Was That Real or Just a Dream

View of Myrtle Beach at Night

Did I even really leave? You may or may not know that for the first time I left all three kids and my husband home for an entire week to go visit my sister during the week of her son's birth in North Carolina. It was surreal to just get on a plane and not really look back. This is the first time I have ever left my 1 year old for more than a couple of hours and she was not weaned. My husband deserves a medal.

Grand Isle Ferry

We left on Saturday afternoon out of Plattsburgh (I think that has an "H" at the end...) on DirectAir straight to Myrtle Beach. A little background on DirectAir if you have never heard of them like me: They only fly on certain days of the week and only 2 times per day so they load those planes up as tight as possible which allows them to charge less airfare, but then charge you $30 for 1 checked bag and $35 for each bag after. I see it as paying $.99 in an eBay auction and then $35 for shipping.

When we arrived 2 hours early to the Plattsburgh airport we noticed a large mass of black leather jacketed fellows speaking french. Each one had a case with them the size of a small casket. Hoo boy. Canadian golfers are a jolly bunch, and it was our luck (not saying good or bad lol) that there was some kind of golfing expo in South Carolina that week. We were not as amused as we were at the end of the line with about 100+ of them in front of us, each checking at least one of these monstrosities.

Canadians Waiting for the Plane

When we finally got through the baggage line (my Mom just needed to check one measly little suitcase) we then had to go through security. It wasn't so bad I suppose. Then we got on the plane. We were right on schedule when we got seated, but for some reason the plane wasn't moving. Now I have only gone on a few plane rides in my life but I know that usually they let you know if there is a delay right off. After about 10 min we hear over the intercom:

"Ladies and gentlemen, due to the 200 checked items that need to be loaded on to this plane we will have a slight delay in takeoff."

Then another 15 minutes later we hear:

"Ladies and gentlemen the pilot has gone out to help with the baggage loading. We should be ready shortly for takeoff."

Finally another 5-10 minutes after that the pilot comes back on the plane looking a bit sweaty and tired (Oh crap) and the flight attendant says "Everyone let's give the pilot a round of applause for going out there and getting those bags on!"

Seriously?? Wow. That's what happens when you try to cram as many people on one flight as possible, and that's what happens when people try to fly cheaper because of all the new airline fees. Oh and the 'refreshments' are no longer free either. They are $2 each. For a FREAKING BAG OF .50 CRACKERS.

The lady sitting next to me mixed a Bloody Mary as soon as the attendant was walking around. I have recently given up trying to drink alcohol because of the physical effects it gives me. I prayed for no turbulence.

We arrived around 10, I can't remember exactly. Maybe it was 9:30 who cares. Checked into the Breakers hotel on the beach. One thing about parking in Myrtle Beach: IT SUCKS. The hotels have these narrow little lots that if you go down the wrong one you have to BACK out between two rows of cars and not kill anyone if you are lucky. Nothing is marked clearly. We finally figured out which building of this monster hotel it was supposed to be and got out.

The elevator had an open half empty can of Bud Light sitting quietly on the floor:

The room wasn't bad, nice view...

but we were treated to an open dirty cloth diaper with a huge crap in it right next to our car (driver's side hehehe) in the morning.

Classy.

Don't you hate when weeds push up through the concrete?

We drove three hours to Morrisville and checked in to the Four Points Sheraton (the one right near Hooter's and BoJiggly's) and got this gorgeous room with 4 feather pillows on each bed and a comfy down comforter.

Mom sorting out her electronics

It was nice and quiet and parking was way nicer. For the first time in years I slept like a log all the way through the night, and not the kind of log we found in the parking lot of the other place. Unfortunately feather pillows sound good on paper but really screw up your neck :( It was ok though, I dealt.

I left on this trip saying to a few people that I was going to try to lose 10 lb while away from the kids and not nursing and all that.

Those are fat free waffles, right?

Yeah right. There was a gym on site at the hotel but we were on the 6th floor and it was near the lobby where all the drunk people be at. I went down there twice and used the elliptical for a half hour. The first time was ok but the second time there was a very creepy dude in there and it was just him and I so I didn't stay long. Instead I went back to the room and made my Mom watch CSI: NY with me and then the news. I have never seen news so depressing in my life. It was murder, murder, stabbing, robbery, "Child reunited with parents after kidnapping!", murder, robbery, murder, car accident, fire, robbery, etc. The guy was talking so damn fast because he had so much to report that I gave up and just looked at the pictures.

Sarah the day before Luke was born

I won't talk too much about my sister's birth experience as it is her story to tell, but she had a crazy adorable little boy named Luke:

and I got to hold him, change him, rock him to sleep, and give her and her husband little breaks so they could nap. I love newborns. I wish I could have a job where I just go to someone's house that just had a baby and take care of them for a few days until they were rested up and ready.

My mom and I did get to take a couple of walks (I forced her hehehe) and I filled up both camera flash cards.

This is a house near my sister's apt complex. Yeah, I know. I thought it was a federal building also.

NC foliage was just as good as VT foliage was! I got to see foliage for like 3 months straight LOL

We had to leave my sister on Saturday afternoon and drive back to Myrtle Beach for a short stay at another hotel and then an early flight out Sunday.

Random wildfires on the side of I-95 South. I called 911 but the dude didn't seem too excited.

That hotel was called Paradise Resort.

View from the balcony on the 18th floor

We got the 18th floor and figured it would be a nice quiet chance to fall asleep listening to the waves. WRONG. There was one of those suite doors between our room and the next one and clearly it was meant to be shared because we could hear the group of people in there laughing, talking, slamming crap around, and finally leaving at 11:30pm. We had to be up at 4. I shouldn't have drank that Barq's at Burger King on the way down but I did and therefore was up until 12:30am.

I need this sign over my front door.

When we got to the airport we could hear this odd slapping sound coming from the group of black leather jackets waiting at the baggage check line. As we drew closer we could see that the bonding experience of Canadian Golfing must have been intense because they were all hugging, slapping each other on the back (I hope) and doing these odd handshake combos that I only usually see on CSI:Miami. Whatev. Luckily they must have learned from the last time that they need to hussle getting those damn golf bags on the plane and we didn't have a delay.

I was hoping for lots of cool cumulus and stratus clouds to take pics of but dangit, it was a beautiful day. I did get to see some anti-crepuscular rays created by the airplane's shadow which no one was excited about except me:

Anticrepuscular rays are the dark shadow lines to the right of the wing

When I got home there was no one here. I sat in the kitchen feeling my anxiety building. I am not sure why, but I can only imagine that it is as my friend Fran said, "Guilt from enjoying yourself without them" and Nancy also shed some light "It is hard to face a crowd of adoring fans" So hard that I thought I was going to be spending my entire alone time in the bathroom trying not to puke!!!

My expectations were that the kids would run up to the house, hug me, and then go about their business of annoying the crap out of me. I also envisioned my darling baby seeing me, kicking her legs and holding her arms out to me in delight that I was finally back and that she must have missed me to death.

Ah, to dream.

The older kids did exactly what I imagined. However, when my husband brought Autumn in from the car she looked at me like I was a stranger. She buried her face into Kris' shoulder and clung to him. I took her, well I PRIED her off of him and tried to hug her. She pushed me away violently and arched her back, screaming as if someone was trying to steal her! I tried talking to her but she wouldn't even look at me. My heart was breaking. I tried putting her down and then picking her back up but she just reached for her daddy and when he picked her up she buried her face in his shoulder again. Then she looked at me shyly and kept her head on him. I just sat there, not knowing how to react. I could feel tears welling up and started to wonder if I made a horrible mistake leaving her that long. I had these thoughts that I had scarred her for life, that I had created a rift that would not go away. I started to think of every bad thing possible. I mean, I have nursed this baby endlessly for the past 12 months and in 1 week it seemed that the bonding we had done was just...gone.

I thought maybe if I put the camera in front of my face she'd recognize me...

Instead of continuing on that destructive path however, I got down on the floor and had Kris put her down there. I had him go in the other room and tried playing with her. She still looked at me warily like she didn't know who I was. I got her to let me pick her up and brought her to the laundry room. I changed her diaper and then took her into the living room. I lifted my shirt and offered her my breast (it was the only thing I could think of that might bring her around) and she latched on immediately, reaching up for my hair which she always twirls in her fingers while she is feeding. A look of recognition sparked in her eyes as she looked up at me from that angle. She smiled a little out of the corner of her mouth and then closed her eyes, still holding and twirling my hair.

Amazingly I am still producing milk after a week of only pumping twice. Guess I am not done nursing. You know, I am really ok with that.

Ever since that moment when she realized who I was she has wanted me to hold her and now is back to normal, if not a little clingier than before. If I set her down she is constantly checking to make sure I am still there. Its a good feeling if not a bit selfish but I'm glad I have my baby back. And I wouldn't trade my experience with my sister and her family for anything either.

Alex was psyched I was home...Kris had been actually disciplining him all week!