Things I Learned This Trip

My dad and Nancy are on a big jet plane back to Indiana. We had a wonderful week with them here, and I wouldn't change very much of it at all. I was feeling pretty down last night as we said our goodbyes, knowing that Paprika and Ginger are growing up fast and I am sad that my Indiana family doesn't get to see more of them. Hopefully in the next few months we'll be able to get out to Indy. That would be nice!

Just so I don't forget a few things, I'm making a list of the things that went well and didn't go so well this vacation:

1) All four of us (me, Mr. Mustard, Ginger, Paprika) sleeping in one room while sick is a recipe for sleep-deprivation.

Our plan was to have my dad and Nancy sleep in Paprika's room (our condo is two bedroooms), and move Paprika's bed into our room. We have been reading Little House on the Prairie together as a family, and I think we had a romanticized notion that if Ma and Pa could all sleep in their one room cabin, so could we.

So, we did move Paprika's bed into our room for the week. I think it would have been fine (actually, Paprika was really excited about the idea)...but then we all got sick with really bad colds and horrible coughs.

What I've learned is that when one person coughs, it wakes everyone else up. When you're talking about a three year old and a five month old, that's a problem. Ginger is the sickest of all of us, and she wakes up about every 45 minutes to an hour because she's so stuffed up she can hardly breathe.

So, she wakes up crying, which wakes Paprika up. Then I'll get Ginger back to sleep, and then Paprika will start coughing. That wakes Ginger up, and she starts crying. Which makes it impossible to get Paprika back to sleep. Then Paprika wants to get in the big bed, and she ends up kicking everyone until she goes back to her bed. Then Ginger wakes up when Paprika gets out of bed to go back to her bed. The cycle goes on all night long. Needless to say, we are tired.

2) Getting the van was worth every penny

We rented a minivan to drive for the week. I want one so badly now! I don't know how we would have done all the things we did without the van. It was great to be able to all drive in one car, pay for parking once, not get lost, and be able to change diapers inside the van. I never thought I'd ever say I want a van, but man...I want a van! (or at least the ability to rent one when we have guests).

3) Do not count on anyone to pass on a message for you!

This morning I got a call from Paprika's preschool. She has been absent since last Monday because our days were so packed with visiting, etc. Paprika's teachers have been freaking out, worried that something bad happened to her.

Well...I asked Mr. Mustard to tell the school last week, and he did, but I guess it got lost somewhere along the way and no one told Paprika's teachers or the school director where Paprika was. Next time, I will be letting her teachers know myself. I called the director this morning (after she left a very worried voicemail on my phone) and apologized up and down and all around. I felt so embarrassed.

Then when Mr. Mustard stopped by the school today, all the kids ran up to him yelling, "Where's Paprika? Where's Paprika?!" (Truthfully, she is still asleep, catching up on some much needed rest).

Good to know she's missed, but I am feeling guilty!

4) Always bring a stroller to the art museum

Sometimes what a three year old needs on a rainy day visit to the art museum is containment. It was very nearly a very expensive visit to the art museum yesterday...that's all I'm saying!

5) Enjoy every second and take lots of pictures (and videos)

Enough said!