day 3, June 14th, Giants game day

IWith our early bedtime the day before Max was up at 545 West coast time. So we took the opportunity to get a move on it early. Robb made some egg mcmuffins and I feed Max and got packed up for our trip back to SF and then on to Napa. It was a bright, sunny day! We had some beautiful vista and stopped along the way for some pictures of the surroundings. We found some 'happy cows" from CA and sheepies. The trip was much more enjoyable for all of us. We got into San Fran a little early and drove past the finish line for the Escape to Alcatraz triathalon. What a fabulous day for it! I think is was in the mid 70's when we got in. We parked in a pier just down from AT &T stadium. What a awesome stadium. Seriously, I just kept thinking, wow this is great! Outdoors, on a great day with a beer and some baseball! The Giants were playing their across bay rivals the Oakland A's. I think we knew more A's names than Giants but we still rooted for the home team. Robb prepared us ahead of time by buying me a jersey with Akerson 2 on the back ( my number, same as my vikings jersey =)), Robb got a hat and Max got a little Giants hoodie! We had so much fun, I am so glad we made the trip back down and we were able to make it to a game! Max fell fell asleep on the way out so we took aour time getting back to the car. We recieved a B&B gift card from our wedding and decided to cash it in on a B&B in Napa Valley. So, we headed up to Napa after the game. It was a relatively short drive. Napa was different than I had suspected. The B&B was great. Very nice and fun. I don't think they get many babies though. I think we got a few looks. By the time we got in it had been a long day and we just wanted to unwind. Lotsa driving and sitting through the game and getting out of the parking lot and driving again. We needed a simple dinner so we got some take in and got comfy. I set up my new laptop we bought at costco and we googled. On the drive into SF I saw a target and we made a stop. Can't pass up a target, no way! right next door was Costco, so we took a look. We had been talking this last year about getting me a new computer, so we just did it. yay!

Anyway, we looked at the map and planned out our day in Napa and the route back to Point Arena.

Say Hey, I love you

Day 2, June 13th, Adventure Day

We started the day nice and early! Our first adventure to look around the place, since we arrived in the dark! Next, we went into the town to the north to find some grub! We rung up quite a large tab! California is EXPENSIVE! But, he had groceries. We headed home with our loot and made it back in time for an informational meeting with other late arrivals. By the time I got back from learning about the lay for the land and local to-do's Robb had made a pancake, egg and bacon breakfast! Yummy!!

Then, we piled back into the car to see the local working fishing pier. We got to see lotsa doggies and one fisherman's catches of the day. Rockfish are the fish in the area. After that, we drove up into Anchor bay briefly and into Gualala. There are many little restaurants and "hippy shops" as Robb calls them. On the drive back, Max feel asleep so we thought we'd drive around to get familiar with the area and let him sleep for awhile. We decided to head to a town inland for a winery there. It felt like time for some wine! Little did we know that the road went up into mountains and was very windy. I pretty much sat white knuckled while Robb navigated. Just a little uneasy to look out and see nothing because the bottom is no where to be seen. Our 27 mile ride took a little over an hour but we found the Anderson Valley Vineyards! It was pretty neat to get to do a wine tasting. We both had never done one so we had lots to learn about. Our first stop was at Zina Hyde Cunningham tasting room. We had the classic flight. mmmm wine! We bought a bottle of Riesling and moved on. We found Anderson Valley Brewery for Robb. Robb did a taste testing while Max got his fill. By now it was 4pm with most vineyards closing at 5pm so we picked one more and got movin. Meyers Family Cellars was our pick. It was just another tasting room but they had a cute little playground area outside so all three of us got to have a little fun. After the taste test we took Max to the swing and had a little fun. We were the only ones there and taste just two of their best the Cabernet Savignon and Port. We learned a bunch about wine and the area. We bought a bottle of port and then headed home. I was just as nervous driving back. Its hard to think about one slip and we are doing a thelma and lousie ending. One positive, I loaded my ipod before we left full of travelin' music and we found a song that would be "our" trip song. It was "say hey, I love you" by Michael Franti and Spearhead. Great song! Alas, we made it back unscathed! We made a noodle hotdish ( you can take us out of MN, but not the MN out of us!) and we were all so tired from our big day of adventure ( and wine!) that we retired early. I think 9pm CA time. Probably good with our exciting day back to San Fran tomorrow!

California Cruisin

Day 1, June 12th, travel day

We left the house around 9am to get a brueggers breakfast and then head to granpa ray's for a lift to the airport. We got to the airport with plenty of time for our 1145 flight to San Francisco. We were in the last row on the plane and it was packed. Max did awesome! He never cried; he did let out a few excited squeals though. Robb got to play his Nintendo DS and Max was very interested in learning. We got to the airport doing well. The rental car line however, was a nuisance. 2 hours we sat inline to get our car. Since we used frequent flyer miles on our airline tickets and got the timeshare from my mom we thought we'd go all out on the car. We got a black mustang convertible for our coast cruisin'. We also rented a GPS and carseat. Let me just say the GPS is neat and has come in handy, but I wish we would have brought our own carseat. I haven't looked but I think the carseat is really old.

So, after we got out to the car and jenga-ed our luggage into the car we set sail. Well until we hit the hwy at 5pm on a friday. Lets just say rush hour stinks in CA. Sure was neat to see some new sights though. Max did well for most of the trip. It took us about 4.5 hours to get to our timeshare, up the CA coast. Thats with a few pit stops. We drove HWy 1 along the coast for a few miles which is SO beautiful, but very windy and slow driving. Lots of mountains, too, which means equalizing the pressure in your ears which is hard to explain to a baby.

We got to our cute little cabin about 930pm. It is a single wide modular home, that had been a campground previously. It is perfect for our needs though. There is a full kitchen and bathroom, one bedroom and a pullout couch. The kitchen even has granite counter! All of about 5 feet of countertop, but its granite! So I got us all unpacked and settled. Then we took a snooze to energize for a nice day of exploring. ( we made a make-shift bed for Max in our big suitcase with pillows and the extra blanket!)

Mother's Day in Hindsight

Okay, so I will probably ramble my way through this one. Beware! So heading into this past weekend I was anxious knowing that I had to work and we were having Max baptized on Sunday with 20+ people coming over afterwards. We cleaned like crazy on saturday, then I went to work and left whatever was left to my AMAZING husband. I know full well what he is capable of and he definitely came through! I just feel bad about leaving him with all of it and also want to help and learn from his ways. Sunday morning we were all business putting the finishing touches on everything and getting cleaned up. There was no time for any of thoughts. In the car on the way to church, I looked over and at Robb and said "lets just enjoy the day now" meaning we can't worry about what didn't get done or what was going to happen. The planning and preparing were over and I wanted to enjoy the day.

Max looked so handsome in my brothers little romper ( pictures to follow!) and he did well in church, despite having so much activity all morning he refused to nap! The baptisms are included in the church service so we knew we couldn't just walk out if he got loud! I got a bit nervous when he started "singing" along with the songs before we got to the baptism. But once we were up there Max was great! He was such a ham, too! When Pastor Tim walked around introducing him to the congregation, he took in that applause and gave them his biggest grin! That's our boy! After that, I was so overwhelmed with emotion! The flood gates totally opened! I was so proud of him and glad to have this day here. I kept looking at him thinking, I would not be a mother if it weren't for you!

I couldn't help thinking back to that day in the doctors office when they told me I had a uterine septum and would most likely never have a baby! At 24, I was so depressed. I went through a somewhat angry phase with God, thinking how cruel to put this much desire and love for children in a person who couldn't bear them. I prayed through it and got to a place where I was what I thought okay with it. When I met Robb and I knew he was the "one" ( after date 3) I had to tell him the news that I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to have his babies and if he wanted to get out, now was the chance. ( I really did tell him this after only about a month of dating, I figured cut my losses before I got too attached) He must love me because that didn't scare him off. Robb always told me, I love you not your ability to have babies. We had a plan that if we didn't have a baby after our first year of marriage we would start the adoption process. The rest of this story goes downhill, for a bit. I found a new MD that told me that I would have babies and that it would be his personal challenge to make it happen. Immediately, I had a new hero! Someone that gave me hope! Of course, Robb had always told he this, too! After we got married we tried and had 3 somewhat public miscarriages (we had no problem getting pregnant!). We had some thrilling highs and heartbreaking lows ( and I should have bought stock in pregnancy tests!) I was truly blessed with a wonderful husband who never gave up faith. He picked me up everytime and we got through all of them. We have truly great family and friends that prayed us through, too! After the 3 the MD was ready to "do' something about all of this. I had a surgery on my uterus in Jan 2008 and the very next month our little miracle began to grow!

I had some bleeding, again at 6 weeks, like I did will all the pregnancies. I was convinced going in to the ultrasound that I was miscarrying yet again. But, he was there. Still too small to see the heartbeat, but there! I was a puddle! However, my MD remained positive and said when i came back in two weeks, we'd see so much more! He was right! Two weeks later we walked in the office barely breathing we were so nervous. I was a pro at these ultrasounds by now and right away I saw that he had a nice strong heart. I looked at Robb with tears and he looked at me and said " I see it!" We never offically had made it to 8 weeks before. I guess I kept my heart guarded because it wasn't until 20 weeks that I actually let myself believe I was having a baby! Maybe I just didn't know what it was "supposed" to feel like. I mean I would daydream about our little "golfball head" but I didn't really let it in. I refused to let myself think about what labor room I'd be in or what our birth story would be. I just wanted to experience it. After 41 weeks; I did! I went into labor the day I was supposed to go in for an induction. My water broke on the way into the hospital and I experienced some wonderful contractions! I loved it! I loved feeling them, knowing it meant I was going to meet this little person. Once he was here he never left my sight. I guess it took until Mother's Day for it to really sink in. He is our baby. The one we prayed for, the one we hoped for. Its so surreal. God is amazing. He does hear prayers and answer them, too. You just have to be open to hearing and seeing Him have His mysterious timing and graceful ways!

So, now I sit here, a mother, who just experienced her first mother's day. More in love with this amazing life that has been bestowed upon me. I am humbled. I feel so blessed to have a healthy and happy husband and son. I should not ask for more..

Snipped by the clippers

So, today we had our first urgent care visit! I hoped that it would be because Max did something "all-boy" or at least that he would be the one to do it. But, no, it was me. I was trying to clip his nails and got a little more than his nail in the clipper! Ouch! I felt so bad. I will only file from now on. He only cried for a few seconds; I think I cried longer. You never try to hurt your baby. But I felt so bad knowing that I did it. After 20 minutes and trying everything a "good nurse" should we headed to urgent care. They really didn't do anything for us. I felt pretty silly by the time we left. Apparently you should just let it bleed itself out, no pincing it or holding it above the heart. I guess I panicked a little! It just wouldn't stop. He's all better now! I know that I didn't seriously mame him but I sure felt like it. Maybe I'll try the triage nurse first next time.

Other than that .. Max and I ran errands today, trying to get ready for the big baptism this weekend. I had heard of this neat idea to have my wedding dress refigured into a baptismal outfit but I waited to long to have it made and everyone I checked with didn't have time to do it. So the next best thing was to ask my mom if she still had my baptism outfit and she thought she did. No luck finding it, however she did find my lil brothers romper. We tried it on Max yesterday and it fit, perhaps a little snug, but it fits! I am so excited for him to wear it! So much work is going into this day.. and its a bummer that when we planned it I didn't have to work this weekend, now I do. So I will be trying to get as much done in the AM as possible and then going to work all weekend. I guess I will leave a lot of it to my super-dad husband! He is always so good and pulling it all together! I should probably get some rest so I can help do my part this weekend! Have a great weekend!

Little hands

Max has started doing so much more in just the last few weeks its amazing. But what I notice the most is how much I love his little hands. He will grab anything with both hands and of course bring it right to his mouth. Today it was my apple, he thought that it tasted pretty good and sucked on it for a few minutes. I love how cute his hands are! The are so much like Robb's but smaller. And soft! I love when his is nursing or about to fall asleep and he is feeling everything he can. He is just learning about his surroundings, its so fun to watch him learn. I get tingles ( the meant to be tingles) when he rubs my arm or back when I am holding him. He also thinks its so funny when he puts his fingers in my mouth and I suck on them. I tell him they taste like whatever food sounds good at the time. He does this cute belly laugh now, too!

Yesterday the poor baby had a shot ( five month) and he did so well. Cried after it happened and then just sniffles as we walked out. I brought a bottle with so he could calm down and get a little snack. I fed it to him out in the car and he had a massive blow-out, so I had to clean him up-- right there in the back seat of the car! Poor kid, like the shot wasn't enough then wrestling him for a diaper change in the car!

Uggh, now I sit here thinking.. what was the other stuff that I keep mentally saying .."oh I should remember to blog about that".. Oh well.. its after midnight I should sleep while the baby sleeps!

Just the beginning

Since my alarm clock (Max) has woken me up at 0430 the last few nights and now I can't get back to sleep I thought I would finally get around to trying out this blogging thing. Max turned 5 months yesterday and I wanted some type of journal/record of what he's doing and when! Let me start by saying that he is the best thing I have ever done, well besides marrying my husband. Sometimes I can't believe he is mine and I am not just nannying!
He is constant motion, I tell ya! Within the last week he has started to consistently roll over both ways, sit up unassisted for a few minutes and found his feet ( still can't figre out how to get the toes into his mouth yet!). No teeth yet and I am okay with this for now, much less anxiety about nursing him anyway. He has been a pretty good sleeper, with the current exception of the last two nights. He had been on a roll of sleeping from 830pm to 7am there for a while. Obviously he got my sleeping gene. Speaking of sleeping I think I shall try doing that since he seems to be back "resting"