Day 16: Longing for a Sip

After West Virginia we hit Hershey, Pennsylvania and took a tour of Hershey Park.  Jacob got a milk shake in the food court and Sabine was sitting there patiently awaiting her turn.  They were so darn cute I couldn't help but take a bunch of pictures.

Day 15: Welcome to West Virginia

Later in the day, after leaving Virginia, we made a pit stop at the teeny, tiny West Virginia Welcome Center.  While we were there, I realized that it was a new state for Sabine.  Since it was her first time there, I decided we needed a good photo op.  I let the kids run around and stretch their legs; here they are climbing the rocks.

Day 14: Goodbye Pictures

Before we left on Saturday morning for our long journey home, we took come cousin pictures.  Here is everybody under 10 sitting on the front steps.

Day 8: A Donut, a Mug and a Smile

I think that's how Dave put it when he was standing there observing Sabine.  We had just made donuts as our first big activity when we all got up for our day in Virginia.  My mom, Jacob, Sabine and myself made a trip to visit and meet my cousin Jenny's new baby, Emma.  We didn't get there until very late the night before because the drive took 10 hours, but the kids were remarkably good in the car so it actually wasn't the hell that it could have been.  Our visit was nice; I'll post more pictures as the days go on.

Day 89: Candy Bribe

At Joey's third birthday party the kids got goody bags (sorry Jen, but the noise-makers never saw the light of day) and this candy necklace was one of the goodies. I don't know how Sabine knew what that thing was, because it was my intention to give hers to Jacob, but when she saw it in the bag she went right for it. I couldn't pry it out of her mouth for anything.

The candy necklaces came with us for the car ride to Camp, but I never needed them. Then they came back home with us and it wasn't until the very last bit of the ride that I had to break out the bribe. Sabine had been crying to get out of her carseat for 10 minutes and nothing would calm her down. As a last resort, I presented the coveted candy necklace and she was game.

After we got home I thought the excitement of seeing Daddy would be enough to make her forget the candy necklace, but it was not to be. Only after 20 minutes of being home did we succeed in getting it away. Here she is staring me down as I tried to take it away on the front steps.

Day 75: Leaving for Home

Before we left on Friday, with everyone gathered nearby, we took the opportunity for some group photos. Here's the one of us I like. Click on the photo for some more, which will bring you to my flickr page.

Day 65: Dutch Wonderland

I'd been waiting a whole year to go back here and take a picture like this. Click on the photo to see the one just like it from last year. Last year they look all bright and cheery; this year they look tired and sullen.

We really loved Dutch Wonderland last year, and it's a good thing that we did have an enjoyable first experience because if this year's trip was our first time, we probably wouldn't go back in the future. Last year we were there on a weekday, so it was much less crowded. Also, we had arrived the night before and purchased out tickets for the next day after 5:30pm, which allowed us to get into the park that evening with the next day's tickets. Having those extra few hours there really made a difference. Not to mention the fact that this year we were alone, as opposed to last year when we traveled with my mom and Jamie. It just wasn't the same without them.

We did have a good time, but after the car ride the day before and then the late-night tent set-up, we were all exhausted. It's hard to enjoy something to the fullest when you're that worn out.

Day 64: Tent Camping

Our first stop on our trip was Dutch Wonderland, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We first went there last year, and we loved it. So this year when we found out we had an opportunity to go to Cape May, I got my heart set on going back to Dutch Wonderland on the way. We decided to stay at nearby campsite. The tent was actually my very first tent camping experience, save for our back yard. It was less than stellar. It's not that I'm not an outdoorsy kind of person, because I totally am. It's just that I enjoy a 'controlled' environment, and I don't like to be dirty. Dirt is ok, musty, moldy smells make my skin crawl.

Anyway, the whole thing would have been 100% better if we'd gotten there in the light, except we don't travel quickly. The kids travel really well, and without DVD's, we just make a lot of stops. That and the fact that we left 2 hours later than planned, which is actually really good for us. Well, so the best part of the tent camping was waking up to this sight. And I love the Snoopies in the background. Jacob recently acquired that second one, the first one is called Smitty, so I have named the other Bad Smitty (as in his evil twin). Jacob prefers to call him Bitty. I say that's perfect, it's short for Bad Smitty.

Day 63: Yes, we take our camera in hot tubs

This is just one of the great shots that I wanted to post of the April trip but this is the last day I'd prepared to be posting them. This photo won out because I liked the title I gave it. It's from the hotel in Virginia on our way back home from Myrtle Beach. We like to get our money's worth when we stay at hotels so we squeezed in this visit to the pool and here is the cuteness Zach captured from within the hot tub.

If everything went as planned, we got home last night, and if I can upload, and touch-up and all that, our photos fast enough, I can start posting the Cape May photos for tomorrow.

Ahh, it feels good to be home (that's funny because as of this writing, I haven't left yet).

Day 62: Bessie

I can't remember is this ole girl actually had a name, or if I was just calling her Bessie. Either way, I think sitting atop this cow outside the ice cream shop was the highlight of the trip for Sabine. She freaking loves animals and sitting on a cow was the end all, be all for her. Not to mention the fact that it's a really, really cute photo of my kids.

Day 59: Wild Goose Chase

Here we are again back on the golf course, but I liked to think of it as the backyard. Sabine was really into the geese and she liked to follow them around. This is my brother again in the photo, he followed her following the geese. He just thinks Sabine is the best thing since sliced bread - I've never seen him like that about a kid. I am trying to figure a way to get his affections for her funneled into paying for her college tuition?

Day 57: Reflections on Sunglasses

This is the one and only picture you'll see of me on this trip because I was always the one taking them. So this is Jessica, daughter of my step-sister, Kelly. And if you can't tell, that's me in the reflection. I take a lot of sunglasses reflection pictures. I don't know why.

Day 56: Beach Building

OK, here's a picture of Jacob, along with Marisa and my brother. He got up from the sun-bathing for a few minutes to participate in the obligatory Uncle Time. I don't think they built anything really amazing though because otherwise I would have taken a picture of it.

Day 55: Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach is where we went in April (with my family) and since I never posted pictures of that trip, I am doing it now, while we are at another beach (with Zach's family). This photo was taken from the back patio of the place we rented, it looks out onto a gold course. Here's my sister playing with Sabine. I wanted to post a picture of Easter Sunday when everyone was dressed up, but none of the pictures were decent enough. This is actually Easter, just later in the day. I just like the quality of this photo and it's a nice stolen moment...or something like that. I'm worried that all of these Myrtle Beach photos are going to end up being of Sabine (and not my other child) because, well, she was really cute on that trip, and Jacob was always off playing with Marisa.

Day 54: Road Trip

This picture was taken back in April, while we were driving our way down to SC. I'm posting it today because this is pretty much what we're going to be doing today. Not much has changed since then. Sabine is still rear-facing in that carseat, I just stitched up the outfit she's wearing because it's still too big on her, and that John Deere hat has officially been passed down to her from Jacob. In this photo Sabine is being silly doing funny legs things while wearing Jacob's hat. And I was probably nauseous from having to ride in the back. My kids don't often sleep in the car and a lot of entertaining has to take place, so this image could just as well be from today. I will give them credit though, they are good travelers. And I really hope that comment doesn't come back to bite me.

Day 51: Art Therapy

Drafting this post in my head earlier today, it felt like I could make it short and brief, but who am I kidding to think that brevity has any rightful place in my life? So buckle up, or hold on, because the description that goes with this photo may contain boringness and you may fall asleep and bang your head on the desk if you're not careful.

Today my therapist asked me if I could journal it. And I was already forming this idea in my head of what I wanted to do, so I told her I didn't think I could, I didn't want to put that kind of negativity into a book that I carry around with me every day. And now that I'm home, typing this, (I have yet to take the photo that I've got in mind, the right characters aren't available at the moment) I sort of understand why I've been experiencing a craving to take this picture. I'm feeling caught between different emotions, going back and forth between being really, really angry and then realizing in the scope of things, it's not that big of a deal.

So I asked the therapist if I should just try to forget about it since no resolution is likely to come of things. On the drive home it occurred to me that forgetting about it or wrestling with the anger aren't the only two options. I need to put it into some concrete form so I can wrap my hands around the experience and shove it into place. I just need to get a hold of it, find it a good home in my psyche and get on with things; things that I'm supposed to be doing, like packing for the beach vacation, mowing the lawn, cleaning all the dog beds and anything else that might have fleas on it.

So here is my attempt at Art Therapy. This is Zach in the Civic, asleep, with Sabine on his lap, grabbing the wheel, at a pretend rest area.

This is why we were at the rest area: We went to visit long, lost friends for a few hours in NYC on Sunday. We took every wrong turn that was possible getting out of the city and that is why at 1am Monday we were still traveling and not yet cozy in bed.

This is why I needed to take this photo: Because someone else at that rest area decided it looked funny and took a picture of this scene while I was inside getting coffee. Except I was already on my way out and was right behind her when the flash went off. She saw me, my brain registered what just happened, her brain registered that those funny people belonged to me, and she went running inside.

This is what happened next: I took a split second to look back at Zach and see what she'd been taking a picture of, then turned back around and yelled, "Hey! Did you just take a photo?" If the bitch would have stopped running I could have just said, "Would you mind deleting that, please?"

My yelling that to her woke Zach, who opened the door for me and I shoved the hot coffees into his hands. I grabbed Sabine because he didn't have any hands left, and yes, someone just took a picture of my baby so my protective instinct made me hold her to my heart. Zach asked what happened and I said, "She just took a picture of you!" When I said that out loud I realized what I had to do. Not because I am particularly brave, or because I have a tendency to stand up for myself, I am neither of those. But because I am damn stubborn and will be heard, but the bitch kept running, so she left me no choice. I still had Sabine in my arms so in I walked with her.

My sister doesn't think that I should have confronted someone with my child in tow (an actual CPS worker), but I seriously had no idea it would become a confrontation. The silly little girl was embarrassed and so she ran, once I met up with her I assumed she would delete the photo at my request. Also though, I was not going to leave Sabine in the car with Zach, who was just coming to.

I waited for her little black flip flopped feet to emerge from under the stall for a good five minutes. When she came out I politely said, "Excuse me, can I ask you a question?" When she ignored me I moved a little closer and started again, "Excuse me, did you just take a photo of my family?" But this time she didn't let me finish, she starting yelling at me very loudly, so that everyone would hear. "Did I take a picture of your baby?! Of course I did! You left your child alone in the car!" She started walking away from me, and I yelled back that I did not and that she was well aware of the fact that I didn't leave my child alone because she saw my husband in the car with her and that's why she took a picture. We were in the lobby by now and everyone was watching us because she was yelling louder.

At this point her 'male companion' (who I like to think of as Ass Hole Boyfriend) came along. A lot of this is a blur in my mind now because I was having such heightened emotions. But she kept yelling the same thing over and over again, and I was not backing down. I think she wanted to embarrass me, and normally I am VERY concerned with how I look to others, but I honestly didn't care because my outrage was so great. And I think that she was proceeding with such indignity, that other people could tell she was the antagonist in the situation. Things went on like this as we moved toward the door (because she wouldn't stand still and face it like a decent human), and that's when she thought up the idea to declare she works for CPS.

Not for a second did I actually believe she worked for Child Protective Services because that's just a stupid thing to say. But also, um, no, if your livelihood is based on caring about endangered children, then no, you don't take a photo and run away. You call the police. You wait for the police to get there, you proceed with the situation calmy. And even if you don't work for CPS and you are just a concerned human being, then you still call the police and alert them that a child is left alone in an automobile. And then, when that mother you're screaming at asks what county you work for, and to see your identification, you hand it over, as policy dictates. You don't let your Ass Hole Boyfriend then get into the mother's face (the mother who is holding a 20 lb toddler) and scream at her. In her face. 2 inches away from her baby's face.

And that's what really bothers me. You don't act like that in front of a child. Me - that's one thing. You don't do that around someone's baby. And I definitely hope you never, ever procreate because God help those children. And it also really bothers me that she couldn't just delete the photo. Seriously, that is all I wanted. Not because there's anything 'incriminating' in it or because I thought Zach's skin was a little off color, or maybe I thought she could have gotten a better angle. But my child was in that photo. I seriously can't get myself enough into her shoes to figure why she couldn't just be a normal human, why she had to react so offensively.

And I know it's not that big a deal that she took a photo of my kid. It's not. But it's her reaction to my request and the way they harassed me that is what makes me feel so violated. It's everything after the photo, not just the photo itself.

I realize there are far worse things that happen to people, like actual crimes that are committed, and I'm not trying to put myself on the level of that kind of violation. That's why I'm writing this, so that I can get it out of my system and get on it with it.

And so getting back to the part where I attempt to make light of the situation, infuse it with humor and make it concrete so that I can grab a hold of it and put it away: You may have taken the photo Stupid Bitch, but I stole it from you in the end. And when you look at the photo and post it to your facebook account, you''ll probably have to look at your ugly face lit up in my car window's reflection.

You peeled away with your Ass Hold Boyfriend, but I got your license plate number:

BWF-8673

Day 46: Super hoe

When we were driving up to Camp with Jen and Dan, we had to go through Lake Placid to stop at a grocery store. Super Shoes is on the main road and when we passed it this is what we saw. I laughed my ass off about it, and when we arrived at Camp, Zach and Dan (who were in the other car following the moms and kids) said they'd seen it too and had been cracking up. I know this kind of vandalism happens all the time, but I have to give credit to the 'artist', sometimes the best comedy comes from the simplest humor.

I was crossing my fingers that the sign would still be in this condition when I drove home four days later (this time with my sister and Marisa), and it was. Since I was stopping to take a picture of it anyway, Nicki went in and bought Marisa two new pairs of shoes. And perhaps that's the reason they've left it that way - it could be good for business! I hope they leave it that way forever. Then I can say "I'm un go and git me some new kickers at the Super Hoe!"

Day 12: A Frequenter of My Dreams

This is at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, as are the next two pictures I'll post. I've been dying to show off this picture but never got around to posting about our trip, nor did I ever post about our trip to Myrtle Beach around Easter time. I'll do a photo series for that when we go on our next big adventure.

I love this photo of the alligator (or is it crocodile?). I do know the difference between the two, but I can't tell from this picture, and I can't remember now which it was. I just think it's so cool with its eye sticking up above the water and a hint of the snout. Creepy. I often dream about alligators. They're usually in the lake up at my camp (in my dreams, I mean).

Day 10: Family Portrait

I'm utilizing the exception to my rule about posting and setting up a bunch of photos post-dated to appear one at a time. Since I'll be traveling soon, I'll do a series of photos from the last time we were out of town. We went to Maryland in April to visit Zach's brother at college, and then went on to the inner harbor in Baltimore to stay a night and see the Yankees play the Orioles.

I took this photo while we were on campus at Salisbury University. It's infrequent (relatively speaking) that we get a photo taken with all four of us, so I took the opportunity to snap this picture when we came upon the mirror. I embarrass Zach when I do stuff like that.

Lewes-Cape May Ferry

The last night of our trip we stayed in Delaware. In the morning we got up and drove to the Lewes-Cape May Ferry. I wasn't crazy about the ferry, but it was nothing compared to the tunnels we had to go under (which we're not going to talk about). I did get really freaked out when we went up to the very top deck because the motion up there was more than on lower decks. I was also really freaked out at all the people standing so close to the edge. One little shove and they could go right over. It took two pre-noon 'sedatives' from the bar to get to me actually enjoy the ferry ride. I don't know what's wrong with me, it seems like since I've become a mother EVERYTHING freaks me out.

(notice my mother holding my margarita so that I can
take the photo)

Behind Sabine in the left of the photo is the vendor who
charged three dollars for Jacob's ice cream sandwich.
We wouldn't have gotten it except he already had it in
his hand when we found out the price. So don't go there
if you're at the Cape May lighthouse.

Getting ready to dive into the sand.

A preview of next summer. We'll be there
next August with Zach's family.