Off to Detroit

I'm not posting pictures tonight since my camera and gadget I use to get the pictures onto my computer are all packed up. It's 10:40 and we just finished packing for our long weekend trip up to Detroit. Of course, I'm sure I'll lie in bed for at least 10 minutes trying to think of what I forgot to pack. With a baby, the amount of stuff you have to take on a trip is gi-normous. It's bonkers. Not only are we taking her clothes, diapers, stroller, car seat, CD's, toys, just in case stuff (e.g., Tylenol, thermometer), sun block, bibs, spoons, Baby Bjorn, etc. there is all the food that I find myself packing for her. I'm concerned that she'll need to eat when it's not necessarily meal time for the rest of us so I've packed a bunch of instant pasta, fruit cups, veggies, Cheerios, etc. If the airline staff opens my suitcase, they could probably feed a small crew. I know I could buy this stuff up there but I'd really rather not worry about it.

Our flight leaves tomorrow at 10:37 am and we arrive at 1:17 pm. Shannon's flight leaves about 15 minutes earlier than ours so we timed it pretty well. Ron & Elaine will be taking us to the airport and then we have a rental car in Detroit. Duncan just bought a new car seat this afternoon at the very LAST moment. So we'll be lugging that around to avoid the unseemly car seat rental fee. We're all staying at the Holiday Inn Express which has wireless so I'm sure I'll be posting over the weekend.

Poor Calleigh had a rough time when it came to her bum today. She's had some diarrhea (try spelling that from memory) yesterday and today. Unfortunately it's caused a bad diaper rash starting today and the poor thing just wails when I change her diaper. We're applying the Butt Paste (yes, that the name of a real product) and hopefully it will get better soon. We don't want anything to put a damper on our weekend festivities.

I should really get up to bed but I'll just share this short snippet first. One of Calleigh's favorite birthday presents was Noah's Ark. She loves the animals and I think I've mentioned in a previous post how she knows the giraffe and the zebra. We're working on the elephant now. Anyway, I really believe she's had a special affinity for the giraffe - - I think because the long neck makes it so easy to hold on to. So yesterday she was sitting in her highchair after just finishing her lunch and I had removed her tray to clean her up. All of sudden, she starts yelling "Draff, Draff." I was at the sink with my back turned so I was barely paying attention to her but she kept shouting those words so I finally came over to see what all the hoopla was about. There she was frantically pointing to a picture of a giraffe on her highchair that was in clear view when I had removed her tray. I must say it was a proud moment for me that she was able to recognize the giraffe and say it pretty decently too! And just think, there will probably be hundreds, no thousands, more of these moments to come. I can't wait!

Happy 4th of July!