Hotel Review

We recently attended a convention. I've been going to them since I was a child. Although the organization is wonderful, the location was horrible. The last time we were there, it was pretty bad. (My grandmother had a space heater warming her room, and it was still cold.)We were assured it had been renovated. Garrett kept referring to the place as a "fleabag" hotel, but I was hopeful. As the weekend approached, though, I expressed my anxiety. I think my mother called me "an elitist."

By the end of the weekend, she was in total agreement.

Here's a list of grievances:
1. check in took at least half an hour, and we had reserved a room
2. second floor had no elevator
3. lampshade was cracked and stained
4. every towel was stained
5. when I took a shower, I ended up using Garrett's towel because the only other one had gunk on it
6. the countertops had an ick on them I had to scrape off
7. my grandmother didn't have shampoo or soap
8. one of the ladies we were with ordered towels and didn't get them until 6:00 that evening
9. at least four of us got sick after eating in the restaurant at three different meals
10. one of the ladies had to call security because of the fights going on outside her room in the middle of the night
11. the walls were so thin that the baby waking us up crying was not even our own
12. our room was non-smoking, but that didn't stop our neighbors from lighting up
13. a guy was smoking a joint in the hallway
14. one of the ladies had to change rooms because her room had no heat
15. our tv didn't work
16. our "free internet" didn't work
17. we had to walk out in the cold to get to the rooms for the convention
18. it smelled dirty...because it was
19. the wakeup calls weren't on time
20. I almost stepped on a roach...of the insect variety

Where is this marvelous locale? The Biltmore Hotel on Meridian in Oklahoma City. I heard many people say they will never stay there again.

Guess what?

We won't either.

Casualties

According to Ms. Bib (our GPS), our trip from NJ to OK should take 21 hours. Factor in the fact that we're traveling with an 18 week old, and you've got a different kind of math to do. For example, we're averaging about 5-6 hours on-the-road-time even though we're in the car 8-9 hours.

Yep.

Calculate that.

Plus, last night Max developed an ugly diaper rash. (I had nightmares about it.) After reading all about it online, I feared the worst. To make matters worse, Max started filling his diapers often and well. He doesn't lack enthusiasm or sound effects. He is such a boy. Since he has the rash, we pulled over as soon as we realized he needed a diaper change. His rash is better tonight but not totally healed.

So, with everything going on, a few casualties are bound to occur. Here they are to date:
1. 2 sheets
2. pillowcase
3. 2 pants (mine)
4. towel
5. frog humidifier

The first three are results of Max's overzealous bathroom habits. I read that a baby should go diaperless to allow air to circulate around the rash. Inevitably, Max became a fountain...that backfired. On the bright side, he giggled at my reaction. His smile is always a bright side.

#5 is all my fault. I dropped it when Garrett handed it to me in the parking lot. Its eye is scraped because I'm a klutz. And I'm tired.

Poor froggie.

I guess there is bound to be a little road kill when we travel.

Happy New Year!

I've always said 2008 was two-thousand-great. How could 2009 compete?

We flew in on New Year's Eve and went straight to Max's doctor. He hadn't slept well for the two weeks we were in Oklahoma, which meant we hadn't slept well either. I spent most nights rocking him in my dad's armchair. He developed a rash on his chest and back that grew as red as Rudolph's nose. On the last day his nose started running. We stayed in Tulsa since our plane left at 7 in the morning, and we had maybe two hours total sleep that night.

The little guy cried and cried. He doesn't cry unless something is wrong.

So, we took him to the doctor where they gave him an antibiotic and Nystatin. Why the antibiotic? They claimed they didn't know what was wrong with him, so they gave him both. Hmmm. We didn't like that much.

Quick aside: After consulting other medical professionals (online and otherwise)...and knowing that 99% of the antibiotic gushed onto his bib but the rash is disappearing from the ointment, we've decided to discontinue the antibiotic and continue the ointment.

Since I do nights better than mornings, I volunteered to take the shift until midnight with Max so that Garrett could sleep. He hit the sheets around 6 and woke up about Max's bedtime to offer help. I shooed him off because I was determined to kick his butt out of bed if Max whimpered after midnight. Max slept much better in his own crib than a Pack and Play. The evening went fairly well, and I was asleep when 2008 faded into history.

After the morning feeding and cleaning rituals, I was about to drop. I told Garrett, "Okay. Now your turn. I'm going to go to bed and try to get some sleep."

He nodded. "You should." He gripped the side of the crib. "There's just one thing...I think I'm going to throw up."

And he did.

All day.

Happy flippin' new year.

I hope it improves.

THANK YOU!

This week has been great. I'm really behind on blogging and posting pics. Max has met lots of relatives and friends who have showered him with love.

Plus, Glamour has officially had her coming out party. Tuesday night's release party was incredible. Thank you to all the people who rolled out. I can't wait to share pictures with you. If anyone has some, please send them to me and I'll try to post them.

Kelly Bristow and Brenda Price hosted me as a guest author with Edmond Memorial High School students during the day. These students were incredible. They loved reading and writing. Plus, they asked great questions. I was impressed. (When a boy told me my shoes looked like Elphaba's from Wicked, I knew I was among my people.)

As if the workshop with the kiddos wasn't wonderful enough, the release party that night was even better. The library was decorated with fairy wings and frogs. Circle of Friends book club had delicious treats for people attending. Best of Books was there with stacks of Glamour--and they sold out! I heard they're ordering more, though, so drop by to get your copy. It was better than I ever could have imagined. I am so blessed. I loved getting to read my book to so many good people and friends and family. Thanks for helping me celebrate.

Tonight was a signing at Herwelden mansion in Tulsa, OK. Authors from Oklahoma sold their books. I was hanging out with the likes of William Bernhardt, Ally Carter, Kim Donner, and Billie Letts. Yeah, I felt pretty cool. Best of all, lots of pals from my hometown dropped by to get a copy of my book. It was great to see them. Again, if anyone has any pics, I'd love to post them on my blog!

Thanks to everyone who has made this week a total success.

Now, if Max will go to sleep, I can get some beauty rest. We need to leave Tulsa in just a few hours. I get to meet the students at Russelville Middle School in Arkansas tomorrow morning at 11:30.

The blessing

When I was touring Arlington House, the boys waited outside. Even with their forbidden stroller rule, a steady flow of people came in and out. I saw three little nuns walk in speaking Spanish. Once again reunited with the guys, I was told by Garrett that they'd met Max. One of them was especially delighted with him, oohing and ahhing. She touched his cheek and then blessed him.

At least, that's what Garrett thinks. We're not sure because she was speaking Spanish. Anyway, she said something and then made the sign of the cross over him, so we'll hope it was a blessing.

Nice, huh?

Washington DC Day 3

Garrett was so excited to learn that the Air and Space Museum had two buildings. We drove to the second one on the third day in D.C. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is near the Dulles airport in a hangar. Why a hangar? Because it's filled with airplanes and space shuttles.

Below is Garrett standing in front of the Enola Gay.Here we are in front of the Enterprise --no, not the Star Trek one.

After hitting the gift shop to purchase a couple of books for Max, we ate lunch at McDonald's again--they sure have the market cornered. Then we went to Arlington Cemetery. On the way there, we saw the Iwo Jima Memorial. Once at the cemetery, we walkedwalkedwalkedwalked in the heatheatheatheat. We passed the Kennedy graves and saw the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Arlington is impressive. It's beautiful and sad and patriotic all at the same time. The various tombstones tell so many stories that they speak over themselves in the serene setting until it's overwhelming. Even the origin of Arlington is a meaningful story.

Max and I enjoy the view from Arlington House, Robert E. Lee's home for 30 years.

Washington DC Day 2

We decided to go to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. I knew Garrett would like it, but I hadn't anticipated he'd like it so much. He was my own personal tour guide. I soon stopped looking at my booklet because, after only a glimpse, he'd launch into full explanation of what the thing was and its historical significance.

Even Max was in the mood. Check out his shirt.

One of the most popular museums of the Smithsonian, the Air and Space Museum, has something for kids of all ages. We didn't check out everything because of time limitations. There's plenty to go back and explore.

I spent quite a bit of time in the special room they had set aside for nursing mothers. I never realized what a courtesy it is for places to provide a place to sit in semi-privacy. Max had his lunch while Garrett hit the sights he most wanted to see. Then, we went to lunch in the museum. They offered McDonald's and Boston Market. I hadn't enjoyed a burger from Mickey D's in ages and the fries...well, everyone knows their fries are the best no matter how nutritionally questionable they may be. Here are the boys in the lunch court:

Since I'd been to D.C. before I told Garrett he didn't have to go to the art galleries with me if we could just go to the two other places I really wanted to see: the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and the International Spy Museum. Well, the first is closed for renovations and the second doesn't allow strollers. But here's a picture of me in front of the U.S. Capitol.
Having a stroller was an advantage at the National Archives, though. (For your future planning, an enormous line forms to see all the documents, but if you take the handicap route, which one must do if pushing a stroller, then you get straight to the floor.) The guards oohed and ahhed over Max and then told us to take our time. Neither Garrett nor I could look to our left because hundreds of people were staring at us in the long line. I almost felt guilty, but then I remembered that they could have gone to the International Spy Museum if they really wanted to. So there.

Max slept better in Washington D.C than he does in his own crib. He loves his car seat and stroller. When he got fussy, I just reached over and rocked it a bit and he went right back to sleep. Loved it!

Washington DC Day 1, part 3

Garrett and I tried to leave the memorials around 4. Babies definitely slow things down! Plus, we were tired from walking around everywhere since we couldn't get on the trolley tour. The walking felt good mostly, though, because I've not really had any exercise in 9 months.

My cousin Kent lives in Alexandria, Virginia. My aunt and uncle were visiting, so we were looking forward to all getting together for dinner.Kent had completely renovated his home over the years, and it was fun to see what he'd done. As an architect of extremely modern buildings, coming home to his old house must be a definite cue to shift from work to relaxation. I'd heard stories of how decidedly dated the building had been when he purchased it, but one would never know it now. The beautiful wood floors were preserved, but he'd added touches like opening up a wall and adding a large window. Outside, we saw where my aunt was going to plant flowers. Plus, we saw the products of his summer garden, pumpkins and decorative gourds. (Am I the only member of my family with black thumbs instead of green?) Max slept through the tour.

Kent took us on a walk to historic Alexandria on our way to dinner. We stopped into a seafood/sushi restaurant that he said he'd heard was good but hadn't tried yet. Once inside, I felt a little out of place. Most diners were couples--it was a Saturday night, after all--and children were decidedly absent. We asked for a table. They looked at our stroller and asked us if we had reservations.

Well, I did then.

We soon continued on our way to the place Kent had in mind originally, The Wharf. It was great. They set us in the back where we were out of the way and we had a nice dinner. For some reason, my flash was off, so my pictures were rotten. Luckily, Kent and Uncle Ed are great photographers, so I'm hoping they'll send their pics. Max woke up in time for pictures.

We caught the last trolley that night and rode it back to Kent's. I guess we got to ride a trolley after all!

Washington DC day 1

We've learned that if we stay on Max's schedule the day goes well. So, we slept in with Max--he prefers to party during the early morning hours and then snooze in the mid-morning. Our sightseeing agenda began with Memorials. My uncle and cousin highly recommended the trolley tours. Uncle Ed said we could buy tickets at Union Station, so we headed that way.

Garrett had downloaded an application our iPhones that accessed maps for the Metro. It was great. We rode the Metro to Union Station. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, my first subway ride was in D.C. and the worker was so nice. I think it's cool that Max's first ride was in D.C. as well. Also, just as they'd been on my first visit (20 years ago) all of the workers were extremely nice, friendly, and helpful. The Metro is really clean, too. I didn't see any debris or rats on the tracks. Plus, it didn't have the same smell as NJ Transit.

Once we reached Union Station, Garrett walked over to a line and stood in it. Unfortunately, it was not the proper tour. The line we needed to stand in was long. We waited at least half an hour. While Max and I hung out, Garrett went to Starbucks and returned. I downed a chai frappucino before we reached the front of the line. The tickets were $35 a piece. They assured us that taking a stroller on board wouldn't be a problem.

Yeah, right.

We went outside and stood in yet another line. We missed the first trolley because it was rather crowded, and we didn't think we could break down the stroller in time. Soon, Max let me know he was hungry. I'd already changed him in the Union Station bathroom, and there was no place to nurse him. Garrett urged me to go to the large statue in front of the station--where people were snapping pictures--to nurse. Unfortunately, it appeared to be the best option. Part of it was a bench of some sort, and I had purchased a nursing cape recently, so I ventured forth, praying a bum wasn't hanging out in the partially hidden corner of the statue. Max wasn't even halfway finished when Garrett called to tell me the next trolley was on its way. Max and I scrambled across the street. Garrett and I almost had the stroller ready to go and people kept pushing past us to get on the trolley. We weren't fast enough. The trolley was full and we were left standing on the sidewalk with our useless tickets and time wasted.

Garrett said, "I knew this wasn't going to work."

That did it.

"You did, huh?" I snapped, "Well, you should have said something earlier."

Garrett isn't one to complain much, so I should have just ignored it. I'm sure he'd already ignored several of my snide remarks by that point. But the stress of having people wait in line behind me as I changed my son on a filthy changing table that I wiped down before placing our changing pad on top of it and then nursing in public while tourists clicked their cameras was more than I could handle. After all, we were supposed to be having a fun family vacation.

I took off with Max and the stroller, and Garrett must have thought I was crazy. I marched us right up to the line we'd stood in for so long and started selling our tickets. Guess what? No one carries cash these days. I'd reached the front of the line and a mother and daughter visiting from Italy before I was able to sell the tickets. I'm sure everyone thought I was some sort of lunatic ticket scalper using my baby as an angle.

Still, the morning wasn't a complete waste. Check out who we met in Union Station:

Washington DC on the way

We drove to Washington DC on Friday. We'd heard it takes about 3 1/2 hours.

That's such a lie.

Especially with a baby.

We arrived over 7 hours after our departure.

Garrett had racked up Marriott points over the years and we decided this weekend was a good time to cash them in. Here's Max in his first hotel room. He made himself right at home.

We signed up for the hotel near the Navy Yard. That's the Navy Yard in the background. We took this picture on our walk to dinner that night.

Now, I'd heard that this area was not known for being the safest, so I did my research. I read reviews online. I emailed my cousin Kent, who lives in Alexandria and asked him about it. Like the information I found online, Kent said that the area was experiencing a revival and was supposed to be fairly safe now. It's where the new baseball stadium is. If anyone plans to go to a game, I highly recommend staying at this hotel because you are right by the stadium and just a block away from the Metro. Plus, the people there are all really nice.
When we checked in, we asked about a place to eat dinner--because, yes, it was dinner time, not lunch time, as we had anticipated. The guy at the front desk recommended a place a short walk away. I asked him if the area was safe. He looked at me seriously and said, "No. I was mugged two nights ago." Then he laughed and laughed and laughed. He assured us police patrolled the area and it was well lit.

He was right.

We saw several officers on our way to dinner. One of them had pulled over a convertible driven by a chipper, pony-tailed blond. The two young ladies in the car were chatting him up. I think their crime might have been being too cute.

We also saw military guards. Not only did we pass the Navy Yard, but we also walked by a Marine base. Uniformed marines were on each corner. I felt very safe. Plus, a uniformed military guy usually adds to the scenery, and this was no exception.

At the restaurant, we sat outside right by the sidewalk. The staff kindly and quickly offered us hot water when I stood to locate the bathroom to warm a bottle for Max. The food wasn't bad, either.

The man at the table next to us held court. The staff seemed to know and revere him. Suited men on the sidewalk paused to shake hands with him and offer their services if he ever needed anything. Even when Garrett and I juggled Max and our dinner, he observed it all in stride as he sipped a martini. Later, I caught him making goo-goo eyes at Max. Then, he correctly guessed Max's age and weight. When I mentioned that I hoped we weren't disturbing his dinner because of (a teeny-tiny, short-lived bout of) fussiness, he told me never to apologize for a child because he was perfect. There was something about the way he spoke to us and held himself that made me understand why people reacted to him the way they did. I'd love to know who he is.

Our first outing

Last Saturday, we decided to take our first road trip with Max. My parents were here, so we had back-up. Plus, we'd wanted them to visit Mystic Seaport. Those of you who read the blog regularly may recall that Garrett and I went this winter when it was c-c-c-cold and we still enjoyed it.

So, we braved the road with a one week old, a diaper bag, and a breast pump. The diaper bag held no fewer than 7 diapers, 2 pacifiers, 2 blankets, and 3 outfits. I felt successful that we came back with one fresh article of clothing. Let me point out that every outfit Max wore had a nautical print in honor of his first trip to the ocean. We are nothing if not thematic.

Before we left, I insisted on getting my picture made with Max in his cute--if rather large--outfit because I figured it wouldn't stay clean for long. It didn't. Promptly after this photo was taken, he puked. Good thing it was reversible.

All of the buildings at Mystic Seaport were hauled in from real whaling villages to create an authentic 19th century whaling port. Below, my parents are with Max in front of one of the churches.
You can see one of the ships in the distance behind Garrett, Max and me. For anyone interested in learning how to build your own boat or being a shipmate, they offer camps. I wouldn't want to do it at all. But, hey, whatever floats your boat...

On the left is a cordage, which is a building where they make rope. On the right are a bunch of little dinghies. The lighthouse is pretty, don't you think? My mom spotted it. I didn't even notice it the first time we were there.

Once we finally located batteries, I spent an unspeakable amount of time in the ladies' room trying to master the stupid pump. I've never felt more akin to livestock. All the while people were walking in and out. I was covered with a sweatshirt, so don't think I was like some tribal woman on National Geographic. I wasn't the only freak show in there, either. One woman brought her son in and put him on the changing table. I swear he was four years old and practically crawled up there by himself. And he was sucking on a lollipop.

At least I was standing by a window. Outside I could see Garrett changing Max again:

Right outside the bathroom door was this photo op:
Another good photo op would have been of me when I decided to go back into the bathroom to actually use the facilities. When I entered, I thought it looked different, but since I'm easily geographically confused except in malls I didn't think anything of it. Until I saw the urinals. I knew they weren't water fountains, so I promptly left. Later, a man walked by with a big grin on his face. He and his pals were laughing at me. I can't remember what he said, but I do remember he had totally seen me. He was friendly enough. And, really, when you might have baby poop and spilled milk on you in a public place, who can get embarrassed about a little thing like going in the wrong bathroom?

Not far from Mystic Seaport is Stonington. Garrett loves this little point where you can go out and see the ocean. As you can see, it was a beautiful sunset.
After we were home, we felt like we'd really accomplished something. We managed to eat lunch and dinner at restaurants as well as go sightseeing. Max was a perfect little gentleman.

Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

Garrett drove us to the beach on Sunday. It took at least an hour longer to get there this summer than it did Easter Weekend when we were bundled up like snow skiers. The traffic was horrendous. On the way home, it wasn't quite as bad. But what do I know? I slept most of the ride.

We are definitely amateurs. We took some water, snacks, towels, and a red blanket. I slathered myself with sunscreen that had a 50 rating before we left Park Ridge and once we arrived. (No pregnancy mask for me thankyouverymuch.) We also took a little $5 rain umbrella and a book, but I forgot them in the car. The beach was filled with regulars. They had beach umbrellas, ice chests, beach chairs, and even tents. We, obviously, were not part of their crowd. We did, however, know better than many new parents who tried to force those huge baby strollers across sand.

Spreading our blanket at the first available spot meant that we were nowhere near the actual water. That far out, sun worshipers surrounded us in their tiny bikinis and golden skin. I kept looking for harpooners or Green Peace to spot me.

Not to worry.

When we walked toward the ocean--ah, the sand felt so good on my feet!--we saw the other beach goers. The water was filled with individuals, couples, and families. They were all laughing and having fun. Frolicking is the appropriate word. My first observation was that no woman of a certain age in the midwest or southwest would even consider wearing the swimsuits these women wore. Bikinis abounded.

Well, flesh abounded. Sometimes, the bikinis were rather hard to see. I felt a little more confident in my maternity swimsuit. So did the one woman I saw who covered her bikini with a t-shirt that announced: I'm fat because I'm pregnant. What's your excuse?

The women were typical New Jersey. They wore jewelry at the beach. They carried designer handbags. They wore stylish and expensive swimsuits. You might think they were all pretension. But when a wave knocked one down as she attempted to catwalk with a certain haughtiness because she knew people might be watching, the true Jersey girl came out in her. Her facade broke as she regained her balance and wiped her wet hair out of her face. She guffawed and turned to all those nearby. "So much for trying to be cool."

Because the waves were so strong, I simply stood with my feet in the water and let the waves ebb and flow around me. I was afraid that if I went too deep, Poseidon might knock me down and then I'd go into labor and ruin our day. Garrett, of course, ventured in. He waded out about waist high, turned around, crossed his arms to shiver and mouthed, "It's cold." The lady beside me turned to me and laughed. I guess she thought he was funny, too.

Then again, she may have been laughing at me since I'd placed his hat on top of mine. Attractive, I'm sure.

Memorial Day, May 26--Valley Forge

We started the day with a great breakfast from Morning Glory Diner. It was worth the wait.

We went to Valley Forge on our way home. We had just missed a parade, so we saw the boys coming home on horseback in their wool uniforms. We also saw other boys out and about in various uniforms. Some of them were so young. The movie Taps was filmed here. Remember the scene where the wall gets blown out? You can see where they bricked it back up. Ah, movie magic.

On the way home, Garrett and I also got to visit our first Whole Foods. Such an abundance of healthy food was exciting. Later, we went to Trader Joe's, which is similar. It's not far from our house, so we're thrilled. Plus, that non-alcoholic wine we've been searching for was there. We've not tried it yet...but we will.

Sunday, May 25--University of Pennsylvania

We started our day by walking to the University of Pennsylvania. It's never too early to begin college visits, is it?

Here we are at The Green with Ben Franklin.Ellery was such a good baby--even though she was teething! When she was giggly and playing, Max was fine, but as soon as she made any little noise indicating discomfort, Max started flipping around in there! I think he's in love.We walked to the university, but it's difficult to carry around all this extra weight! So, we took the subway back. Here I am beside subway art. By the way, we got to ride for free because whoever sold tickets left a sign saying to just go through the gate. Very cool.Next, we went to the Reading Terminal Market. It was filled with all sorts of things to eat. They also had flowers and other things for sale. I purchased some natural beeswax candles.

We grabbed salads and sandwiches and had a picnic in Rittenhouse Square. The park was filled with people. The weather was absolutely perfect. It was a great day to wander in and out of shops. We bought Max a couple of books.

Easter Weekend

This Saturday we drove to the Jersey Shore. Point Pleasant Beach was calming, beautiful...and cold. As if going snow skiing, we bundled up with layers of clothes and our warmest coats. But it was so worth it. Minus the warm sun, watching the ocean was everything I love about being on a boat in an Oklahoma lake. The waves came and went, lulling me into peace and relaxation.

When we first arrived, we drove up and down the street nearest the beach. It was fun to see all the old beach houses. Some of them were so enormous, they must have housed 20 bedrooms. I loved the wrap-around porches. It was easy to imagine bathing beauties of the Victorian era with all their pals heading to the beach to cool off.

Many of the shops were closed for the season, but a good portion of them were open. We stopped at this one and enjoyed a seafood feast while looking out at the docks, the seagulls, the ducks, and the working fishing boats. I think Garrett was trying to retrieve this anchor from the ground out front--but you'll have to ask him to be sure.
We didn't actually make it to the boardwalk, but plan to return. I'm drawn to the carnival atmosphere. All sorts of rides entice me, but I'll have to wait until Baby arrives before I try 'em out. Hopefully, they have corndogs. A corndog would make me happy. Going back will be easy. It's about an hour and a half drive (if that) and we noticed the train station stops just a short walk from the beach. Train tickets would definitely be cheaper than parking.

For the weather being so frigid, people were plentiful on the sand enjoying the bright day. We even saw toddlers with their Easter baskets collecting seashells. Adorable.

Garrett is on the pier holding our little sack of collected seashells.

On Sunday, we went to West Point to share Easter dinner with our friends Alison and Paul and their baby girl Ellery. It was nice to have a holiday with loved ones when family is so far away.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

February 24

My mom and I watched the Broadway production of August: Osage County. The guys went to the Natural History Museum, which they said is nothing like Ben Stiller's movie At the Museum.

The first act was especially good. I thought it seemed to have elements of Steel Magnolias and Terms of Endearment. Tracy Letts created a believably kooky family--even if a certain subplot was a little icky. As the play continued for three acts I wondered if the theater was trying to add to the setting of an Oklahoma August by smothering us. I think I'd seen a show in that theater before and remembered a leaky roof that did not help the fact that it was frigid.

One of the reasons we'd wanted to see the play was because the playwright was the son of Oklahoma's own Billi Letts, who wrote Where the Heart Is (you know, the Oprah book that became a movie and was about the girl who had a baby at Wal Mart). Letts has such a knack with creating characters, we wanted to see if her talent rubbed off on her son. We met her at HAWK's Heartland writing workshop last summer, and she glowed with pride as she spoke of her son's play. Below is a picture of some of my writing pals with the author:

The show was a family affair. Her husband Dennis Letts played the father. His monologue opened the show. We were disappointed to see that someone was filling in for him. When Mama returned home she explained why the actor missed the show. After reading local Oklahoma papers, she learned he'd died that Friday--two days before the performance. My heart goes out to their family in their loss. I've heard her speak a couple of times, and she seems like a sincere person whose pride and love for her family are evident.

February 21-24

We were thrilled when we saw it was going to be pretty when my parents visited. They were expected to arrive around 11 in the morning on the 21st. Instead, their non-stop flight got delayed (although it eventually arrived a few hours before they did). They were sent to Texas and then New Mexico. At least three of their scheduled flights were cancelled and they couldn't even get on one to go home. Thankfully, they managed to catch a flight that had them arrive at 2:30 in the morning on the 22nd.


On our way to pick them up, we noticed it started to snow. My dad called to see where we were just as a car in front of us had slid across several lanes and hit the concrete barrier along the road. As the snow picked up, the street disappeared. We eventually arrived at the airport. I was so relieved that my parents had arrived safely. Here's a pic of my dad juggling two phones in an attempt to locate their luggage: We cancelled our weekend trip to Hartford because of doctor's orders. However, we managed to have a good, low key visit and they helped us immensely by cooking and cleaning and shopping. They even helped me lug laundry to a laundromat since I'm not supposed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk. My mom's favorite aspect of their visit was our trip to IKEA. We're still accumulating things for our apartment, and the curtains my dad installed make our bedroom much cozier. We went to Palisades Mall. We ate lunch and tried to see No Country for Old Men, but they only had three tickets left. We saw another Oscar nominated movie on pay-per-view when we got home: Michael Clayton. Good movie.

Below is a picture of Garrett trying to win a stuffed animal at one of those crane games that's in the mall. He was once quite good at it because he and his father would play at lunch each week. His mother accumulated quite a batch of animals. The best carnival-esque gamer I know, though, his Aunt Anne. The woman is a master at everything from the crane to the shooting games.

Boston Pics

Here are a few pictures from our Boston trip before it was cut short...

We pause on our march in search of the b&b with faulty directions to see a Boston landmark: Fenway Park. About where Garrett is standing was also an advertisement for the Dropkick Murphys.

We saw the location for the USA's first public school as we walked the Freedom Trail. Boston Latin School is marked by a hopskotch playing area. 5 of the signers of the Declaration of Independence attended the school: Ben Franklin, John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Robert Treat Paine, and William Hooper.

Garrett pauses on our trip around Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.

Boston boasts our country's first subway system. Isn't it beautiful?

Back at out townhouse b&b.

Harvard, History and MGH

Our stay at the Clarendon was excellent. It is a 5 story brownstone in South Boston. I had originally chosen it because of the excellent recommendations on Google and was glad I did. Our room was on the ground level, was fairly spacious and even offered a balcony presumably to use when the weather is more accommodating.

We ventured to breakfast around 0900 and sat with a couple from NYC. Conversation was initially sparse and it made breakfast somewhat awkward. According to a Boston statute bed and breakfasts are not permitted to serve warm breakfasts so we filled ourselves with toast, yogurt, cheese, hard boiled eggs, OJ and milk.

Finally around 1000 we headed out toward our first stop, Harvard. We found the subway to be extremely easy to navigate as each train has a color and the directions is distinguished by the final destination. Brandi, ever fascinated by subways, was happy to learn that it was the oldest subway system in the United States. Harvard square was a bustling place. We stopped in to purchase some souvenirs at The Coop which we could not determine if it is pronounced as one syllable with a short o or with two syllables and a long o.

Brandi made a quick stop at the information booth to garner directions to The Concord Museum and the Old Manse. When the guy at the information booth said that he had never heard of either, I knew something was wrong. Brandi handed him the list of destinations her friend Ange had given us for things to do in the Boston area and was then informed that she was mistaking Cambridge for Concord. (Brandi's note: I know. I'm an idiot. Blame it on the hormones.)

Walking around the university, Brandi and I both remarked at the dorky nature of the students there, and many reminded her of some of her debate students—pretentious and wearing khakis. None-the-less the university was remarkable because of its history. We saw the house that George Washington called his first headquarters and Longfellow eventually lived. Many of the buildings were built in the 1700’s.

Our next destination was the Freedom trail. We started off by seeing where George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin went to primary school. At this point we were both a bit hungry and decided to stop into a little pub called The Hub Pub. Lunch was unremarkable and before continuing Brandi decided to stop in the restroom. As I waited by the door, I heard a voice from behind asking if my name is Garrett. Always an unsettling question, I answered that I am. She informed me that Brandi was in the restroom and was crying that that she was bleeding. As we rushed down the stairs, I feared the worst. The waitress told me that no one else was in the women’s rest room, not that it would have slowed me down. As I opened the door on the stall there was a great deal of blood. I was reminded of the Vietnam scene in Forest Gump when he comes upon the wounded Bubba who was doing his best to hold in his intestines, exclaiming “Oh no, Bubba.”

I spent a few moments trying to decide whether to call an ambulance or if a taxi would be best. Brandi called out that she would prefer a taxi and I asked the waitress to call us a cab and find out the nearest hospital. Shortly she returned and let me know that the taxi was on the way and that the nearest hospital is MGH (Massachusetts General Hospital). The bartender waited outside for the taxi, and it wasn’t but a few moments until the taxi arrived. When we told him the destination and saw Brandi sobbing he spared no mercy on the accelerator.

Within 10 minutes we were pulling up to the emergency doors. An attendant asked if we needed a wheelchair, declining we ran into the hospital. Brandi started walking aimlessly around the hospital and I ushered her toward the Emergency check-in. (Brandi's note: I was not "aimless." I saw a sign that said PATIENT ADMISSIONS and walked toward it. I was completely oblivious to the fact that the big red EMERGENCY sign was in the other direction.) Despite the area being packed the nurse retrieved Brandi a wheelchair and bypassed all the elderly complaining of shortness of breath. I spent most of my time trying to calm Brandi and take her focus off the problem, all the while I could not help noticing her blood soaked jeans.

Soon we found ourselves in the ultrasound room. Shortly we were greeted with our first good news and a very happy image. We saw our baby moving around. It warmed both of our hearts to learn that the heartbeat was 179. It was moving its arms and turned and gave us a clear view of its feet. Even the ultrasound technician exclaimed that she had never seen the baby’s feet from this angle before. Next we were taken back to the ICU and Brandi was examined several more times. At this point we learned that Brandi had two subchorionic hematomas. We learned that these are not uncommon but could be dangerous to the baby. The bleeding had ceased and we were ....--G

Brandi's note: Garrett finished here and asked me to complete the draft...

The hematomas are little tears in the placenta. Mine are small. One is 1 cm and the other is 2 cm. Apparently, the baby is oblivious to them. These happen fairly often and can take several roads. Most likely, they'll heal. They can also simply clot. Unfortunately, they can also increase or multiply resulting in a miscarriage. The doctors seemed simultaneously relieved and saddened with the news, wishing they could tell us something more positive.

We were both really impressed with our doctors and the staff. Not only did they move us quickly, but they were also kind. In addition to Garrett's expert calming effect in times of crisis, I was blessed to have a nurse attach herself to me at the beginning. Her name was Lorraine and she had the ability to make me focus simply on her smile and kind words. The ER doc was an enthusiastic younger guy named Dr. Wasfry. The OB was Dr. Moran whose demeanor totally reminded us of our friend Colleen, which made it all a bit easier. Later, a nice nurse who called me Mrs. Bartleby, Bartney, and everything else under the sun besides my name answered my request for a pair of clean pants. When she brought me new medium sized men's sweatpants I asked if we paid now or if they were added to the bill. She just laughed. "We usually give these to the drunks that piss themselves. I'd much rather give them to you!"

After six hours of food deprivation--well I was deprived of food and by Garrett's standards so was he even though he finished off an entire bag of beef jerkey and two protein bars in the ICU--they finally released us. Dr. Wasfry lived in the area and printed off a map of a favorite and nearby Italian restaurant: Artu. We got to see a bit of Beacon Hill on our short walk, and the food was delicious. Our waitress was adorable and managed to visit like old friends with all the people dining in the 26 seat restaurant. She informed Garrett that her cousin made up the dish he was eating, and we learned that it was mostly a family business.

We found our way back to the B&B via the nearby Red Line. The bed was soooo comfy.

Boston Day One

We began our journey to Boston early on Saturday morning with a 0515 wakeup call. After waiting briefly in the train depot in Park Ridge, we headed toward Penn Station to catch the 0803 Amtrak Express to Boston. I found the train ride to be surprisingly enjoyable despite sitting across from two very giggly fourteen-year-old girls. The train followed the coast, and I found it very relaxing looking out toward the harbors and the ocean. I passed my time listening to audiobooks while enjoying the scenery. Brandi read and slept. As far as I am concerned, the journey seemed to fly by.

Leaving the train station we were greeted with 25 degree, bone chilling air. As we walked toward what we thought to be our destination. In hind sight I know my mistake.... --G

Brandi's note: Garrett left off the previous draft and asked me to finish it, so....
In hindsight, the mistake was that he entered 198 West Brookline Avenue instead of 198 West Brookline Street into his Blackberry to give us directions to our B&B Clarendon Square. As a result, we wandered the city for an hour and a half with Garrett toting his backpack and my small suitcase. They had assured us it was a five minute walk from the train station, so we were both a bit suspicious about our direction. I was exhausted and must have looked about to drop because Garrett ordered me into a Starbuck's when we finally reached our "destination" and the street numbers jumped from 196 to 200 and it was decidedly not in the neighborhood of Victorian townhouses we expected. Garrett clicked away on his Blackberry in search of the proper location. We exited the building and returned for him to click away some more. I was hungry and tired, so I leaned over and interrupted two guys who were listing off the traits they desired in a man. They were very helpful and soon figured out that we meant to be in the South End. Yes. And that we were decidedly far away from it. They told us where a taxi stand was and we were at the B&B in fifteen minutes.

Once there we were shown to our lower level room that opened out to its own terrace. It was all decorated with an Asian theme.

The innkeeper showed us a map and made dining recommendations in the area. After just a short walk we arrived at The Garden of Eden and enjoyed lots of food. Due to our long walk earlier in the day, I was totally exhausted and climbed into bed for the rest of the afternoon--a precursor to the untouristy weekend we were about to have. Garrett spent a lot of time updating his music list.

That night we attempted to eat at a French restaurant called Aquataine but they were packed. However, the host called their sister restaurant Metropolis Cafe across the street and got us in. We luckily walked past a line of waiting people and were immediately seated. The food was divine.