Getting Ready for Aunt Shell's Visit

Note From Aunt Shell:

Good Morning "Abby G",
It is Thursday morning, November 13th and in one week and one day I am getting on an airplane that will take me to "Hotlanta" and then on another airplane that will take me to Dayton. I am very excited to see you. I have not seen you in almost a year and from the pictures I have seen you are growing, growing, growing. I was wondering if there is anyting that you would like to do with me while I am there. If you come up with any ideas just let me know and I will do my best to accomodate your request. I talked to uncle Rob and asked him to make a turkey and he said he would and we could have Thanksgiving dinner early as I will not be there on the actual day. You will learn that this family does stuff like that occasionally and it is usually pretty fun.

Well, I need to get ready for work so I will sign off for now.
I love you and look forward to seeing you next week.

Aunt Shell

Another Note from Aunt Shell - Nov 7, 2008

Hello Abigail,

Aunt Shell here again. I just wanted to let you know that when I said in your blog comment section, I will see you soon, I meant soon. I am going to leave warm sunny Florida on November 21 and travel to Dayton. I am so looking forward to seeing you, your mommy, daddy and fancy and bella. I also will visit with the rest of the family, papaw, nana, uncle rob & aunt jeannie, uncle david & aunt catlin, and even great grandmother. My visit will not be a long one but I hope to make the most and best use of my time there.

I hope your teeth are feeling better. I know about getting cranky when teeth hurt...I get really really cranky when my teeth hurt. My recommendation is when your teeth are hurting just let mommy and daddy know that you need a popcicle or something cold and sweet is a nice bonus. I am not sure how receptive they will be to my suggestion but give it a try any way and if they do something you don't like do that new thing I have heard you are so good at...tell them no and turn your head from side to side.

Well, I need to get going but wanted to drop you a note and let you know that I am heading north and look forward to seeing you.

Hugs and Kisses and Love, Love, Love
Aunt Shell

Note from Aunt Shell - Nov 2, 2008

Hello Abigail, Aunt Shell here in Florida. I was wondering if your mommy, daddy, grandma, grandpa or nana took any pictures of you on your trip and if they did would you put them on your blog as I would enjoy seeing them. Sounds like you had a great time and are already planning for next year's trip. I love you and miss you and am looking forward to seeing you soon.

Driving Home From Vacation - October 31, 2008

Today is Friday, October 31, 2008, Halloween. We are driving the whole way home today so we got up early and left immediately. I thought we would have eaten enough food to make the car less crowded, but I think the purchases at the outlet malls took the place of all of that food. We have a plan to stop every two hours so I can walk around. I want to stop more often but every two hours will be okay. It is nice and sunny and is actually going to be warm at home too. We talk a lot about the weather, so I thought I would mention it.

We made some fun trips on the way home, including my first stop in a McDonald playland and a Taco Bell. Only the best quality for us! I was not that interested in the playland but I did enjoy some of Grandpa’s ice cream sundae. We watched a little bit of Sleeping Beauty, even though the sound did not work this time. I wore the headsets for a little bit, but they don’t fit my head very well. Oh well, I just like to look at the pictures on the TV. I don’t watch TV at home or at school so I don’t’ even know what to expect! Daddy was worried about my brain cells, but Mommy was worried about my stress level of being in a car seat for that amount of time.

Because Mr. Fancy Pants has congestive heart failure and has to take pills two times a day, he and Bella will have a nice lady named Tara come over to see them every day while we are gone. Miss Tara works at the veterinarian that helped Fancy when he was really sick so is a perfect person to come visit with him while we are gone. We checked in one time during the week and Miss Tara said that Bella even let Tara pet her. That is a great sign! I can’t wait to see my kitty cats.

Vacation Towards the End - Hilton Head SC

It was very chilly on Tuesday and Wednesday so we bundled up and stayed closer to the villas. We did go to the indoor pool again, that was really fun. The days were full of walking around the villa, playing my new purse that Nana bought me. It is really cool, it has a wallet and “cards”, keys, my phone, my glasses case and anything else I feel like putting into it. Nana got this for me so I might stop getting into Mommy’s purse and cards. It has not stopped me completely but I really do like my very own purse.

It got warmer again on Thursday but it was very breezy at the beach. Mommy, Daddy, Nana and I walked out there to play for a bit but after a few pictures and lots of sand in our faces, we decided to head in to the pool area. It was very sunny without a cloud in the sky, so Grandma, Grandpa, Nana and Mommy hung outside by the pool while Daddy stayed in with me while I napped. What a relaxing day.

Thursday night I put on my Halloween costume (a lady bug) and we went to another Marriott property called the Barony. They were having a party with lots of kids dressed up! There was even another little girl who was a lady bug too. I won a prize for the prettiest costume! I have a certificate and prize and everything. We painted a pumpkin that we are bringing home (against Daddy’s better judgment). Even though I cannot eat the chocolate or candy they had, we did get some pieces for Grandpa. He really likes chocolate and sweets, just like Mommy.

The sleeping situation this week has changed by the day and night. At first I was in the room with Daddy, Mommy and Nana but after I got up at 3 am the first night (and got to get into bed with Mommy and Daddy), then 6 am the next morning, my bed was moved to the hallway for the night. This meant that everyone had to be really quiet when I went to bed but it also meant that we all slept a little later. During the day, my bed was back in the bedroom where it was quiet. It seemed to work pretty well, I am a good sleeper most of the time.

Vacation Continued - Hilton Head SC

I have been a little out of sorts this week, as I am cutting a tooth, a really big one too. It’s on the right side of my mouth on the bottom and it not only is taking a really long time to come through, but it hurts all the time too. This has caused me to be a bit more irritable than I normally am. Now, everyone would tell you that I am a very happy girl, so it’s not like I am in really bad spirits, but I have felt a bit “vexed” and not as open to the good times as normal.

Sunday Daddy and Grandpa went golfing and Nana, Mommy and Grandma and I went to the outlet malls. Mommy planned to buy me some clothes but did not find anything. Instead, she found some things for herself! Nana was a real trooper and hung out with me while Mommy tried on clothes with Grandma. After the trip, the four of us went to the pool. It was cool but very sunny. Mommy was thinking that I would like the sprinkle park but instead I headed straight to the outdoor pool! Don’t worry, this was as warm as my bath too. Mommy jumped in and she and I played and splashed and moved all around the pool. I just love swimming. Mommy is a little concerned about my lack of fear around the pool, so she did lots of “goal tending” as we went on our walks around the villas during the day.

On Monday, the weather was pretty nice so we all went to the beach to enjoy the sand and waves. I loved walking on the beach and crashing Daddy’s attempts at a sand castle. I loved to use the shovel and break the sand apart. Daddy kept asking me why I was doing it, but I thought he was making the castle for me to destroy. Sometimes Daddy asks such silly questions.

That night Daddy and Mommy went out to the hot tub while I hung out with Nana, Grandma and Grandpa. Some of my favorite times on the trips were just hanging out with them in our villa. I got my hands on Grandma’s glasses case and walked around with it. I am getting very good at shaking my head “no” and can respond with this head shaking when asked a question like, “Abigail, will you give Grandma back her glasses case?

Vacation in Hilton Head, SC

We arrived in Hilton Head in the (cold) pouring rain. Daddy and Grandpa actually had to drive quite a long time in the rain and it did not let up when we arrived at the Marriott Surfwatch “villas” (that is what they call the place we stay in). We had to hang out by the front desk for a bit while our room was getting ready. Once it was, we unpacked what seemed to be enough food for an army, all of our bags and my toys. Mommy and Nana went out for a few grocery items (I do not understand why we needed any more food!) and Grandma made pasta for dinner. You see, we come to this vacation prepared to eat in. For those of you who know Mommy can imagine that we, of course, have a spreadsheet with all of the food (and clothing and such) we should bring each year and Mommy, Nana and Grandma split up the list and all contribute for the meals. Daddy noted that when Mommy created the list last year she was still nursing and was not drinking wine with Daddy, so she did not factor that into the calculations on alcohol needs for the week. We will promptly rectify this situation on the spreadsheet for next year’s trip (which of course we are already thinking about).

After dinner we went to the pool. Don’t worry, it was an indoor pool and the water felt as warm as my bath. I have a new floater so I can splash and kick by myself in the pool. Don’t worry, Mommy and Daddy went in with me and we all splashed and played and talked to the other kids who were playing too, even though it was rainy and cold outside.

The next morning I woke up very early, so Daddy and I went for a walk on the beach. Boy it was cold and the tide was “high” (no, not the song, but really, it was high), so it was a short walk. We came out later in the day when it was warmer. I got to ride in my backpack while Mommy and Daddy walked the beach like we did last year. It was fun to be by the ocean again.

Vacation - To Anderson SC, October 24, 2008

The next morning seemed like any other morning, except that Grandma, Grandpa were at our house and instead of getting ready for school, we packed two cars and drove away. I am a very good traveler, especially when Nana is the back seat of our “SUV”, aka sport utility van with me. She is so funny and plays and reads and makes funny faces with me. We even got to watch “Finding Nemo” which has lots of pretty colors in it.

On Thursday we drove to a place called Anderson South Carolina where Joey, Lisa and their two puppy dogs (Tate and Hayden) live. We had plans to meet them (not Tate and Hayden) at the Outback Steakhouse for dinner. Mommy and Daddy were very excited about eating at Outback and had already decided what they were going to order. I think that’s funny, but I guess if you have a favorite thing to eat, you should order it (like how I love animal crackers and how I loved Ritz crackers on our trip to Colorado). By the way, Ritz Crackers are “dead to me” now, I am on to new things. We had a good time at dinner. Joey and Lisa are so funny! I sat between Mommy and Lisa and kept them very busy because I am a tall girl and like to grab plates, knives and other people’s food. I did eat my own broccoli and some grilled cheese sandwich, but there is so much to do at restaurants! I also got some crayons but still prefer to eat them versus draw with them. I went for a few walks around the restaurant and then it was time to go. We took a short trip to Lisa and Joey’s house to see the puppies, it was very fun! They had the funniest thing in their house, it was the head of a deer standing on the wall (I could not see the rest of the body) and it sang and moved back and forth. I must say, I have not seen a deer up so close and I have never heard them singing either. The puppies loved me! They jumped (and almost knocked me down in their excitement) and licked and ran around. After a little bit I told everyone that I was ready for bed. Because Nana, Mommy, Daddy and I were all in one room, Mommy and Nana went out for a bit while I stayed with Daddy (and in theory was to go to sleep). This plan did not work out that well, as I just could not get to sleep. So Daddy walked with me, shh’d me, sat on the bed with me and rubbed my back trying to help me sleep. He even sat in the bathroom reading the newspaper so I could have all of the lights off in the room. When Nana and Mommy returned, they got ready for bed quickly, turned off the lights and we all went to sleep. I guess I just wanted everyone to go to bed at the same time. I did not wake up in the middle of the night like I sometimes do but I was up early! After we got ready, Nana, Mommy, Daddy and I went to breakfast at Lisa and Joey’s. We had a great time visiting again then were off on the last leg of our trip to Hilton Head.

Pre-Vacation - October 23, 2008

We are on vacation again! I love vacation! We made our 2nd annual trek to Hilton Head, South Carolina with Grandma, Grandpa and Nana. We left on a Thursday this time so I only went to school three days the week we left. Grandma, Grandpa and Nana came to our house on Wednesday so we would be ready to leave bright and early Thursday morning. They were already at the house when Daddy and I got home, it was a great surprise. I had my “oh my goodness, I am so surprised and happy” look on my face. I use this face whenever possible because then everyone else puts on their “oh my goodness, I am happy” faces too. We played and walked around the whole house as Mommy and Daddy started getting the cars packed. Yes, I walk everywhere now. Crawling is for babies and I am a big girl now. Crawling is “dead to me” as Mommy might say.

For another surprise, our friends Jana and Dan were in town for the weekend and came over to see me too! It was like a party for me! Actually, anytime we have people over seems like a party for me. As usual, I spilled something all over Jana. This time it was milk. She is a good sport and was more concerned about our floor than her clothes. I am used to spilling things and actually like to see what happens when I drop and throw things so did not mind this situation at all.

After Jana and Dan left, I went to bed and the evening was nice, except for a very unfortunate and very poor customer experience Mommy had with the Dish Network people. Mommy can be very calm and will work through issues with customer service people, but when they do not listen to what she is saying and continue to read their script as if Mommy was not talking at all, she gets very frustrated. She was on the phone for over 40 minutes and spoke to three different people. Needless to say, we do not have Dish Network anymore and Mommy would caution anyone from getting Dish Network because their customer service is so bad. Mommy still can’t believe how bad they were and is moving on to a new cable company.