepared, I have Drew is air sickness meds, joint compression, his tight swim shirt for body compressing, melatonin and told him every day for 2 weeks that we were going to go on an airplane to see daddy. He loves planes so we told him about the plane, about what to expect, about the pilot, anything and everything I could think of. I had snacks, toys, books, movies, everything all set. All my prep work and he was fast asleep before we even took off. Alynn played with me for a bit, than she fell asleep too. An hour into our 2 hour flight I thought I was home free, I let myself relax and even thought, "This is easy! I could do this again!" And that was my fatal mistake. Alynn woke up first and poked her sleeping brother in the face, waking the over tired sleeping animal. He started screaming, thrashing, biting his fingers, hitting me and sister, and trying to bang his head on the airplane window. Which maked Alynn cry. I get them settled and he falls back asleep, than we hit the turbulence. 15 minutes from home. I sit there praying Drew sleeps through it and I don't get a visit from his cheeseburger from wendy's. I didn't even think about Alynn until she was hurling all over me. Down my shirt, bra and moby wrap, down my legs, in my hair right as we touched down. I juggle us all out of the plane, puke and all, and my bag goes flying from the stroller, spilling sippy cups, snacks and toys everywhere. Finally I make it into the air port, and find the nearest bathroom where Drew goes flying out of the stroller trying to get out to the escalator. Thank God for two kind ladies who chased him down and let me pee. I have never been so happy to see Nayt waiting for me.

Next summer, people can come see us.

What I came home to!