Quite a Weekend

Lillie and I were quite the jet-setters this weekend. On Friday we went out to eat and shopping with Grandma Spellman until almost past Lillie's bedtime (which really isn't that late considering she is only 2 weeks old). We were preparing for the big party we are going to have to celebrate her Uncle Daniel getting married. It will be in a couple of weeks - and my, Lillie will sure meet her share of new faces at that party. All of Grandma Spellman's family from Iowa will come that weekend and there will be lots to celebrate - Daniel getting married, introducing Lillie, and a belated birthday celebration for Huston will probably be tucked in there somewhere. Lillie will be exactly one month old on the day of the wedding reception. Hard to believe that little milestone is just around the corner already.

On Saturday Lillie and I loaded up in Gran Howell's car right after breakfast and we drove to the south county St. Louis area to get our hair done. Now I know what your thinking - our town doesn't have any hair salons? But that really was not the primary reason for the trip - although with it being over a month and a half since my bushy short do had been cut, it was almost the primary reason! Really we go to St. Louis to get our hair done more for the conversation than for the cut - although we are always very satisfied with our cut! My cousin Jennifer - my mom's niece is our stylist and so we go to see that side of the family. Her mom and dad, my Uncle Herschel and Aunt Rosie came to meet us there and so did my brother Jason and his wife Brook. It was a small scale family reunion at her 3-chair shop. The little old ladies coming in for their weekly hair appointment were a bit worried that the salon had been overrun. Here are some pics...from left to right - Brook, Jason, Uncle Herschel, Aunt Rosie - then in the second pic mom and Lillie are added.

Here's the hair expert - cousin Jennifer, finally getting her chance to meet Lillie after all the cutting of hair...

I'm adding this second shot of everyone, it's a little more "head on" - and if you're wondering what everyone is looking at in the first picture, your answer in is the second picture.

Of course it was a pass the baby around afternoon...the St. Louis gang had not yet met her and my brother hadn't been able to see her yet either. Brook happened to be passing through town the weekend after Lillie was born so she had already met her. I think cousin Jennifer was her favorite - she knew she had to be nice to the gal that might be doing her hair in the future too. :-) By the end of the trip Lillie was totally done and by the time we made it home she was so tired she slept until the next morning, only waking up to get her little tummy filled, but no eyes were even trying to open for an awake time.

Sunday three out of the six of us woke up with the slight beginnings of a head cold. I didn't feel well - had a headache and just felt run down...Avery had been up coughing and had a yucky nose...Huston woke up complaining and grumpy - and his nose was a bit yucky too so we all stayed home from church and kept Lillie home too. Steven and Isaiah went on ahead to church and brought us lunch home afterward. Avery was back to bed by 9:00 that morning which is absolutely unheard of, Lillie was sleeping too, so Huston was banished to play in his room while I hit the bed for a nap as well.

Sunday afternoon I had a meeting at church so mom watched Lillie and Isaiah for Steven and Steven stayed home with the other puny ones. When we all returned home my goal was an early bedtime for me at least - and hopefully all the kids too. I want you to know, I think there are nights when all the kids have a meeting and plot against me - last night was one of those nights. I laid Lillie in bed at 7:30pm and went to get myself ready to do the same. At 8:00pm Lillie woke up telling me she was hungry. It was a little earlier than usual, but we got the bottle and she ate pretty good but she was beginning to sound rattly. She fussed for quite awhile, threw up 1/2 her bottle, then finally settled down around 10. I went to bed too - Avery got up at 12...and he decided to continue to mess around until 3:30am - he would stay in his room but he would call for me and he would tear his sheets and pillow off his bed and finally by the third intervention from me he went back to sleep...Lillie woke up at 4:30 to eat and I thought by that time I was free and clear to enjoy a couple of hours of uninterrupted sleep - at 5:00ish Huston woke me up to inform me he had wet the bed. Luckily Isaiah must have missed the meeting - he slept fine.

By this morning it is clear that Lillie is fighting a cold too...just yucky stuff in the back of her throat at this time. She is eating and sleeping well so hopefully she will conquer it quickly. Avery and Huston seem better and I am hanging in there - hopeful for an early bedtime tonight!