Sleeping on Bathroom Floors.

You might wonder why in the world I would title a blog post about our first family trip as I have.  Well, my dear 3 readers, be very patient and the answer will come to you.

We started off on a 4 day adventure to Jacksonville then Gainesville, FL.  We were going to visit Lori and Jeff (Rob's bro and sister in law) and our nephews Cooper (age 3.5) and Jake (age 9 mos).  The plan was to stay with them, do a super late Christmas (later named "Marchmas" by Lori), then move on to Gainesville to visit with Rob's parents (Gigi and Deets, you may recall), and grandparents (Granny and Grandpa).  This was generally what happened.  

We had a nice visit with everyone.  Cooper loves his cousin "Baby Emerald", and wanted to introduce her to everyone.  It was adorable.  She also met her great grandparents for the first time. Nick and Ashley brought their 9 month old son Jaxon over to visit, and Lori's friends April and Jarrett brought over their 2 year old son Jackson over too.  We had a great Saturday at the park and by the pool.

Em was very patient in her carseat on the way there and on the way back.

We got to our destination and Jake, who was "fussy from his shots, right?" 

was learning to stand on his own.  

This is the first time he stood by himself!

Jake had some stomach issues on the second day, but still we thought it might be from getting shots.

Foreshadowing:  It was not the shots.

We did presents with the Jax Mans Family-Cooper loved his 

Melissa and Doug wooden car carrier.

"IT WAS JUST WHAT I WANTED!"

He is too adorable. 

Should have figured that Jake would have been happy with just the ribbon...

Em is impressed with her new personalized backpack!
I think we'll use it for her daycare bag, since her current one has her name 

handwritten/scrawled on it in black magic marker.  

The color black, not actual black magic.  But if there IS such a marker...

Jake likes his "Spill and Fill" Picnic basket...Em has one too. 

You might have noticed there were no adults in the preceding pictures.  That's because Lori had, in her opinion, crazy hair, I had just come back from a very humid run, and Jeff and Rob were not showered either.  Suffice it to say we all had fun and the kids are cuter than any of us anyway.

After presents, we got dressed and waited for Nick, Ashley, and Jaxon to arrive, then we went to the park. We grilled burgers and hot dogs, and the kids (Jeff, Rob, and Cooper) played by the pool. Jeff's BBQ cheeseburgers were delish, even if the buns suffered a little in the process. 

Jax and Em meet for the first time.

Photo op at the park:  The Gettino Family

Photo op of Em's first trip to the park!  

Maybe she isn't quiiiittteee big enough for the umbrella stroller.

But she survived.

The kids at the park.  The look on Jake's face should tell you he is not feeling so great...

Taking a decent picture of a 4 month old, 2 nine month olds, and a 3 year old is like herding cats.

That night we visited with Juddy and Erica, but I didn't take any pictures.  

Lori called the pediatrician because Jake was not himself. The pediatrician said it was probably a virus.  But still none of us were really THAT worried.

Sunday morning:  Rob is puking, among other gross things.

I spend the day taking care of Em, taking care of Rob, and helping Lori the best I can since she has a sick baby and a 3 year old. I pack up the car, and Rob and I go to Gainesville as soon as he feels like he can drive 1.5 hours.

Rob goes to bed and I visit with Gigi and Deets.  There was wine.  We were happy.

Em and Deets enjoy deep philosophical conversation before bedtime.

Gigi made these Victorian Bunnies when she was a little girl and passed them on to Em!

I am sure I've mentioned about a bazillion-factorial times how much I love homemade items, especially when they are made by family.  I'm sure Em will love playing with these one day.

See how surprised she looks.

Saturday night:  I get sick.  I had a lighter version of the vomit nastiness than everyone else.  I was mostly just extremely nauseous for 24 hours, and only got sick a couple of times. It was enough to make me wish I was dead. I spent some time sleeping on the bathroom floor at Gigi and Deets' house.  Good thing they are clean people.  But I doubt it would have mattered if they were rat hoarders at that particular time.

Sunday morning:  We hear that Lori, Jeff, and Cooper are all vomiting.  And that Jake is still sick.  

We still don't know if any of the other people we saw on Saturday ever got sick.  

Rob is feeling better by Sunday, just a little sore throat ("TOTALLY from the pollen, right?"), so he takes Em to meet Granny and Grandpa.  I stay away just in case.

More deep philosophical conversation, with Granny Mans.

Fun with great-grandparents.

Em took a little nap in Grandpa's lap.

And after the visit, Rob had a mini birthday celebration with his parents, because they had not given him his gift yet.

Please please please don't set my baby on fire.

What a cake Rob's mom made for him!  

He has requested that I make tiered cakes...But I might just let Gigi handle it still.

So then we left.  We didn't get home until about 10 p.m. Monday night.  I was exhausted and nauseous, and Rob was feeling crappy from his "allergies".  Em was thrilled to be home.  You  might have noticed that she DID NOT come down with the Violent Vomit-itis.  

Monday Morning.  Rob wakes up with a sore throat and a fever.  It was not, in fact, the pollen. I take a sick day, to keep an eye on Em and take her to the pediatrician for a checkup and shots in the afternoon. Rob goes to urgent care and is treated for Strep.  Thankfully Em does not have any signs of throat irritation or fever as of now.  Neither do I.

This Saturday we are driving to Nashville (a much shorter trip) to visit with Aunt Denise, Uncle Doug, and Em's great grandma McMillan.  

And the beat goes on.