A 7+ hour ride with a 16 month old, 6 year old, two dogs, a woman with PMS, a man going to miss his Thanksgiving football ritual and a partridge in a pear tree. But, we made it! We made it to the beautiful Ozark "mountains" -- they're more like big hills but they're still beautiful. Our cabin was very quaint... made of cedar, featuring an open staircase and a loft with an eat-in kitchen, master bedroom, central heat/air, a wrap-around porch and a fully-functioning shower and who could ask for more! Right? Ha!
After the quaint left, reality sank in, I soon realized, not only is this place not childproofed, it's NOT CHILDPROOFED. There was no way to keep my busy-body-chihuahua-on-caffiene-kid off the stairs. Did I mention there wasn't a rail on the stairs? It's jsut "stairs"... and a wall. It's VERY beautiful but oh so scary to be holding a kiddo on one side and walking down with nothing to hold onto. The stairs were made from chunks of cedar so they weren't completely uniform in depth and it was nerve-racking to walk down them holding him. Oh yeah, and did I mention there wasn't a ROOM to put him to bed in so we had to TRY to be quiet... so he could nap. He and Josh were in a loft upstairs. Tell a 6 year old that likes to walk with lead in his heels to be quiet. Pshaw! The first day and a half were quite trying. Once we settled into a sort of a routine, it was MUCH better. But boy was I stressed out!
So, we got there on Wednesday... Andy and Josh started a campfire. It's truly hilarious watching Josh try to be so grown up. He thinks he is THE fire professional. He loved watching leaves burn... poking the fire with the stick. But, they heard a noise in the woods (it's PITCH BLACK other than the lights from the cabin and the fire) and he was literally running for the door. Josh and Andy roasted hotdogs on the grill for dinner and then went back outside to roast marshmallows. Drew had not had an afternoon nap, nor much of a morning nap so I put the little guy to bed (sort of). He had to whine and scream a good ... oh 10-15 minutes in his pack-n-play and it was lights out. I was exhausted so I was out soon after on the squeaky, creaky, full sized bed (yes, I'm used to a king...where you can roll and roll and never touch the other person). It was cozy but I love the king. :) Gotta have my space. Andy tried to stay up and read (he's the night owl) but turning on a lamp means that the light went up... where it could be seen in the loft...which made Drew wake up... which made him cry... which made us all that were TRYING to sleep...be unable to. Couple that with just the uneasiness of being in a new place and it was a LOOOONG first night. I was up about every hour on the hour.
Thursday I awoke to a little guy probably wondering where the heck he was. I made breakfast -- bacon and waffles. Simple simple. Then, I got to cooking the feast. Josh and Andy went on an adventure walk. They followed a little trail down marked with blue ties along a property line (or for novices like us that think we're the epitome of a pioneer family) and then were back. The meal was wonderful. I made stuffing from scratch, roasted turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, pecan pie for dessert. It was great. And the best part was that since it was made away from home, I wasn't having leftovers for weeks afterwards! :) WOO HOO.
Sidebar: Drew would have nothing to do with anything resembling real food. He's never going to eat more than mush and crackers. It's SO weird.
Then, later that night, I had a complete melt-down. Yes, me, the woman having BAD PMS, no sleep, hand-washing all the dishes (how did those pioneer women DO it?) had a meltdown. Drew, my sweet little busy little blonde who has also had no sleep has decided it's fun to slap mommy in the eye... then he bloodied my nose with a tray... he's just mean. I had just had it. I couldn't stand the person that he was turning into -- just mean and hateful and unable to be pleased and I just blew a gasket and had a meltdown. Andy just held me and said calm down.. he's just tired... and he'll outgrow it. Yes, I know this and why I couldn't realize it at the time, I have no idea. Ugh... needing reassurance isn't what I'm all about at all! (usually) I was ready to go home that night. Literally. I was like.. I want to be here ALONE by MYSELF! lol... you go away! All things with things that dangle... go away! LOL... After REAL sleep, life was much better. Amazing how that works huh?
Friday we got up and piddled... Drew was much better today. We went for a hike ... I can't even remember the name of the place. It was really fun. Just a small hike but by the time we got up, ate breakfast, cleaned up the dishes, drew went down for a nap, woke up, ate lunch, it was time to get out of there.... spend an hour or so out and then head back to the house. Drew kept taking off his hat and then he'd whine to put it back on... he liked walking around the cave out of the hiking pack but had to go back in it to get back home. He threw a fit the last oh.. 10 minutes of the hike. Oh well! :) Andy got a good leg workout in toting him about. Friday night Andy made another fire and I still didn't get my first smore. :( Drew just wouldn't be still around the campfire...then the wind would shift and the smoke would blow in his face and he's just FREAK... and when Andy took him in, he'd scream so guess who got to go sit on her butt in the cabin with him? Yep, me. I had one roasted marshmellow and no smore... I guess I've made it 32 years without a smore... what's a few more?
I did go on a nature walk with Josh... I think it was Friday morning during Drew's nap... I don't remember... I know we all took a good nap one day... I'm guessing Friday too... heck, don't get me lying. : )
I've learned a few things ... campfires and babies do not mix... small beds suck when you try to roll over... put trashcans where they cannot be tipped over by dogs who can smell the food remnants inside... it's really dark in the country trying to watch dogs pee outside without a flashlight... cabins without insulation between the walls yield no privacy... bring more than 2 Elmo videos when you're cabin bound with a baby
All in all it was a great trip and beautiful scenery. IT'll be more fun when Drew's a little older or we stay someplace where he has a ROOM and can be locked up in it with some silence to relax instead of cutting his naps short because Josh can't not slam his heels down when he walks... it's weird. I way more than twice his weight and I can walk lighter than a feather... he has to make his presence known I suppose. :)
Now to bed... in my KING SIZED BED....
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