Viva Las Vegas!!

This week has gone by very fast! Emerson is finally feeling better!!! Phew! I could not have imagined taking her to Las Vegas in the state she was in for the past few weeks. She is still dealing with constipation issues, but that just involves tweaking her lactulose doses.

So we are all ready and packed! A few last minute items to throw in the suitcase, but that shouldn't take long! We have to be at the airport at 7 am at the latest, so we hope to leave here around 5:30 am. It's about a 40 minute drive and then we have to park and get to our terminal. I already checked in via the West Jet website and have our boarding passes printed off, so hopefully that will speed things up! We have 3 suitcases and 2 carry on bags. Quite a load, but with 2 kids there is a lot of stuff to bring! Oh, and we have to check Emerson's car seat. My parents took the boys suits, a playpen, a car seat for Blake and a base for Emerson's car seat, so I couldn't imagine having to bring any of that!!

I've talked to and texted my Mom quite a bit and there are quite a few people who have already arrived in Vegas! Sounds like they're having a great time!! Lindsay and Jeremy got their marriage license on Thursday night when they arrived in Vegas and Lindsay had her hair and make-up trial today, which went really good.

We're very excited for the wedding and also to go on a family vacation!! I can't believe my little sister is getting married ... I hope I don't tear up too much during my toast! As I was finishing it tonight I started to tear up, but maybe I'll be so nervous the day of I won't shed a tear!? I am a bit nervous about the flight and the kids ears and their sleeping, but hopefully we'll all survive on a little less sleep and it will all get back to normal once we're home! I know Blake will do fine, he's such a good kid and old enough to understand, but Em's a different story!!! My Mom said the rooms were very nice and the bathrooms are huge, so although this may sound strange, we might put Emerson's playpen in the bathroom of Blake's room and then Cal and I will have our room to ourselves! And we'll just use our bathroom as a bathroom! We're bringing baby monitors, so we'll be able to hear if one of them needs us and the rooms are joined by a door ... we'll see, I'm not going to stress about it ;) It's going to be a blast!!!!

Tonight when I was putting Blake to bed he was pacing his room and running through all the events!! He's so much like Cal ... Pacing with this serious look on his face! He was asking me about Heidi and the truck we're taking to the airport and telling me that he wants to take Dad's truck! I told him we were taking Dad's truck to the airport, getting on an airplane and going to Las Vegas where Grandpa was going to pick us up in Grandpa's truck. But he said he wanted to take Dad's truck! Didn't quite understand that Dad's truck will be far away in Edmonton! Then he was concerned about Heidi going to the kennel so we had to talk about that for awhile. All day he's been hugging Heidi and telling her he's going to miss her :) What a sweetie!!

I better get going here, I have to blow dry and straighten my hair and then catch a few hours sleep before my alarm goes off at 5!! Have a great 5 days everyone and who knows ... if I have time I may blog :) But I'll definitely be on Facebook once or twice!! Talk to you soon ;)

Tracy

Poor Em :(

I almost didn't take Blake to preschool on Wednesday, but at the last minute changed my mind. I was still feeling very queasy, he was better, just didn't have an appetite, and Emerson was still sick, but I figured I could tough it out and use lots of hand sanitizer and Emerson would be okay for a few hours. I hate to miss a class. Blake has so much fun and it's so good for him! So we went and Blake had a great time. I think his favorite parts are craft time and the music! This month the theme is "Going Places", so last class they made a sailboat and this week they made a rocket ship! Blake loves gluing things together and coloring and painting, etc, etc so he has lots of fun doing his craft. He knows all the songs off by heart and belts them out at the top of his lungs at home, but is still coming out of his shell at preschool! I can see it in him - he wants to belt it out in class, but holds back!! He sings a bit and dances a bit, but nothing compared to at home!

On Thursday I babysat our nephew Colby for a few hours. The boys had lots of fun playing together and watching Thomas! And I was very impressed by how well they shared! Blake often talks about Colby and loves to pretend to call Colby on his toy cell phone! It's very cute!!

I took Blake to his swimming lesson on Friday evening. My parents met us there to watch and then take Blake home with them for a sleepover. I think Blake was so excited about his sleepover, that he forgot he was supposed to be swimming!! He didn't really want to do much at his lesson!

My Mom took Blake to Breakfast with Santa and the Festival of Trees at the TLC in Spruce Grove on Saturday morning. He had lots of fun seeing Santa and doing various crafts! He told me on Saturday evening that Santa's wife was reading books to all the kids!! He had a blast at Grandma and Grandpa's and didn't want to come home! It was sure quiet in the house on Saturday. I swear Blake talks every minute he's awake!! I love it, but did enjoy some quiet time with Cal and Em! I'm glad she gets that 1 on 1 time sometimes!! Poor 2nd child doesn't get near as much as the lucky 1st child!

Cal and Blake had fun playing in the snow and shoveling the walks today. Blake enjoyed a warm mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows when they came in! My parents came over for supper this evening. We watched the Riders game and were happy with the win!! Now to find a bar in Vegas that is playing the Grey Cup!! Although I'm not sure we'll have time to watch the game, because we have rehearsal and rehearsal dinner that afternoon/evening! I'm sure we'll catch a few minutes somewhere though! My parents leave for Las Vegas Tuesday afternoon. I can't believe how close the wedding is!!! I'm sure my sister is feeling the same way ;)

We were planning on going to Grande Prairie this weekend for Kerri and Kailey's 3rd birthday party, but unfortunately we had to cancel our plans. We knew it wouldn't have been good to travel with Emerson not feeling well. And with our trip to Vegas a week away, we didn't want to chance her getting more ill. I heard everyone had a good time though and the girls had fun at their party!

Cal, Blake, and I are all finally feeling great! It took me a few days to get over my queasy stomach, but by Sunday I could eat again. Blake's appetite came back, full force on Saturday. He's been eating and eating and eating and eating some more!!! Playing catch up I guess?! Poor Emerson, is still not feeling well :( She had a good afternoon on Friday and a not too bad of an evening on Friday. But on Saturday she started losing her voice and sounding very hoarse. Poor girl, she's been sick for weeks now. I took her into a medi-centre this morning because she sounded so horrible. The Dr. said her throat is swollen and he took a swab, but figures that it isn't likely an infection because she hasn't had a fever at all. So it's our good friend "virus"! I wish "virus" would leave us the heck alone ... It was funny though, because the Dr. did say he could give us a couple of days of amoxicillin (spelling?) if I wanted. To which I replied that I thought antibiotics didn't treat a virus?! Then he said no, it probably wouldn't help and left it at that!! I think a lot of Dr.'s are used to being pressured into prescribing something, regardless if it will help or not!! I've just been around too many pharmacists at work who have hammered home the virus vs. bacteria lecture!!! So we're giving her Tylenol and Advil and hoping it clears up asap. He said to bring her back in if it hasn't cleared up in 2-3 days. One bonus of Emerson not feeling well is all the cuddles we've been getting :) I love how she snuggles right into my shoulder! She fits so nicely there :)

This week will be busy with a Th.A.A.A. meeting Tuesday night, preschool Wednesday, Time for Two's on Thursday, and packing for VEGAS!!! We've borrowed 2 suitcases from Gerry and Lesley, but I'm hoping to get away with using 1. We'll see ... I tend to over pack, so hopefully sticking to my list will help!

Have a great week everyone. Enjoy the snow :) I'm not a fan of the slippery walks and roads, but do welcome a little snow. Helps get me in the "holiday spirit!!" Oh and speaking of which, I got our Christmas photo cards made this weekend ... they're very cute! Watch for them in your mailbox, come early December!!

xoxo Tracy