Getting closer...

Well the excitement has finally kicked in, and we are leaving in a week! I go back and forth between thinking about how much WORK it is to pack and change our schedules and being so excited just to be in the WARM sun. Mostly just excited. Unfortunately, I did not know that praying for my kids to be healthy for the trip was actually asking for them to be sick BEFORE we go. Lola has not been herself for maybe a week now, and goes back and forth between being OK and being crabby and slightly stuffy and sometimes feverish. Greta on the other hand is having stomach issues and I actually had to change 5 dirty diapers for her in ONE day. That has caused a NASTY diaper rash that actually formed a blister :(. Poor baby. We are trying hard to keep her comfortable and have put her on the BRAT diet. I can't tell if she has a stomach virus, is just teething or if she is reacting to the new "toddler" formula I put her on. I switched her to soy this afternoon and we haven't had any dirty diapers yet, we'll see if it continues.

Besides packing, we have been preparing to leave in other ways too. Sara and I went to the spa across the street and got pedicures this afternoon and that really amped up my excitement. I don't think I've looked at my toes in 6 months ;) I've started making my packing lists and pulled out the suitcases. I can't believe how much stuff there is to remember to bring. I hope that my girlie's will cooperate with the travel and we'll all enjoy ourselves. I guess having crabby sick girls in 80 degrees is better than having crabby sick girls in 30 degrees.

Greta is still hard at work growing her teeth. She has one that's popped through on the bottom left and I think the bottom right one is trying to follow. Man, they certainly take their time. The bottom left one popped up a week ago and is still barely through. I also noticed that Lola is getting in her second set of molars on the bottom too. Clearly we are trying to get all the yucky stuff done and out of the way before vacation and summer! (how else can you explain 2 teething children at once!??!?)

On a sad note, Tuesday night our dryer finally died. It has been "ailing" for months and we knew this day was coming. Unfortunately it happened on a very busy week, and we didn't have time to shop for a new one until Friday evening. Our new one is to be delivered on Monday afternoon, but that is not soon enough. Laundry is PILING up. I know there is nothing wrong with my washer, but it is extremely hard to find space to hang all this stuff up to dry after it is washed. It's really not worth it to me, plus in this damp weather, it takes forever to dry that way anyways. So for now, we are digging to the back of the closet for clothes and gearing up for non stop laundry Monday night. (Try packing for vacation when you don't have any clean clothes!)  I kind of wish our washer had died instead. The sales guy at the appliance center was talking about this washer he had that I think would clean my diapers with out all the rinsing I do. Talk about some saving on softener salt (and electricity). Oh well, hopefully the new dryer will cut down on electricity by reducing dryer times.

I have to take a minute to brag about some online shopping I did this week. I managed somehow to buy a $34 box of diapers from Amazon for $7. It is sad how excited I get by this. It actually boiled down to me spending only 3 cents for each diaper. How cool is that? Plus since we only use disposables during the night time and at daycare, its going to last me awhile. Good thing my skinny minny girls don't grow out of sizes fast ;)

(I also bought 2 gel filled pillows, a pair of binoculars for Lola, 2 sticker books, an etch-a-sketch, some hemp inserts and a wrist strap this week. ouch!)

Speaking of the wrist strap. I broke down and bought a leash for Lola. Well honestly, I shouldn't say it like that, but I have to. I detest leashes for kids, I think they look cruel and I said I would NEVER get one. But I have come to see their genius. That little contraption lets Lola think she is control, while in actuality I am! She can't run away, but she can walk on her own and be safe. So I broke down and bought it. Whatever, I can hate myself for it later. At least she'll be safe and somewhat happy and I'll be sane.

One thing I have learned is its never safe to say "never"!