Uneventful Drive

We arrived home safe and sound with no elbows pulled out today. The most exciting portion of the day was when Porter jammed his fist into the maple syrup pitcher at breakfast this morning. Here's to a more exciting update tomorrow, with pictures.

Tucson Traditions

Whenever in town we always manage a hike in Sabino canyon. Thankfully it was nice and cool the day we hiked this time since I had a heavy load to carry. Matilda's elbow seems fine today and we are enjoying a few last hours with family before we beat the pavement West.

Almost Urgent

After a bit of fooling around this afternoon, which involved me pulling her arm, Matilda grabbed her elbow and started crying and then kept crying even with an ice pack. Fairly immediately Tim and I wondered about her elbow being pulled out of joint and I started feeling quite guilty. After a chat with Grammy-the-nurse and a call to our pediatrician we decided a trip to urgent care was in order. The saddest part was when she was crying to all the gathered family, "I need to go to the hospital," as we all asked various questions trying to assess her situation. She seemed to be in pain the whole car ride to the urgent car, especially wrangling with the carseat straps, and even as I was carrying her in to the clinic. Then as I sat her down to fill out intake forms she suddenly started having increased mobility. When Tim arrived a moment later, as my mom watched sleeping Porter, he noticed the same thing I had: she seemed fine now. Without fully checking in, a considerate nurse gave M a few basic tests and helped rationalize what could have happened (like she had popped it back into joint as we sat there). I think we won't really know for sure what happened but I can say there will be no more carpet dragging in our household. At the end of it she left the clinic smiling and ran out into the parking lot yelling, "Grandma Marge my arm feels good! Let's go back and have our family dinner!"

Comatose

So, it turns out that three pieces of pie is too many. I ate them 3.5 hours ago (apple crumb, pumpkin and berry if you must know), and am still hurting. The giant meal was so yummy, it was very nice to see all the family and only one person (inexplicably) threw their plate across the room. All in all a great Thanksgiving. The only sad part was that Porter was not old enough to enjoy his first taste of turkey.

Enough Pie?

Today Matilda & I helped Mom and Grandma make pie. Or to be more specific, pies. Tomorrow we will average 1/3 of a pie per person attending Thanksgiving dinner. The choices are pumpkin, cherry, apple with a crumb topping, berry (blackberry and raspberries) and chocolate cream. I think we have the overeating portion of the holiday covered! Happy Turkey Day, everyone.

Zoo Poo

We went to the Tucson zoo today and there were awesome signs in their bathrooms. They had lots of frisky, alert animals too, but the bathrooms were especially informative. Nothing is more appealing on a hot day than some vulture pee.

Longest Ride Ever

Matilda & Porter successfully completed their longest road trip to date this afternoon when we arrived in Tucson. The trip went really smooth with only 65 minutes of crying from the boy, which spread over 7 hours isn't bad. Along the way we ate plenty of snacks, listened to lots of music, had our first family romp in a McDonald's playground, littered the backseat with toys, I climbed back and forth from front to back seat 2 times, and Porter ate his first jarred baby food (while driving!).....pureed apples & apricots. Yum. Almost as good as beef jerkly for road food!

7 Months Old!

To celebrate today, he got himself to sitting. No one saw it, but somehow he got there from being down on his belly! Maybe now there's hope he won't get "turtled" forever.

Soda Pop's and more

Today we did everything under the sun except pack for our road trip departure tomorrow. This morning Matilda & Tim went to (possibly) her last music class ever. Meanwhile, Porter & I ran errands to collect all the various car snacks, diapers, allergy medicine, and supplies we need for a week away from our home base.

For lunch we went with Anthony & Elissa to a new sandwich place in their neighborhood, Soda Pop's. It might just be my eating-out-deprived-self talking, but I would highly recommend trying the place. Elissa & I shared the Flank n Blue and the Steak Bomb sandwiches and both were so yummy. The homemade chips (in three flavors!) were also great. On the walk back we stopped at a psychedelic light store and the fancy dog boutique where A & E bought Daisy a dog treat. Matilda had the great pleasure of doling it out.

Then this evening Tim's Aunt Karen & Uncle Ron showed up for an overnight with us before the big pigeon race and we all enjoyed some yummy take out together.

Buds

At Sarah & Gaurav's tonight Porter & Stella had a party together. There was lots of baby babble and smiling as they first played together before dinner. Then all charged up on broccoli and acorn squash, they did laps around the coffee table. Well, Stella mostly lapped Porter. I think she'll always be faster than him. Matilda had her own good time playing with Gaurav's drum machine. All told, a noisy fun evening.

Stella attempts to demonstrate proper play technique to Porter in her (now long outgrown) jumper. I wasn't sure we could fit Porter's big cloth diaper butt in there, but we managed somehow and he had a grand old time bouncing and thrashing the toys.

Such a good sharer with her puzzle pieces (or maybe she's just taunting her slow, immobile friend).

Misc

Here's what I have for you: A handsome shot of Porter at 1am last night. He woke up screaming from a nightmare and nothing would shake him out of it. Finally Tim brought the keys, which always distracts; however, then it took a really long time until we could get him to return the keys. Finally he agreed on a trade for this mushroom brush and a flashlight.

Also of note this week: I got a filling. Don't let dental hygiene become the last thing on your priority list when you have that second kid and all goes to hell. Sadly, my dentist did not have these awesome gloves that Matilda's dentist used.

Owls and Bribes

Porter and I head out for a walk sporting our owl hoodies. Just when I was thinking we had no long sleeve shirts for Porter I discovered a whole bunch of old Matilda clothes that will fit now, including this orange top.

Matilda enjoys her first real glass of chocolate milk. She had a pretty high fever last night and wasn't drinking enough. Seems like a little chocolate syrup makes everyone feel better.

Tonights' bribe was anchovies. She's barely eaten in days so I let her have most of the can in an attempt to get some calories into her.

Sick Day

Actually, sick days is more appropriate. Everyday since Saturday, Matilda has had a different symptom of some unknown illness: cranky/miserableness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. Hopefully we can keep it all up and be done with it soon. She's been a really good sport about it. Since her re-discovery of diarrhea, yesterday, M has questioned everyone about their pooping preference: diarrhea and "regular poop." She will very emphatically tell you that she prefers regular pooping, not diarrhea. I don't think anyone will disagree with her there.

Matilda was very sad to miss school today (and even cried). School is closed for parent teacher conferences tomorrow so all the kids are going to one of our favorite local parks. I am very sad for her that she's missing a big school outing tomorrow, although she doesn't even know about it yet. We also have a make up music class scheduled for tomorrow morning. Hopefully Porter will manage to wake up without a fever tomorrow so at least he can go and benefit from the musical fun.

Sliding in Santa Barbara

Matilda and Tim ran off to Santa Barbara for the day. She loved this sliding hill at the zoo even more than the last time I think. What a great, simple idea for a playground.