Fall

Fall has arrived. We've had a few days of chilly temps that gave us a good excuse to burn a log in the fireplace (or, "make a campfire" as the kids call it). But it hasn't gotten cold enough to kill all the mosquitoes for the season. Damn them all. 

Corinne and I went on a bug finding mission today. The mosquitoes loved me and my sleeveless shirt. 

We passed by a picnic table pavilion where a little boy was celebrating his 5th birthday. The date did not escape me. Just when I think my emotional heart and rational head are in sync, my heart gives a little painful lurch and swoops me back, unwillingly, to five years ago. 

Then I heard "Moooooom! I found a spider!" coming from under a slide where my beautiful and healthy daughter stuck her head. So we caught the spider and brought it home. I told her it was a daddy long legs. She argued with me that it was a mommy spider, not a daddy spider, and she was going to name it "skinny legs, like in Peppa pig."

We dumped the spider in the backyard later on that night so "it could have dinner."

Later on that day, we went to a fall festival/trunk or treat at a local church. I really need to sign Evan up for baseball. Even standing back at the "big kid" line for the "festival games", he was able to throw the balls into their respective holes. Kid has an arm and excellent aim. 

Vacation to Virginia

Google says it's an 8 hour drive. Bullshit. A solid 12 hour drive with kids. Even leaving at 4a. But, on a whim I bought a dual screen DVD player that attached to the headrests. The Little Mermaid was played at least 3 times, Frozen twice, and a bunch of other movies in succession (Mary Poppins was a fail).

We stopped 6 hours in at a friend, and fellow preemie mom's house in North Carolina for lunch and a playdate. Her twins' ages are right between Corinne and Evan, so they enjoyed playing together.

We knew driving there that the weather was going to be iffy. But, in the south, rain rarely lasts for more than an hour, so we'd just have to plan our day around passing storms.

That night, we settled into our hotel (which was more like a 2 bedroom condo: it had 2 bedrooms, one with a king, one with two twins, a full kitchen, laundry, dining. living room, and porch). We were congratulating ourselves on finding such a perfect "home base" for our vacation. Corinne came down with a cough that week, so I attended to her around 3a and then settled back into my bed. But there was a mosquito in the room. I could hear it. I turned on the light to find the blasted mosquito and instead found blasted bed bugs.

Thankfully, they appeared to be congregated around the headboard in the master and in the master bed. I didn't find any in the kid's room. But we still had to go through the process the next morning of moving units, cleaning all of our belongings, etc. So, by the time this was done, it was almost noon the next day and we were TIRED. But, we did Colonial Williamsburg. It wasn't much fun for small kids. Plus, it was hot and humid. We lasted about two hours there.

The resort had an indoor pool, mini golf, and was down the street from an awesome playground. So, we did that instead.

Sleeping by herself

I've been hesitant to make this post, as I was afraid of tempting the Gods, laughing at fate, or in anyway altering the environment around me using forces we have not yet determined to exist.

About a month ago, Corinne made her bed, She spread her Frozen blanket on her bed and announced she was going to sleep in it that night BY HERSELF. Now, we've heard this many, many times before. She's all gung ho to sleep by herself and then when push comes to shove that night, she wants another warm body with her.

But that night was different. I don't know why. If I did know why, I would write a parenting book and make oodles of money.

She slept by herself. All night. And, she's been doing every night since then. I thought vacation would throw her off, but she slept better by herself than Evan did.

For the first couple of weeks, I slept in the guest room next to her room, but I have since moved back downstairs to the master. I haven't officially slept in the master since 2011. It's amazing. But, I'm keeping the door open so I can hear any small scurrying feet, or large-breaking-in-and-stealing-children feet, so the cat is in 7th heaven. She's allowed to sleep on the big bed between two warm bodies all night long.