Whoever Thinks Traveling Is Easy....

....needs to try packing for you, plus a baby, for three weeks, when the airlines charge for every packed bag! UGH! Having never had to worry about how much checked luggage I had, packing last night for my trip to Laramie today was an awful experience. I was stuffing my suitcase TO THE BRIM, trying to fit everything in one bag so that I would only have to pay $15 for one bag instead of $40 for two. When I realized this wasn't going to work out, my friend Erin was a lifesaver and let me use her enormous suitcase. Hey, if you are paying for a bag, you might as well get your moneys worth, right?? Anyway, now my only concern is that my bag is going to be over the 50 pound weight limit and I will have incurred a $75 fee. Then all of my hard packing work would be a waste! It's a good thing Cameron and I have weighed, and re-weighed my suitcase about 20 times hoping to avoid that!

Anyway, I just had to gripe. I used to not mind traveling, besides the fact that flying is not my favorite thing. I just had to get myself through security, get to the gate, and plop down and read a magazine while I waited for my flight. Now it is a totally different story. Now my worries consist of juggling my baby while I get everything on the conveyor belt to go through security. Then keeping her entertained, as I wait for at least an hour for the flight. Then getting settled into one tiny seat for a two hour flight. Trying to feed her so her ears can equalize the pressure, while hoping that I am not offending anyone. Hoping that she doesn't cry, so that I am not that person that people are telling their friends or family about..."oh it was a great flight, but there was this baby crying the whole time...".

I tend to over analyze situations, and expect the worst while hoping for the best. I must say though....I definitely didn't appreciate how easy traveling used to be until now! But I figure, all of this is totally worth it when you get to see your family and friends, and be your favorite place for Christmas...HOME. And I do have to appreciate that traveling is as fast as it is now. I can't imagine having to spend hours or days trying to get somewhere......we really are fortunate that we can be somewhere in a few hours, even if it is a pain getting there. :)

Despite the negative tone of this post, I am THRILLED to be going home! I am typing this post to just try to make the time go faster until I GET to leave for the airport and the experience that comes with that....wish me luck! And for those of you in Wyoming and Colorado....I will be seeing you SOON! Can't wait!

I Can't Resist Just A Couple More...

Just because I wanted to post a few more in another outfit....here are a few more of Miley from the past week.

Photo Shoot

I have to give a little background on this subject. Cameron's family is VERY competitive. Especially the boys. One of the newer things that they have become competitive about is photography....always trying to outdo each other on camera gear, and the best photos. Steve (Cameron's dad) and Don (Cameron's brother) both have really nice cameras, and this last week we definitely benefitted from their competitive edge. Miley had a few photo shoots, and we have hundreds of pictures to choose from between the two of them...they of course had to try to show each other up and try to get the best ones. Miley was a wonderful subject. She was an absolute ham for a good few hours (split up during the week!) and was laughing and flirting with the camera. So here are just a few of our favorites.

Thanks Steve and Don for letting Miley be the subject of your competition...we love the pictures! :)

Thanksgiving and Family Visit

We have had Cameron's parents in town for the past week for Thanksgiving. It has been fun spending the week with them and having a big gathering for Turkey Day. There wasn't a lot going on while they were here, but everyone had some good R & R and enjoyed the time together. Here are some pictures from their time here.

The night Steve and Terri got into town, hanging out at Don and Cindy's

Thanksgiving morning, Miley resting up for the big day!

Miley with her Grandma Clark

Miley decided to make up for the fact that she can't eat turkey by eating her dad's cell phone

Cameron singing "Brick House" on the Wii

The Thanksgiving spread!

Cameron's nephew, Ben, was a little worn out after the long Thanksgiving day...

....but not as tired as Cameron was after waiting ALL NIGHT outside Best Buy to get us this new computer (and by all night I mean from 10:00 pm till 5:30 am in 20 degree weather!)!

And finally, a picture of the whole clan! We are thankful that we had family here to spend the holiday with!

5 Months Young

Miley turned 5 months old yesterday! Not a huge milestone, but she HAS really learned to sit up well in the past week, so that is our major 5 month accomplishment. She can now sit up pretty well unsupported for about 10 minutes at a time. We don't have any pictures of that, but we have some more of her in the Boppy, and I thought I would share a few more pictures from this weekend.

Sitting in her Boppy playing with one of the toys from her Baby Einstein Mat (see my Mommy-Must-Haves below!)

Getting ready for one of her favorite things...bathtime!

And finally, getting some tummy time while watching Baby Einstein Baby Beethoven on the computer.

Additional Mommy-Must-Haves

As I was going through my day yesterday, I realized there were a couple crucial items I left off my Mommy-Must-Have list....so here are my additions.

Glider - I don't know what I would do without this glider in Miley's room. When we first moved her into her own room, we didn't have a chair in there so I would go and get her, bring her back to our room and feed her in bed, and then bring her back to her room and put her down. Now I just have to make ONE trip, which definitely makes a big difference at 3:00 am! Plus, it is good for rocking her to sleep, reading her stories, etc.

Hooter Hider - I DON"T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT THIS, and I can't believe I left it off my original list! I am definitely not a person who can just nurse in front of anyone, anywhere. This is so nice, so when you are hanging out with people, you can feed your baby with no one feeling awkward! Plus, since I have already made a trip home, and making another one in a couple of weeks, it is nice to have on an airplane! Isn't this a great picture of ME?? :) Just kidding.

My Mommy-Must-Haves

I am going to follow in my sister, Gelsey's, lead and post the things that I could not live without now that I am a mom! Sorry Gels....many of these are repeats from yours, but that just means that they are DOUBLE necessary! :)

1.) Boppy - This is a major necessity, not just when it comes to feeding, but also for tummy time, and in helping to sit up. This has been our major use for it lately. But seriously, I have fed Miley without it when I have traveled, and it is so nice to have it to rest your arms on and to hold your baby.

2.) A travel system stroller and car seat with stay-in-car base - I know this is a no brainer anymore, but besides the legal and safety factors of needing a car seat, the travel system is the best thing ever. Being able to just pop the car seat in the base in the car, and then take it out and put it right in the stroller has saved many wake-ups for my sleeping baby. Plus, this system as a whole is one of Miley's favorite thing. Take her for a walk, or a drive in the car and she is happy. I know one day she won't love her car seat as much, but for now, it is one of the things that helps calm her down!

3.) Boudreaux's Butt Paste - We put this on Miley after every bath, more as a preventitive measure than anything, and it is great. It smells good, considering where it goes, and Miley has had no diaper rash to date.

4.) Fisher Price Nature's Touch Papasan Cradle Swing - This was definitely necessary in the first couple months of Miley's life. She doesn't like it as much now, but she will still sit in it and it will keep her occupied for a while. However, when she was younger, before she was on any kind of sleep schedule, she would sleep in this for 3-4 hours at a time during the day. It was wonderful.

5.) JJ Cole Original Bundle Me - This is something I wasn't completely convinced that I needed. Now that winter has officially arrived here in the tundra of Minnesota, this is one of Cameron's and my favorite things. The car seat straps can stay snug around the baby, which is the safest thing because there are no blankets stuffed in there. Then you just zip it up, and when you are going to and from the car you can pull it over their face to keep them nice and toasty! A definite must if you live in a cold climate!

6.) Baby Einstein Activity Mat and Baby Einstein DVD's - Both of these are wonderful for entertaining Miley when I need a few extra minutes to do something. She can spend an endless amount of time on her mat, and she loves the DVD's....I use the Baby Mozart DVD in the morning to watch before her nap, and then it sort of signals to her that it is time to go to sleep.

7.) Baby Bjorn - This is wonderful for when Miley just wants to be carried, or when we are going somewhere that the car seat is a little inconvenient, such as Minnesota Twins games, Wyoming Cowboy football games, or Mount Rushmore. :) It leaves your hands free, and Miley always seems to pass out when she is in hers.

8.) Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child - This one is thanks to Lindsey for recommending it, and Gelsey for buying it for me. Any success we have had with Miley sleeping, I attribute to this book and the suggestions the author gives!

And that is my list of mommy-must-haves....at least for the age that Miley is now! I am sure there will be MANY more things to add to this list in the years to come!