California Vacation

This is our post from Shafter. I'm not sure if I'll get around to posting again until after Easter but this is what we've done so far. It's Monday, and the last four days have been hectic, full, warm, wonderful. This morning Luke and I are sitting around trying to recover.

Thursday we travelled, and Luke was a wonderful travel companion. If I had to choose somebody to sit on my lap in a very small space for a very long time, it would, hands down, be Luke. We were both very tired of one another by the end of the day, but somehow we both really needed one another to get through the day too. It was especially helpful to have a baby that isn't shy, because several women on the plane offered to hold him for me and he was happily passed around. Every now and then he would look over one of the women's shoulder and smile at me before going back to reading a book, or playing with a cup, or playing peek-a-boo. I was able to get myself a cup of coffee and sit and drink it in peace! It's amazing what you CAN'T do with a baby in your lap. Especially when the guy in front of you tilts his seat back and shortens your range of motion even more.

Friday we visited. We visited Amanda and Ezekiel, Dad and Brian, Gramma and Grampa (my Dad's parents), and when we could visit no more, we drove to Fresno. On the way to Fresno we had an "Oops" moment because of the time difference. Luke's body was still on Manitoba time, but I was on California time already. I didn't even think that leaving at 4:30 in the afternoon was leaving right at dinner time! Half-way to Fresno we had to stop. We HAD TO stop. So we stopped at Bravo Farms Cheese, and so far I think this was my favorite part of this trip. Luke ate fruit and cheese and macaroni and smiled at the grandmas and the bikers equally shining smiles. He squawked at the children and flapped his arms excitedly. He made friends with the waiters and the chef, and when he was done with his macaroni they brought him a free ice cream cone! His first ice cream cone! Dinner was fantastic, Luke was ecstatic, it was such a relief to stop, and so much fun.

Friday Luke also sat in the grass for the first time. It is an understatement to say that he didn't like it. He shouted and cried and whimpered in frustration. But I think we figured it out. When I first set him down he grabbed the grass and didn't seem too perturbed. It was only when I took his shoes off that he cried. His feet and legs are extremely ticklish, and he doesn't like the feel of the poky grass! I showed Dad how Luke hated the grass, started lowering Luke to the lawn and Luke pulled his arms and legs in like a little turtle and started shouting immediately. Sunday at Aunt Laurie's birthday party, Luke perfected what Melissa calls his "stink bug" walk, and Sarah calls the "spider monkey" crawl. Luke sticks his bum way up in the air and walks on his toes (he was in shoes and shorts) and finger tips to keep his legs out of the grass!

Saturday was the MCC Sale and once again I was reminded that Luke wasn't on California time yet, and our feeding schedule was all screwed up. Mom and I went to do the Run For Relief at 7am, and took Luke in his stroller. Luke got about 3/4 of a mile into the walk before he decided this getting up early business wasn't for him. Thinking he was hungry we dropped out of the race (we were walking, of course) and went to get pancakes. Pancakes were not what Luke wanted, and he let us know almost immediately. So we headed back to Melissa's house and put him down for a nap. He slept good and we headed back to the Sale for lunch. Fritters, Tri-tip sandwiches, oranges, lemonade, homemade ice cream and some sausage was all that this hungry caterpillar got through. It was sunny and hot, but we didn't have a hat, so Uncle Greg volunteered his bandana for Luke's head and the rest of the day our little ragamuffin went around bandana-ed, and wearing his new "rag" shoes. What a little hippie! We left Fresno around 2:45, went home and I mowed the lawn before dinner: taco salad with John-Mark and Melissa.

Sunday was a gorgeous day. Luke had a 2 1/2 hour nap in the morning and I got to work in the yard with Mom. We set up tables, washed chairs, cleaned off the patio, set up umbrellas, picked boquets, re-potted Mom's ficus, fixed up one of Dad's septic access holes, set four toads free, hollered at the dogs, and started BBQing for a big birthday bash with the Howletts. It was a gorgeous day in the shade with the croquet set up and the BBQ smoking. But all the visiting and the travelling and irregular eating was really starting to wear on Luke. Everyone kept saying "What a happy baby!" but I could tell he was getting tired and overstimulated.

So here we are, just the two of us and two dogs, sitting in the sun trying to calm down after four crazy days. We'll probably have lunch with Dad today, but that's our only planned outing. We are taking it easy, getting our two solid naps in, and eating three solid meals. Luke actually couldn't make it to his ten o'clock nap this morning and went down at nine. The rest of this week is still up in the air, but I think I've decided not to let it get as crazy as the last few days, and try to focus on keeping Luke on his schedule.

We're having a great time here in the sun. Saturday people were wearing jackets at the MCC Sale and I almost laughed at them. To me it was more gorgeous than Summer, it was just like heaven. It was a California Vacation.