Life if getting back to normal after a vacation to Utah/Arizona in which Sally was left with my parents for part of the time. My parents did a great job with Sally--in fact, Sally liked my mom so well that she screamed and cried when I picked her up when I got back. I was crushed that my baby rejected me, but she soon warmed up to me again and thing are ALMOST back to normal. We've had a few struggles, though:
-Ever since Sally has been back in my care we've been having one continuous battle over the bink. My parents allowed her to have the binky whenever she wanted (I would have done the same if I had been watching someone else's child for 4.5 days), but that is not my style. I've been able to wheezle it away from her each day with much difficulty, but she is getting smarter and more careful about letting her guard down. I really want to be done with the darn thing for good. Any suggestions? After meeting with her pediatrician the other day, Neal and I tried taking it away from her cold turkey. That resulted in a very disturbed nap and 20+ minutes of screaming in her bed at night before I caved and gave it back. I'm weak, what can I say? She has great naps with the binky and I'm not ready to give up nap time!
-Sally seems to be starting into the terrible two's--tantrums (over the bink and many other things, half of which I'm not even aware of) have abounded lately, and whininess is almost becoming the norm. The slightest thing will set Sally off, and she'll flop the the ground and start crying to the point that she can't breath.
While the above behaviors are not acceptable (and time-out has been utilized many a time lately), I do think that they can in part be attributed to: the VERY hot, muggy, yucky weather in KC that we returned to, the shots that Sally got at the Dr., fatigue, and Sally's altered sense of security since she was left. Much of the time she's still my little sweetie!
Alright, the title of this post is Havasu Falls, so I guess I'd best get onto that...
Neal and I decided to try out a backpacking trip with our friends Mitch and Lexi and their family. I'd like to say that I had a great time, but I can't--I had a good time, and now that it's over, it's easier for me to remember the good times rather than the things I suffered.
Suffered? Indeed. I was sick with a pretty bad head cold for most of the trip, and I simply didn't feel well. Being sick isn't fun under normal circumstances, and when you add in inadequate restrooms (I won't even elaborate), heat, fatigue, and poor sleeping conditions, the effects are worsened. Enough of that.
We saw some pretty awesome sights and got to relax and spend time with our friends. Here's a quick synopsis of the trip:
Day 1: We hiked in starting at 5:00 A.M. The hike was 10 miles, and we carried everything we needed for the trip on our backs. My pack was about 35 lbs., Neal's was 65 lbs. We definitely learned our lesson for taking too much stuff: we were sore, stiff, and tired by the end of the hike! Later that day we went to one of the falls--getting there was quite an adventure. We climbed nearly straight down the mountainside (100 feet is my estimation) with the assistance of chains, ladders, and steps that have been added for safety. Everyone swam but me--I was afraid that the water would be too cold. I can be kind of a worry wart sometimes!
Day 2: We hiked all day to another of the falls. Unfortunately we didn't know the best route, and we had more adventures getting there (which included scaling a canyon wall and causing a small rock slide). It was pretty awesome when we did finally make it, though. I decided to swim that day and enjoyed it. The water was cold, but I got used to it quickly. Getting there and making our way back took the better part of the day.
Day 3: It was Sunday, so we had our own church meeting, and then Neal and I, along with a few others in our group, went to church. There was a church in the village, about 3 miles from our campsite. Unfortunately we underestimated the time we needed to get there, and we ended up pratically running all the way to get there by 10. When we did finally make it (we being me and Neal--the rest of the group was quicker, and Neal was kind and stayed with me) by 10:20, we found out that church didn't start until 11:00--a huge blessing to me since I REALLY wanted to go to church and I was praying all the way that I could make it. The church had a nice shady porch that we relaxed on before the meeting. After church we went to the final falls. Most people swam, but I opted out. It was nice to just relax after the mad dash to church in the heat of the day and enjoy the mist from the falls.
Day 4: We got up really early and hiked out. I wasn't feeling well enough to carry my pack out, so I, along with Lexi, hired the chopper to take it out for me for $20. It was well worth it, except that we had to wait around for quite a while after we made it out for our packs to arrive. The hike out wasn't too bad (thanks to the chopper!), and I felt a great sense of accomplishment when I was done.
There are a lot of other details I could have included--if you want to know more, just ask. Here are some of my favorite pics:
Hiking in
The first water fall we saw--after we passed through the village and before we got to our campsite (the most grueling part of the hike)
Me by my favorite of the falls we saw (Mooney, I think)
During the hike of Day 2 (we hiked up the river most of the way back)
The church in the village
All-in-all it was a good trip, and I'm glad for the experience. The scenery was beautiful and it was so neat to go to church and see the faithful members there. I wish I had been healthy so I could have enjoyed it more. I'll admit that I could have had a better outlook and worried less about Sally and my health--that would have helped. Next time we go on vacation, though, I get to choose the spot! :)
