We Survived the Holidays

Traveling 350 miles is not an easy feat with a two month old. Add in a very needy cat, and it's nearly impossible. A trip that had taken Arna and I about five hours took nine! I knew that it would take longer since we had a baby with us, but I had no idea just how challenging it would be...

At 9am we had our bags packed and I entertained Bluma as Arna went to start organzining our things into our Rav4. The first problem was discovered shortly thereafter - the battery in the Rav was dead.

I won't point any fingers, but let's just say that somebody left an interior light on when somebody was cleaning out the car the night before.

Anyway, the car was jumped and packed. Several nonessential items were abandoned and we still crammed in like sardines.

We had to stop every hour for some reason or another. Three hours into the drive, and we hadn't even made it to Des Moines. It was clear that we were in for a lonnnnnng day.

Nine torturous hours and some tears later, we made it to my parents' house and enjoyed our time with them.



On Christmas Day, we switched hosts and drove to Arna's parents' house.



We drove back to Iowa a few days later. The trip home was a bit easier. Maybe because we knew what to expect and just how bad it could be. It was only seven hours that time.

Bluma had her two month appointment and tipped the scales 13lbs 14oz. In the two weeks since she'd been there she had gained a pound. She's in the 90th percentile for her growth and speeding past her developmental milestones. The cool things she does now:

- Smiles constantly

- Demands entertainment

- Pushes herself up on her elbows during "tummy time"

- Grabs at her toys

- Sings and coos

-Typically will sleep for a 6-8 hour stretch at night