We're back.

Eamon pointing at sea gulls an pelicans. Here's Sarah and Greg at the beach.

I love this picture. They look like book ends~different sized book ends, but I know that if I could walk around to the front of them, they'd have the same expression on their faces.

We had a great vacation. I'm really happy to say that. I had a lot of apprehension about being away for 2 weeks with "nothing to do". Greg has a really hard time chilling out and not feeling guilty that he's not "doing something constructive". Greg is telling everyone that he had a great time and that he can't believe that he had a great time! He's mellowing with age, thank God.

We went to Disney, these beautiful Japanese botanical gardens, to the Seaquarium in Miami, to an outlet mall, to various parks and animal refuges, and to the beach nearly every day. The temps were usually at 80 degrees or so. Only tourists were swimming in the ocean, but it was lovely. We've got a garbage bag full of the sea shells we collected. Endless photos of plants and pelicans and us at the beach. We left saying, "We'll have to do this every year." I hope we can. Leaving Michigan in February is so nice! Every day was sunny. It wasn't too hot and it wasn't humid. It was just enough. I'm happy to be home though. I have a new respect for the seasons (I really like our seasons~just long enough to make you yearn for the next one). I also really like our house. After spending 2 weeks in an all white condo (that belongs to a very anal retentice clean freak), I am happy to be in our many-colored rooms with pets and too many books and toys. Sometimes you just gotta get away to realize what you have is pretty nice. (If not a little on the chilly side tho.)

Surly drunk girl

Gee, doesn't she look friendly? This picture makes me laugh. I was very, very drunk and was sitting at a table making my brother's friends laugh. I got up and tripped on this huge tent post (it was an outdoor summer party with a party tent), whipped around and had my picture taken as I bitched about the bad placement of tent posts.

At any rate, the above picture has nothing to do with anything.
I've been a complete freak about packing. I feel like we have so much crap to take with us on our trip. We have a suitcase Greg and I are sharing, i smaller suitcase each for Sarah and Eamon. Then a toiletries bag, a bag with DVD player and lots of movies, a bag of snacks, a bag of books and magazines. And then, we get to see what my MIL is bringing to stuff into the rented mini van of fun.

Ooo, doggy! I am getting excited! And a wee bit stressed. It will be all right though.

I borrowed a huge stack of old Midwifery Today magazines to take with me. Now that I'm not immersed in constant apprenticeship prenatal/business meeting/post partum/birth land, I can actually enjoy midwifery theory. Ahhh.
And when I get bored with that, there's always my trusty sudoku puzzles. I'm such a dork.
I better go get Sarah from school. We've got this pizza party thing to attend afterward at the school and I so don't want to participate. Gotta go wake Eamon.

You scored as Wire. Wire were arguably the band who provided the link between early British punk and post-punk, combining buzzing guitars and catchy choruses with an art-school approach to composition. They are best heard on 1977's 'Pink Flag'. Wire 57% Public Image Ltd. 53% The Pop Group 50% The Slits 50% The Fall 47% Throbbing Gristle 40% The Teardrop Explodes 30% Joy Division 27% Gang Of Four 20% Cabaret Voltaire 10% Which Post Punk band are you? created with QuizFarm.com

I feel overwhelmed by this upcoming Florida vacation. There are so many details that are making me question just why we're doing this in the first place! Like getting enough diapers and snacks and movies and toys for the trip down. If we'll be able to stand each other's company for days on end with not a lot to do. If we'll have enough money. Blech. I've got a feeling we're going to end up putting a bunch of shit on the credit card. And it was my big mouth who was ranting: "In the big picture, it won't matter the money spent on this trip! Let's just do it!"
And here I am, freaking out about money like my own husband was just a few weeks ago.

I have a confession though: After spending many week nights awake with Eamon nursing in my arms and watching too much TLC and Discovery Health, I am now full of day dreams of driving down to Miami while in FLA and having my back tattoo finsihed by those lovely boys on Miami Ink. And then checking out the birth center on House of Babies that is all midwife (CPMs) and apprentice run.
That would be a cool trip! But I don't think I could steal away with the rental for the day to do those things.
All right, off to do paperwork...

All NARM stuff signed off!

I am completely signed off on my NARM requirements! All 45 pages are signed off! Everything! This morning I had to talk out a surprise twin birth with baby #2 coming breech. I must say I was surprised at how grounded I was during that. Also talked out pelvic measurements, vaginal culturing equipment, suture equipment and what kind of suture you would use for various tears, etc.
I just have to go back into the office and get a few more chart numbers and then figure out a way to get each midwife to a notary. I have to have each of their signatures notarized. And then, I just need to come up with $700 and send in my packet. Well, that and go over the checklist of dumb details like getting 2 passport sized photos of myself, copies of my drivers license, CPR card and neonatal resuscitation card. Make a copy of the packet to keep for myself. And probably a couple of other dithery things that will make me crazy. Check lists make me crazy.

Greg played Warhammer last night with Donn and co. I think he said he got home around 1:30am. I stayed up and watched Wedding Crashers with Eamon asleep on my chest. It was good comic relief. I love Vince Vaughn. I laughed my ass off. And it's not even that good a movie. Just dumb, funny humor that I love.

Greg and Eamon are both napping. Both the kids have these awful snarfly noses. I feel like I've been fighting getting sick for that last 3 days. And I feel like I could nap but I'd rather stay up and have alone time.

Off to go fiddle around with making packet forms.

Sarah @ Scarab Club ~~ Eamon dressed for a cruise

"Gee, my hair smells terrific!"





"I'm late for my shuffleboard game on the Promenade Deck!"

Oh bitch and moan

I've got a killer headache now and I'm freezing.

My dad keeps calling me with the play by play of what the rental car places are telling him about renting our Florida rental car. He's not making me crazy (yet), but I feel like crawling under a rock. He's very sweet, and even though it's not me paying for the car, every time he mentions the price I want to vomit. It's so much money. Cheaper than air fare, but ridiculous.

I'm trying to look over this dumb skills guide for NARM again b/c I have a meeting with one of the midwives Friday morning to sign me off on what is hopefully the last of my sign-offs.
And then the delightful part of trying to study and find the money for NARM.
It occured to me the other day that I have a lovely motorcycle in the garage to sell should I need the money. However, I think Greg would be pissed. On the other hand, I've not ridden the damn thing in 2 years. One, b/c I was pregnant with Eamon and two, last year Eamon was still too much a baby for me to ride. That whole mortality thing.
I really love riding it,but it's so not pratical. It's a gorgeous little bike. Ahhh. I bet I could get $1800 for it. I betcha. It's 22 years old now and in really good condition. Triumph has made a replica bike of it. I saw the ad in a magazine last month. Very retro. Same old style tank and seat, with the 2 same-side side pipes in all their chromey splendor. $1800 would leave me $400 for our hungry checking account. Greg thinks I could only get $1300 or so for it. I have faith that it would fetch more. I rode it to the A2 motorcycle show-off-your-bike day and all these older guys were smitten by my bike. Saying they had the same thing in the mid 70s, it was their first bike, etc. I would be selling for the nostalgic rider. :)

Eamon is napping and it's only 11am. I think I'm going to crash out with him.
I'm pissy piss piss. And cold. And have a headache. What a delightful girl I am!