We Made It :-)

OK, so it's 3:05 am on December 26 and I'm wide awake. It has been a few rather traumatic days for me, but I'll bypass that boring story.

Bottom line, we did not make it to PA on Christmas Eve like I'd planned. I went to the gas station that morning to fill the tank, and all I saw on Reisterstown Road were cars backed up for as far as the eye could see. I immediately had a very bad panic attack. Seriously. Couldn't catch my breath for the life of me and was shaking like a leaf.

Fast forward through lots of drama that day to the next morning, Christmas Day. My baby was with her daddy, and all I wanted was to be with her and my family for Christmas. Her dad and I went back and forth...me begging to come get her, he saying he was concerned about the weather conditions...freezing rain in Johnstown. After much debate and compromise, we decided I'd wait until 11 am to pick her up, when the sleet was supposed to have turned over to all rain.

So my girl and I were off on our journey from Bethesda to PA at about 11:45 am. She slept from Frederick until I got off the PA turnpike :-) (i.e., a half hour from my home). For the brief time she was awake, I handed her individual bags of her snacks and that seemed to satisfy her. One item I believe I am going to invest in (and it's $5, so it's reasonable)...



Her cup always falls, and she frantically calls, "Juice! Juice!" Of course, I'm on the interstate and can't do a thing about it until I can find the next exit to pull off and retrieve it. So I figure this is something worth having! Clip it on and no worries!

It didn't take Claire long to warm up to her relatives (she hasn't seen my sister's family since June). I will have to upload some pics from Dad's camera later. She got an Elmo phone, Sesame Street clean-up set, lots and lots of books, the Elmo Potty DVD, some Cabbage Patch Kid babies, a V-Tech "camera," some cool duds, and lots of gift cards! She still doesn't really get it, and all she wanted to play with was a little kitchen set my mom has had for a bazillion years :-) But she can now say "Santa Claus," and it's adorable :-)

Mommy, among other nice things, got the only two things she put on a list...a back scratcher and Snuffleupagus!!! hehehehehe!

Claire is now fast asleep in her crib (as a bonus, it's the same crib she has at home, so it's familiar), and my parents are sleeping, most likely recharging their batteries to prepare for a full day with their Energizer Bunny granddaughter!!!

I hope to actually get on the ball and take some pics to share in the next few days. Until then...

Keep Christmas with you
All through the year
When Christmas is over
Save some Christmas cheer

Think of this Christmas Day
When Christmas is far away