Vacation Part 2

Wednesday Cont ...

- After the aquarium we had a picnic lunch

- Drove the strip at Kure Beach

- Visited the Nature Center at Oak Island

Picnic on the beach near Kure Beach

Beach babe

Overlooking the water at the nature center on Oak Island

Daddy and his girl

Camryn loved sitting and looking at the water

Jason's vacation treat ... squeeze cheese!!

Thursday

-Back to Southport for our last day

-To the Trolley Stop for some awesome hotdogs

-Naps for everyone again

-Spent the afternoon on the deck overlooking the waterway, watching the boats go by

(Why is Blogger suddenly double-spacing everything I write?? Aggravating program!)

Eating our awesome hotdogs at the Trolley Stop

Walking out to watch the boats

Relaxing

Cool kid

Watching the boats from the gazebo

Hot & sweaty kid

Wish we could do this every day!!

Family Vacation 2008

We are home from our vacation and are so sad to be back to reality. We were just in heaven the whole time we were away. It was so nice to be somewhere, just the three of us, with nothing in particular to do. We stayed in Oak Island, NC, spent most of our time in Southport (that is where most of Dawson's Creek was filmed, so you have an idea of the atmosphere there), and took some small trips to Wilmington, Fort Fisher, and Kure Beach. We spent our days hanging out in local shops, eating at great local places, napping, lounging, and just enjoying being together. We would literally sit on the couch each night, look at each other and say, "So what would be fun to do tomorrow?" It was so nice not to have an agenda. Here are a few pictures from our week. I doubt I'll get them all on here today since there are so many I want to share!


Sunday:
- Drove 6 1/2 hours ... we were all crazy by the time we got there.
- Surprise! An awesome basket of goodies from the sweet lady who owns the condo where we stayed.
- Relaxed and hung out on the balcony overlooking the Intracostal Waterway.

Monday:
-Shopping in Southport
-Naps for everyone
-Relaxing at the condo and exploring the island

The pier at Southport

The view from our condo of the marina and IC Waterway ... so nice to look out at each day!

More view ...

Tuesday:
-Day trip to Wilmington
-Shopped on the Riverwalk
-Ate at the awesome Pilot House on the Cape Fear River for lunch
-Back to Southport for dinner at a place with all the locals

On the Riverwalk in Wilmington ... it was sooooo cold!

Daddy & Cam on the Riverwalk

Wednesday
-Took the ferry to Fort Fisher to visit the Aquarium
-Picnic lunch on the beach near Kure Beach
-More shopping in Southport
-Dinner on the IC Waterway at the Cape Fear Restaurant at Southport

The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Trying to find the quail

Camryn loved looking at the fish ... especially the sting rays!

Watching the fish

The girls at the aquarium

Looking at the whale skull

The purple frog Camryn HAD to have from the gift shop. Not a cuddly seahorse, not a cute penguin but the purple frog.

My cutie

Mommy & Camryn ... and the purple frog

OK ... that's enough for today. More to come later!

And Away We Go . . .

We are off ... on vacation to a quiet beach in NC ... just the three of us ... relaxing, hanging out on the beach, being lazy ... we have been looking forward to this week for such a looonngggg time!!! Hopefully, we are though with all the sickness! Don't call us, we'll call you! If we even turn our cell phones on! :)

The Past Few Days ...

My poor baby has been so sick. Here are the events of the past few days.


- Last week Camryn said her bottom hurt every time she pottied. Lots of crying. Phone call to doctor's office - possible UTI - need a urine sample.
- Tried to get not yet potty trained 2 year old to pee pee in a cup. Not happening.
- This past week, not as much complaining about bottom. Mommy thought things were getting better.
- Wednesday after school - 103 temperature. Phone call to doctor's office. Probably just a virus. Give it a few days.
- Thursday morning - she was shivering and her lips were a blueish tint. Said her back hurt. Fever back to 103. Going to the doctor.
- At the doctor's office fever up to 104.6. Doctor and nurse start hopping.
- Dose of Motrin, strep test (negative), pricked her finger for white blood cell count (at 23,000 - normal is 4 - 10,000), cath for a urine sample (Camryn screamed, Mommy cried), urine positive for an infection, shot of high powered antibiotic, chest xray for possible pneumonia.
- During the antibiotic shot, she whimpered. When the nurse came toward her with the bandaid afterwards she screamed bloody murder. My child has a bandaid phobia. The only humorous moment of the day.
- Back home alternating Tylenol & Motrin. Waited to hear back from chest xray because we were to be admitted to the hospital if it was pneumonia. We are also to be admitted if she started vomiting.
- Up from 2:00 - 3:45 am that night. No vomiting, chest xray negative, fever starts coming down.
- On Friday, doctor's office calls to say urinalysis was positive for a kidney infection. Started antibiotics.
- Had to go back in again this morning another cath and urine sample to make sure antibiotics are working because we're leaving for vacation tomorrow.
- Lots more screaming from Camryn. Mommy handled it better this time.
- Tentatively cleared for vacation. And, boy, do we need it now!

The Wrath of Camryn

Last night I was an eye witness to the first ever, all-out, full-blown, no holds bar Camryn temper tantrum. This little display was the culmination of a weekend of crying and melt downs over not getting her way, not having things "just so" ... you name it, she melted down over it. For example, I asked her on Saturday morning if she wanted oatmeal or grits. She said grits. When we sat down to eat, she pitched a fit because she wanted oatmeal. We played with her dollhouse, and she told me to sit the grandma in the chair. I did and that started a melt-down because I didn't place grandma two more degrees to the left like she felt I should have. After consultation with other mothers, they have assured me this is just a 2-year old thing. She's trying to become more independent, she's testing her boundaries, etc. But on to the tantrum ...

After she finished supper last night she asked for a cookie. While I was cleaning off her hands, Jason was playing with her. She swatted (playfully) at him, and we asked her not to do that. She did it again, and we told her not to hit. So, she smacked the side of her chair. I told her if she did that again I would not give her a cookie. She looked me straight in the eye and whapped the side of the chair. I took her out of her chair and told her she would not get a cookie. Then the theatrics began - there was some high stepping that would have made any step team proud, some arm flailing, some running in circles, and finally a big flop onto the floor. Wow. As a picked all 27 1/2 pounds of her dead weight off the floor, I couldn't help but snicker to myself (definitely not where she could see!) because I was thinking, "Did this kid really just have a tantrum?" She got a nice swat on the behind, and I carried her to her room for a time out.

And, the fun didn't stop there!!! After she was allowed out of her room she asked for a cookie again. I calmly told her no, and she flopped into the middle of the den floor and began wailing and failing. I looked at Jason and mouthed "Ignore her." So, we did. He continued playing the Wii. I finished the dishes, cleaned up around her, and sat on the couch to work on a grocery list. Within about 5 minutes she had stopped and asked me to read a book.

I was obviously angry, but I was also slightly humored at this whole "production." Did she really think that was going to get her the cookie? Did she really think she was going to win??? Just can't wait for our next show down!