Mother and Daughter Weekend 2011

I sit here exhausted - 1:30 in the morning. I'm so tired, I can't believe that I have insomnia - but, I guess that is just one of the things that happens when you are pregnant and get up to pee every 15 minutes. Oh, did I also mention that the kid is in my bed and keeps pushing me out of it? And, might I add, the dog keeps flopping around too? UGH!!!

Well, this is just part of taking one for the team, I guess. Every year, my husband and his friends take off on what has been dubbed "Man Weekend". It is only one weekend out of the year and its nothing fancy - just a chance for them to get away and hang out. This year, their adventure takes them rafting and camping - and leaves me at home for the weekend with my sweet 7-year old daughter (and my lil' fetus baby who is 23 weeks and growing in me big time!). 

So, what is there to do while the guys are away? Elise requested to go for her first pedicure and a trip for cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory. (Yes, my little sweetie is a very girly girl!) Of course, we ended up going, going, going non-stop. Here's the shakedown of our weekend and subsequent reason for my exhaustion:

Friday

• Elise gets home from school at 3pm
• Elise and one of her friends come in to play for about an hour - all goes well until one hell of a thunderstorm pops up and I have to get her friend back to her Dad's house right around the corner.
• Boredom sets in. Elise complains there is no one to play with and she can't play outside with the rain. 
• Time to get her out of the house, so, at her request, off to the Mall we went.
• At the mall, we get Laney's hair done (Elise's favorite American Girl doll). Yes, I had to pay to get a doll's hair styled. Whatevs... it made the kid happy.
• Then, it was off to Justice to look at clothes. You can imagine the laughter that I had to hold inside when we get in the store and Elise says "Mama, I have something for you in my pocketbook" - and then she pulls out of her purse.... a 40% off coupon for Justice! LOL - that child was planning ahead and had been holding on to that one. So, what was I to do? I succumbed, I folded, I caved and let her get two new tank tops for the summer (hey, they were on sale and she had a 40% off coupon, how could I say no?)
• One more stop before I can get this child fed and get us back home before Elise breaks us.... and its off to Claire's boutique. Elise has to get a "best friends" bracelet set so she can share with her friend, Kylie... ok, but just this last one little thing and that's it!!
• Time for dinner - Sbarro mall pizza. What else? Yes, that's all she wants to eat. Ok, fine. She has a blast eating her pizza slice while "people watching". This kid really loves people watching and is so funny.
• Back home and then off to bed with us - its been a long day and Elise has a nail appointment for Saturday.

Saturday

• Up at 8 and out the house by 9:30.
• Down the road we go to Roswell, Georgia to a nail salon that doesn't use harsh chemicals and is safe for a pregnant mommy and her 7 year old daughter.
• We arrived almost an hour too early for our appointment and had to kill some time - so, it was off to the mall again to visit the other stores we didn't go into the evening before.
• Successfully, I navigated Build-a-Bear, Bath and Body Works, a couple of boutiques and the video game store without buying a damn thing :) I said NO, NO, NO!!

• Unfortunately, Elise did find my soft spot in the Disney store. I like the Vinylmation little art creations - so does she. Ok, so one for each of us. Not a splurge, but a fun little bonding thing to do - we buy our figurines, then rush out to the bench in the mall to open up and see what surprise figure each of us gets. Elise got a Cuties series and I grabbed a Toy Story series. I opened mine and was pleased that I got Buttercup (the unicorn from Toy Story 3). Elise opened hers and was miffed because she got a pop art looking winter outfit one. Of course, we traded, and she now has ownership of the rainbow-farting unicorn. I got a pop art looking winter chick. not #Winning.

• Ok, enough of this mall shit - now we finally make it to our pedicure appointment. Finally, serenity! It was funny to see her reaction to this new experience. We went to a nice nail spa and were treated to foot baths, massage... the whole works! She was loving it (especially the massage chairs). Elise was a bit taken aback that the ladies working on our feet didn't say much of anything, and when they spoke, they were so quiet, we could barely hear them and had to ask them to repeat themselves several times. We had a good laugh about that when we got in the car and Elise said "Mama, I think they didn't talk much because they can't speak English". 

• Finally, we reach what should be the end of our little excursion for the day - The Cheesecake Factory!!
• Elise ordered Edamame for her "appetizer", Butter and Parmesan Bow Tie Pasta for her lunch, and follows it all up with a giant slice of Oreo Cheesecake (which, she didn't finish, but she did manage to bring home with us for a slow, rest of the day consumption attempt - to be continued tomorrow). I had a side salad and a cup of some wonderful soup - followed up by the no sugar added cheesecake (which I also didn't finish, but did bring home)
• A quick run by the new apartment complex for a quick look at our soon-to-be new apartment and then back to Ball Ground.
• We're home and its time to relax. Oops! not so quick! She's bored again.... and wants to go to the downtown Ball Ground festival. Ok, putting my shoes back on at 4pm and headed back out.
• One hour and one snow cone later, we had walked around the shoddy little festival and were headed back home.
• Finally! a small break! Elise goes out to play with a couple of friends for about 2 hours - then I have to corral her back in for dinner. 
• Its "slumber party" time - up to my room to watch Grease and Grease 2 before she falls asleep (finally) around midnight!

Sunday

• 2:14 a.m. and I'm still awake. The baby is sitting on my bladder, then scooting up under my stomach, then back down to my bladder. Elise was pushing me out of the bed with her feet and the dog wouldn't be still. I have given up on sleep. 

The Wrapup....

As you can tell, it was a FULL weekend!! I'm sure Mike will be tired when he gets home tomorrow too. I hope he has had a good chance to chill with friends, blow off some steam and relax. Really, he's needed to do that just as bad as I do right now. Of course, I won't be able to relax, chill or anything until this baby is born, so I'm not holding it against him. As I like to say "I'll get mine after the baby is born".

So, here's to the boys - hope you had fun. Here's to Elise - I'm glad you had a blast and I love every moment we spend together! Here's to Amelia (the baby in my tummy) - you'll get to do girl weekend with us next year. And last, but certainly not least - here's to ME - I survived a busy weekend and I look forward to chllin out with a cold beer or a margarita after the baby gets here! (oh, and a nap tomorrow when Mike gets back home)

WORD.