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Puerto Vallarta's Top 10

HOLA!!!
Well, we're back to reality... and home from Puerto Vallarta. We had such a wonderful time with Marc's family down there! Ashley had such a good time too!! It was a week of so many firsts- first trip, first plane ride, Mexico, pool, bath, more foods than I could list, hotel stay... I could easily keep going.
The good news is that it was all one big happy adventure for the little miss. She did wonderfully!!

We stayed at the Grand Mayan in Nuevo Vallarta and it was just breathtaking! I must say, I have stayed at many beautiful places around the world and this one is definitely at the top of the list. Everything was just so spectacular! For instance, the entry hall to the hotel is amazing... you walk into this dimly lit vault of a room that makes you think you are walking right into a pyramid or something out of Indiana Jones... You look up and surrounding you are about a dozen 30-40 foot tall Mayan Warriors!!!!! WOW! The first time we walked in, I couldn't stop staring up and saying "Whoooaaaa" with my mouth gaping! People probably thought I was a little slow, or sheltered, or both! But it was just incredible.
Anyway, we had a great week of relaxing at the pool (all 85 of them or something ;) ) going around the lazy river (which Ashley LOVED!) and hanging out in the room playing cards or watching Spiderman (awesome!). Marc was able to play 3 rounds of golf and I even got a wonderful outdoor massage! What more can we ask for!

I could go on and on but as I thought about it, I managed to boil it all down to...

The Top Ten Things that made this Vacation Rock!!!!!

10. Benadryl and a Snugli- Helped Ashley sleep for the majority of both flights... many fears were relieved!

9. Guacamole- Fresh and wonderful and anytime we wanted it! YUM!!! Thanks Mom and Meli for making it so yummy!

8. Brookstone White Noise machine- This sucker is worth it's weight in gold! It is small, very portable and helped Ash sleep like, well, a baby the whole trip!!

7. Lands End Swim suit- OK, I know this is an odd one... but I don't think I have ever owned a swim suit that I actually loved. Until this one! It has a little "swim mini" skirted bottom to it that is wonderful! I can play with Ashley in the water and walk around after and not worry about the dreaded jiggle as I walk! Yahoo!! I would live at the pool this summer... if it would ever stop raining!!

6. The Nice guy at the AA check in counter- Another odd one, I know... but when you are loaded down with 2 huge suitcases, a pack and play, a set of golf clubs, a stroller, three carry ons and a baby and you hear that 2 of your bags are over the weight limit b/c of the 70 diapers and 24 jars of baby food that you had to pack.... well, when the check in guy says that he will pack the diapers in a brown box and allow you to move the baby food over and check an extra bag for free, and allows the other bag to be just a few pounds over.... Well, he deserves a nod at least.
(actually I wanted to kiss him, but I thought that might be a little weird) :)

5. The Lazy River- The epitome of relaxation. Only problem is that we could only go around once or twice at a time b/c it would start putting Ashley to sleep!

4. A Great Book- My dear friend Kellie let me take her book "Julie/Julia: My year of Cooking Dangerously" with me on the trip. It was GREAT! A bit of tacky language and some political views I had to look past, but other than that this is one of the better books I have ever read. Really funny!! I highly recommend it!

3. Immodium AD- Nuf said...

2. The Wave Pool- My version of the perfect ocean. No fish nibbling at you, no sand in places you need no exfoliation, and no salt water gargling. Perfect, just perfect.

And....

1. FAMILY! We had so much fun with everyone! Ashley loved all the attention from her Aunt, Uncle, Cousins and of course Nana and Gran. We loved learning new card games, playing with the kiddos, and eating ALL the yummy food! (Yes, Fajitas DO taste better in Mexico!)

What a blast! It was very hard to come home and we can't wait for the next big advanture!


** Keep on going for pictures **

Puerto Vallarta's Top 10

One of the many pools at the GM and the "Big Slide" atop the pyramid.
The Lazy River
Ashley in the waves... I think she likes it!!

Having a sit-in to protest leaving... ;)

Puerto Vallarta's Top 10

Sleepy Head
One of the rarest photos you will ever see...

(but Ashley was too cute- this was her first day in the water!)

Tuckered Out

They had these great Cabanas around the pools where Ashley could take a little snooze before getting back to the action
Ready to jump in!

Marc's first Father's Day! He spent it playing golf with his Dad and brother, swimming with us and then we all went out to dinner. What a great day! He deserved it!!! I think you can see that Ashley is holding up her #1 Dad sign!!!! :)

Big Girl Bath

Ashley has officially outgrown her baby bathtub! (I know, it only took 10 months!) We started bathing her in the "big tub" in Puerto Vallarta out of neccesity and we continued it when we got home.
After several knocks on the head the first night, the second bath went much more smoothly. Note to all husbands out there... when your wife says that the shower curtain rod needs to be replaced, please do it before it beans her and your daughter on the head one night as it comes crashing down...
I'm just sayin'..... ;)
In his defense, he said he didn't realize it was still unstable. He thought he had "fixed" it the last time it happened...
On a positive note, she does enjoy her bath now. She likes the little watering can I use to "shower" her off. She also loves her rubber ducky, boat, and all of her other fun toys. Now Marc is trying to teach her to splash mom.... won't that backfire when he starts giving her baths!! :)

Silly Beef and Giggle Beans

Thank you Mr. John Cornyn!!

As many of you know we are going on vacation on Friday to Mexico. In order to do this we all had to apply for our passports waaaayyyy back in February. Well, we were getting really nervous b/c we still hadn't recieved them. We got in touch with Senator John Cornyn's office b/c we had heard that was the best way to get things rolling... Well, very very long story short...we waited with baited breath for them to arrive... and guess what-
They came TODAY!!!!!! Yea!!!! We're going on vacation!! :)
So, per my promise to his office, at the next election, please vote for my man, John Cornyn!!!!!! He rocks!!!! :)

Just a Swingin'

OK, this is my first time trying to post a video... so bear with me! (BTW, thanks so much Katie for helping me figure it all out!)
Soooo.... as some of you know, the papasan swing was an absolute lifesaver for us for almost 6 months. Ashley loved her swing from day one, (well, literally day four, but who's counting...). We decided to put her in it in front of the window when she came home from the hospital b/c she was still jaundiced. Well, from then on she was hooked!
She always slept great at night in her crib, but would refuse to take her naps there. So, starting at about 2.5 mo. till almost 6 mo. she took every single nap in her swing! Yes, we went through many, many batteries... but the child slept- and as any parent will testify, that is worth it's weight in gold!
Well, one day in January, she decided she was done with the swing and wanted to sleep in her crib. Since then I don't think the swing has even been used. We even moved it out of the living room and into our room.
Fast forward to this week...
She has figured out that she can crawl from room to room and "check things out". She loves it! So, on Tuesday, while crawlong around our room, she discovered her swing again. She kept standing there and looking at me... so, I put her in it. Well, she LOVED it!! It cracked me up.... the poor swing was creaking from her weight (she is under the weight limit still) but she was priceless. She was looking from the mobile to the mirror to the toys on the toy bar... it was fabulous entertainment!
Well, since then, she has "found" her swing every day and "asked" to take a ride in it!
Too funny!
Poor girl, what is she going to do when she is too big for the thing??

OUCH!

 

I am going to guess this is what has been giving Ashley so much grief the past few days!!! This tooth will not leave her be! Now it has formed this blister looking thing where the tooth is coming in... poor girl! :( I hope this tooth gets through quick! (and that the rest of them are kinder to the gums!)

Cruisin'

This is Ashley's newest favorite "big girl" toy!! She loves to ride around on it (as long as someone's pushing it) and can now pull up on it and push it around while... walking!!! Wow! My big girl is walking (sort of)!! That's hard to believe!
Thanks Kellie and Dan for lending it to us until Anna is ready to use it! :)

Remember when I said I wouldn't be an overreacting parent??

Well, apparently I lied...
I have to preface this by refferring you to the previous post where I say Ashley is happy 99% of the time... well, yesterday she was not.
It all started at 8am when she woke up crying- well, screaming is more like it. :( To say this is unlike her is an understatement! I usually walk into her room in the morning to her smiling huge and playing with her stuffed animals. So, when she was really upset, right away I knew something wasn't right...
Well, she continued screaming for an hour and a half! She wouldn't eat, couldn't be comforted... even my best silly noises and faces wouldn't bring out a smile... it was so sad! :( So by 9:00 I was a wreck and positive that there was something horribly wrong with my sweet girl. I called the doctor and got an appt. for noon (and then was frustrated they didn't have anything sooner!)
Well, by 9:30 I was tired of the crying, and apparently Ashley was too b/c I was able to rock her to sleep- which I haven't been able to do in about 4 months! She slept until 11:30 when I finally woke her up to go to the doc.
She was lethargic and hot and now I was positive there was something very, very wrong...
Well, have you ever heard someone say that the best cure for a child is to walk into a doctor's office???
Wouldn't you know that as soon as we get to the doctor, Ashley is beginning to be her usual self! I was releived yet very confused... how could my sick, sick child be acting so... well... so, healthy?!?!
Long story short... they checked her over. No fever. No ear infection. No bowel problems. No bone issues. Her throat was a little red... could it be strep???? No.
Guess what my poor poor baby was suffering from????
TEETHING!!!!!!!!!
What?!?!?! Not some rare disease? No horrible ear infection? Just her teeth acting up? I went to the doctor for TEETH??
Apparently even though she has already cut 6 other teeth, the seventh one was a real doozy. She finally cut it today and has been acting just fine since we went to see Dr. Nail. (as long as she gets her tylenol every 4 hours!)

Moral of the story-
Even happy little girls get sad every once in a while. The sky will not fall, it does not mean she is deathly ill. Just give some tylenol and wait a bit before you call the doctor... If it's been more than a few hours- then you can calmly and silently freak out!
I am so glad she is ok, though!!! Darn teeth!