Mimzilla’s One More Thing…

I’m in Vegas.

No, Larry and I are not renewing our vows in the Elvis Chapel and in fact, he and the little Pie are at home. I am attending the Shop.org conference to learn all about more effective ways to convert site visitors into paying customers and the boys are roughing it for 36 hours without Mommy.

The trip did not get off to the best start. Walker has not slept through the night for the past few days and I’ve had to reassure him of my presence multiple times to get him to drift off again. Then he developed some sort of rash originating on his tush and crept down the back of his legs to the bottom of his feet. It doesn’t seem to bother him at all and the nurse thinks it’s probably a small virus or a reaction to strawberries and recommended we give him Benedryl for two nights. In the hour it took me to get ready to leave at 4am, Walker woke up twice and was very upset that I was going to work. To top it off, my cab didn’t come after waiting 25 minutes and I left the house at 5:15 to make a 6am flight. Yes, I may have driven very quickly as I made it to the airport, parked and through security by 6:40. I did make things a bit easier on myself bringing only my work backpack with just a few clothing essentials and toiletries so I wouldn’t have to lug a bunch of stuff around. (In fact, I bring more to work than I did on this trip which has gotten me re-considering my daily packing routine.)

The rest of the day was uneventful. I arrived at the conference by 8:15 and was able to gobble down a quick breakfast before sitting in a series of presentations and chatting on the Expo floor. I chatted with Larry and Walker who had a wonderful and cheerful morning despite being a bit tired and I couldn’t resist but I called Sofiya to check in and Walker was painting away, unconcerned that Mommy was in Vegas having her own small separation anxiety attack.

Did I mention I was in Vegas? I think I’m going to come home smelling like a pack of cigarettes although I haven’t seen too many people smoking. Not sure how that happens but makes it even more icky.

The evening went well and Walker asked Larry a few times, “Where did Mommy go?” Anticipating this question, we made a small video on Larry’s phone for Walker to see when he missed me — I talk to him, encourage him to be a good team with Daddy, I throw him kisses and I deputized Bunny and Frog with Mommy powers. Despite missing me, Walker was asleep without incident by 8:30. By all reports, he slept well albeit restlessly, only waking once asking for me and going back to sleep after Larry gave him some juice and snuggled with him. Larry didn’t fare as well — not shutting his eyes all night because he wanted to stay in with Walker who performed his nightly “feet in the side” routine. I had a King bed to myself and stretched out across the whole thing — just because I could. While Larry found it hard to sleep with the feet in his side, I found it hard to sleep without them.

We had a nice chat on the phone this morning but Walker was starting to show signs that he really missed me. He was quiet in the car and when Larry asked what was wrong, he answered “I miss Mommy” and Sofiya called to say he’s fine and happy and laughing but periodically he tells her how much he misses me. She says I’m driving home to see him now and then they play as if they’re driving in the car to meet me.

I have a few more hours here and then will be jetting back home to see the little man right before he goes to sleep. I’m sure we’ll all sleep well tonight – with the probing feet back where they belong.

The book of this coming year is being written. May it be filled with joy, laughter, wisdom and good health.

It’s now September, I’m back and busy with work.  The wonderful days of summer in Maine are only a lovely memory of perfection and it’s time I reflect and document for posterity.

My father is from Maine and I’ve been spending time there since I was a little girl. Some of my best memories are of spending time at “Camp” — the house my Uncle’s grandfather built on the bank of Panther Pond in Raymond, Maine, back in the 1920’s. It’s been upgraded a bit since then and now has running water, a telephone, and a shower but it’s still wonderfully rustic with the bare wood walls, LL Bean rugs and open rooms.

I have three wonderful cousins who hadn’t yet met Walker so we planned a family vacation at Camp in August. (Luckily Aunt Flonnie and Uncle Al built a year-’round home just up the dirt road from Camp so many people are able to converge at once to laugh and joke and pal around.) We stayed for a week and enjoyed swimming, boating, cooking dinner for 7-10 people, Italian sandwiches (there’s a family dispute about whether Dipetro’s or Amado’s is tastier), competitive Solitaire, trips to LL Bean, lobsters, the sun, and being generally unstructured.

As you can see from the video above, Walker really got comfortable with the water. It’s a good thing because it was hot and humid making the lake the most comfortable place to be (OK, sitting in a chair under the trees with a nice cold glass of wine rates up there too…) We would spend hours on end in the water with Walker jumping off the stairs or playing one of his favorite games — “Scary Monster” or “Special Powers”. The latter game involved Walker waving his arms in front of him and making “laser” noises until Mommy froze and fell in the water — often getting sand and muck in her bathing suit. Scary Monster was loads of fun for all. Walker would walk out 20-30 feet on the sandbar and start calling “Scary Mon-ter! Scary Mon-ter!” I would float up behind him blowing bubbles and he would run toward the stairs and giggle until I caught and nibbled on him.

The water wasn’t terribly deep but Walker was running on sand and I had prepared myself for him to fall and go under water at some point. It wasn’t until the very last day, about an hour before we were getting in the car to drive to the airport that Walker finally tripped and went under — right in front of me and Larry. It took me a couple of very long seconds to get to him but he blew bubbles out of his nose and when I picked him up he was a bit surprised but totally fine. He didn’t swallow any water and was anxious to keep playing until the moment he had to get in the car. Thank you Grammy Jane for those swimming classes!

We also enjoyed boating on the lake. There were many types of boats to choose from — paddle boats, kayaks, canoes, row boats, and motor boats. Walker went in just about all of them with his adorable little life jacket (which we left at Camp — so we must go back!) but I think his favorite was rowing with Daddy. He got to do a little rowing himself and he led the boat in a rendition of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” which was the cutest thing I’d heard in a long time.

(If you can’t see the Maine photos above, you can see them all on Flickr.)

I’ve already mentioned that we took the opportunity of being on vacation in a hot climate to start potty training. Walker loved running around in his boxers (or totally pantless) and he only had a few accidents. One of the more memorable moments was driving to Portland and Walker declared “Pee coming” so we quickly pulled over, set up the portable potty and let him pee on the street. That was just the beginning of having Walker pee in interesting places.

We did do a lot of driving while on vacation — from Boston > Maine > Boston, to and from the grocery store, to LL Bean, to Portland and to visit Larry’s college friend Steve and his wife Karen in Camden. Walker was great and spent the time playing games on Mommy’s iPhone, singing, drawing, and napping. While in Camden, Walker enjoyed picking his first carrot and showing off for Steve and Karen.

We tried to keep Walker on Pacific time and  I had a wonderful time sleeping late — until 8am! It usually cools off at night but that was not generally the case over this vacation. Evenings were hot enough that a midnight swim in the lake was essential to sleeping soundly. And I don’t have to say that was an activity that I enjoyed while Walker and Daddy stayed snuggled in bed. That wasn’t the only late night excitement. Walker and I shared a big queen bed and he didn’t hesitate to take over all the real estate. He decided to sleep on the outside which means that I was pushed against the wall and he had the rest of the bed, often sleeping perpendicular to me with his feet or head digging into my side. However, one night around 2am, he shifted and somehow ended on the floor with a very big, hollow THUMP. I jumped out of bed and cuddled with the dazed and surprised little boy but to my astonishment and happiness, the incident didn’t seem to impact anyone else’s slumber. (I believe it was because everyone was wearing ear plugs in an effort to drown out the various snoring and sleep talking going on between the rooms which are only separated by paper thin walls that don’t extend to all the way to the roof.)

I loved watching Walker play with the Micky Mouse light toy Ruthie brought back from Disney World, seeing Jane and Walker read GOOD NIGHT GORILLA, helping Joanie learn to knit, swimming with Annie, cooking dinner for an army, eating too many appetizers, boating with Al, shooting the breeze with Flonny, and trying to get Walker’s dolls from Juniper the poodle.

Thank you Jane, Joanie, Anne, Roger, Ruthie, Frank, Flonny and Al. We love Morrison LLC and we’re already thinking about next year.