From the North (Carolina) to the West (Alabama)

After a fun-filled weekend in NC, we're down in Alabama now. We spent the weekend at our friends', the Gallers, and hung out with quite a few friends from "down home" (the Konickis' friends from school). We enjoyed seeing everyone, and Annabelle had a blast playing with all of the other kids and with Leah's toys. In fact, when we drove up to NC, I decided it would be better to drive at night so Belle would sleep, but that backfired a bit. First of all, she took forever to fall asleep (although, she wasn't too terribly bad when she was awake... we just had to listen to LOTS of Dora), then when she finally fell asleep she slept, but she woke up not too long before we arrived at our destination (at 3:30am!) so she was wide awake when we got there! Keith flew from LA to NC, so Erica rode/drove with me, and she was kind enough to take the late shift since she was able to load up on the caffeine which meant I got to attempt to sleep during the later part of the trip, but I didn't really get good sleep in because of various phone calls, text messages, and Annabelle waking up. So, when we finally arrive in NC, Annabelle stayed up wanting to play with Leah's toys until like 5am when I finally couldn't take it anymore and put her to bed so I could get some sleep too!

Although she's showing some signs of being a bit of a bully, Annabelle had fun with the other kids. She loved playing in the pool and on her big car toys, and she was always the last kid to come inside. Her energy already amazed me, but seeing her keep up with the other super-energy kids and still keep on going... it makes me tired to even think about it! I love when Annabelle gets to play with older kids because they always seem to inspire her to try new things on her own. One thing she started doing this weekend is going on the playground equipment on her own. She climbed up the steps and over to the slides and sat down then went down the slides all by herself. Of course, Daddy and I were anxiously watching to make sure she didn't fall through any of the openings for the firepoles and stuff, but she really impressed me! She's getting good at listening to me (when she wants to) so I can warn her if she's going somewhere that might be dangerous so that helps a lot!

We had so much fun watching the kids play, catching up with every one's lives, and just relaxing for the weekend. The Gallers' were super-hosts and served up lots of yummy food, planned fun activities, and made everyone feel so comfortable in their home! THANK YOU MIKE & ANGELLE (and to Leah for sharing your toys so well!)! I don't have any pictures, because Erica pretty much adopted the title of the official event photographer so no one else really took their cameras out the whole weekend. Erica does such a great job, so we all figured it wasn't worth it. :) I should have pictures of the weekend when I get back, so I'll post them then.

On Sunday afternoon, we left the Galler's house outside of Charlotte, NC to head to Asheville, NC so that Keith could see The Smashing Pumpkin's in concert there that night. He was SO pumped about the show (in a small venue that only held around 950 of their biggest fans), and it sounds like it lived up to his expectations! While Keith went to the concert, Annabelle and I stayed back in a hotel in Asheville and hung out. We played in their indoor pool for a while, then watched Dora on Keith's computer until we both fell asleep. I was a bit worried about entertaining Annabelle in a hotel room for hours, but it worked out just fine. :) The swimming was lots of fun. That was the first time that I've taken Annabelle in a pool since she started swimming lessons (because I didn't want to mess up what she was learning from the instructor), and I was very pleasantly surprised. Annabelle loved sitting on the steps and splashing, kicking, and moving up and down the steps that kept her head above water, and I felt comfortable enough to let her do that without hovering over her at all. I also took her out to the middle of the pool where she kicked while I held her, I let her swim to me and to the steps under the water, and she practiced her floating. She seems to have the floating form down pat, but needs some more work on staying above the water. She did still cry when I took her out to the middle of the pool, but her "cry" was more of a whine, not the scream that she does at her lessons. Also, as soon as she was back on the steps, she was happy again immediately. It felt good to see that all of the lessons that she's been going through (and we've been forking over the $$ for) hasn't been for nothing! I think when we get back from vacation, we'll have her take another week or two of lessons to make sure that she has the float perfected and feels comfortable doing it totally on her own (and in her "street clothes", not a bathing suit), then I'll head back to the pool with her during the rest of the summer to get her more practice. Oh... one more thing... when we were playing in the pool at Leah's and in the hotel and on the slide too, I noticed Annabelle doing her own version on counting to 3. :) She doesn't say "one, two, three", but she does the three syllables in the same tone and beat that I say them, then she does the activity that is supposed to follow the "three". Sometimes she'll say "two" or "three", but so far she isn't saying the right words with any consistancy. Still, it was cool to notice that she was counting in her own way, and I'm sure she'll be doing it in every one else's way soon.

We're now in Coker, AL (outside of Tuscaloosa) visiting Keith's family for a few days. The trip here went pretty well. We drove during the day this time, but we waited until after getting Annabelle her breakfast then wearing her out with some swim time and a shower. I don't think we were in the car for more than 5 minutes before she'd zonked out. She didn't stay asleep long, and she did start to get restless for a while, but a trip to the BK playground calmed that down for a little while. Watching Dora 100 million times didn't hurt either (and since I got to actually watch it with her in the hotel the night before, I can now visualize what's going on to go with the Dora episodes that I've now heard in the car enough times to have most of it memorized)! On the ride from NC to here, Belle started developing pretty bad cold symptoms, but I don't know if they're actually a cold or teething again. She's been kinda crabby and not sleeping great too, but still active as can be and has LOVED chasing and playing with Grandmama and Granddaddy's new puppy! She got to go out and see Grandmama's chickens this morning, and I'm sure we'll be hitting the pool again before we leave.

One final piece of VERY exciting news... Congratulations to Kyle and Chelsi! Baby Ethan was born Sunday night at 9:12pm and is doing great! He's still at the hospital, but should be coming home soon. He was 7 pounds and 3 ounces, and 19 3/4 inches! Yea for Kyle, Chelsi, and Ethan! We can't wait to see pictures of little Ethan and to see him in person!