Gypsy Trip Event 3- Texas Finale

Well, the problem with finishing up the trip story (finally) is that there was no Camera, so I have sadly few pictures of the actual event. And a picture is worth a thousand words, my friends. And we all know that though I am certainly capable of putting thousands of words in the place of the missing pics, NO ONE , wants that. So instead here's what we've got, and just know that it was awesome, and a ton of fun, and that my baby cousin is all grown up and married and that makes me sniffle.
WOW has motherhood turned me into a sentimental sissy.
Here we go:

Hanging out with BOTH aunties before the big events began. A rare and wonderfull time I got to be with both my sisters at once. Heaven, Peanuts. Heaven.

Little One prety much had a full time babysitter on this trip. Which made us both very happy.


Rockin' the UT orange with Jaju at rehearsal dinner (we WERE in Austin, you know. Austin is in the country of Texas. Like, the wild west, Peanuts. It's hook 'em horns or become BBQ out there. The outfit was for Little One's safety, as well as for brownie points with the bride and my dad, who are UT alums. Also the cuteness. There's always that.)

"Yeee haw Aunt E! High-chair rodeo!"

Little Miss Texas, posing for Peanuts.

OOOoooh! Picture with the VIP!


It is sad this is my only picture from the actual wedding, but happy that it's with Her Gramma and Her Gramma's dazzling Aunt D.

A bunch of part girls at the reception


My two favorite angels

It may not look like a lullabye, but this is me (remembering lessons learned from Lordy's wedding) putting Little One to sleep. And it worked. I will have to store this up as a desperate measure in case we find desperate times in the future.


Could CousinL get any prettier? No. No she could not. That guy in there is ok too. But what's he got to do with all this? Look at the dress! That's something worth throwing a big fantastic party for!

Ok, ok. So love and domestic bliss and the beginning of a lifetime of happiness also. That too. Congrats lovely CousinE! Your wedding was almost as gorgeous and fun and sweet as you!

Gypsy Trip Event 2- One Last Havasu Party

Here is a little tip for you.
Never go through airport security with 50 bazillion bobby pins in your hair, k? Because it is rather challenging to be searched while holding a wiggly, unamused infant. It makes you almost miss your plane. And it makes you lose an epipen because you can't pay attention to the person searching your stuff while not dropping wiggly infant or stepping outside the taped-on box on the rug. And for heaven's sake we must NOT STEP OUTSIDE THE LINE!!!!!!
Just a little tip.
Little One and I arrived at our next destination and were swooped up by Jaju for a little R and R. Those of you who know me best know exactly what I did the instant my feet hit Vegas soil. That's right.

Mmmmm.
We had a great time at Gramma's house. Gramma and Little One spent lots of quality time together, and I visited friends and took naps. Little One had lots of new toys to play with, and Her own crib in Her own room to get lots and lots and lots of sleep in. Ahhh. We like Gramma's!

She also got to take Her first dip in a swimming pool. Gramma showed Her how to kick around in Her floaty, and She was motoring around the pool like a rogue speedboat in no time. Sadly I have no evidence, because by then poor Camera had encountered its misfortune. But here are some other fun ones!

I'm sad to say we had our last dip in that pool. Gramma and Jaju are moving to Texas! Luckily Little One and I got a chance to practice our ya'alls, because just a few days after touching down in AZ, we were off again to Austin, TX. Bye Lake Havasu! Certain things will be missed. But I didn't want Little One visiting Gramma there on spring breaks anyways, so it's just as well. Not that I know anything about that. Er...ahem....uh.....moving on!

Gypsy Trip-Event One, Grand Finale

This wedding was awesome. It was beautiful and sweet and a LOT of fun. Little One came with us to supervise the getting dolled up. (you can click to make pictures bigger. Just be careful what you ask for with that booty shot down there).

She hung out with us behind the scenes as lovely Lordy prepared for the big I Do.

And then She hung out with two lovely girls I have known since high school, who we shall dub: the Wedding Angels of Martyrdom. Because the WAM's- who mind you traveled quite a ways to see this wedding- were the designated Little One holders for the ceremony. And they did not actually see the wedding. Because Little One screamed througout the.entire.thing.

But then the reception started. And Little One came out, looked around at the dance floor and the DJ and said, "is this a party? I like parties!" She made up with the WAMs-who luckily forgave Her- and rocked and rolled the rest of the night.

She was all laughs and giggles and flirting with everyone, bouncing up and down on the dance floor and just having a blast until the middle of some hard-rock song, in the middle of the dance floor; she crashed and was out for the night.

It was a long, late, fantastic evening, but we headed in early for a few hours of sleep before packing up at 4am and making the long drive out to civilization and beyond to Fresno to hop on our next plane. We were tired. But it was worth it. Because it was SO fun, and even if it hadn't been, we would not have missed Lordy getting married for anything. Ah, Lordy.
Lordy, Lordy, Lordy. Wasn't it just yesterday we were racing down Big Bear on our Charlie's Angels snowboards, swearing off boys entirely? And now look at us!

Sheesh. Things change, I guess!

Well....some things change. Some, thank goodness, never do.

Gypsy Trip- Lordy has a rehearsal, Little One has a drink, and I have a revelation

After rehearsing for the main event, Little One and I got dolled up with the rest of the party and stepped out to rehearsal dinner. When we got into town She was ready to dive in to the festivities! Literally. A nice gentleman came up and began baby talking to the sweet widdle baby-boo. Little One, said, "save it, Grampa, I'm here to party!" And proceeded to get a firm grip on either side of his martini glass, and yank it towards Her face. Well, if She wanted his manhatten, She got it. ALL of it. All over Her head, and all down Her delicate, hand-sewn dress. An excellent start. I got Her wiped down and dried off and gave Her a quick lecture on moderation, and though we both reeked of gin, we were back to hobnobbing soon. We sat down for a yummy dinner and She had a nice time watching all the action and chowing down on veggies and rice. Until. She began to get sweaty. And squirmy. And whimper. Perhaps Her first alcohol binge was quickly followed by Her first hangover.
Just as dinner plates were being set down, Little One looked at me in panic, reached up Her little arms....and projectile vomited through Her nose. It was like a busted dam of baby goo.
We know how to class up a fancy party all right!
I swept Her up and out of there as fast as I could, and luckily a good samaritan brought us a damp towel and insisted on running out for some pedialyte. After that and some walking up and down the street getting shh-shhed and cuddled a bit, Little One rallied and we were back in the party, now both smelling of gin AND vomit, in time for Lordy the Most Thoughtful Bride Ever to remind me that it was, by the way, my birthday. Awww. Thanks Lordy!
A little chocolate cake for me and a little flirting with Lordy's dad for Little One, and we were back to celebrating in our new perfume. We had a lot of fun, but decided to head back earlier than the rest of the crew, so we made the long dirt-road drive home alone. It was exciting. Because there are no lights on the road! No stripes to follow! No road signs! I do not, I regret, have pictures of myself getting in and out of the Kia in my silk high heels to send up little poofs of dust in the headlights, haul open the rusty cattle gate, drive through, get out, and shut it behind us. But it did make me giggle. I do have a picture of what caused us to slam on the brakes just as we crested a little hill. It was this guy, snoring away in the middle of the road. Oh my.After hauling Little One in Her car seat, a diaper bag, a purse, and bags of presents all up a hill in the darkness to fumble my way into the ranch house, we had made it, and I have to say it was all actually kind of fun. And it made me feel acutely aware of being a Mother. Because here I was bumping along some road in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night, not too sure whether I was lost, or about to hit a cow, or about to get the kia stuck or smashed into a boulder, unable to call anyone for help if I did, and there was Little One in the back seat, sleeping as peacefully and contentedly as can be.
I remember being in the backseat when my mom drove along an icy cliff in Colorado with no guard rail, or through the blistering desert of Moab Utah, or limping into a remote Texaco with a flat tire. I remember thinking, "This is fun! What an adventure!" I do not remember having any concern for my safety. Neither did Little One. Because She has now for me what I always had for my mom- total trust in the infallible capability of Mothers to handle all things and make them ok.
That's a lot of responsibility. But finding myself in my mother's place, I felt really strong and capable and confident. I would make that measly drive and get us home safe, because I had too. Just like I will make a lot of life turn out ok. I believe that I will, because I have to. Because I am the mom. Because Little One is counting on me. That kind of total trust and faith is a lot to live up to, but I think it is what gives mothers the superpower to catch spiders, confront monsters under the bed, and hug away nightmares and fevers and boo-boos.
Being a mother is full of wonder, because I get to see the truly limitless, amazing potential of another human being develop right before my eyes, every day, as I watch Little One learn and grow. Also because, as I hold Her hand along Her way, with a clarity I never had before I get to see the potential in myself. Which is a lot bigger than I ever knew. Though I suspect now, that my mother did.
For my birthday, Lordy took time from HER party to give me cake and a present and a hug. She didn't know it, but for her rehearsal day she gave me a little rehearsal, too. Lets consider that drive- not being able to see ahead, rolling with the twists and turns and roadblocks, hitting the occasional pothole or bumpy patch- a practice run for life. I hope I can steer us as safely.

Gypsy Trip- Little One becomes a mountain goat

The first big event in the Lordy gets hitched marathon-party was a big hike in Yosimite. Did you know that Little One seems much bigger when you have to lug Her up a mountain? No matter. I am a wiry mountaineer. Believe it! We climbed way up this little mountain where we had breathtaking views of Half Dome and waterfalls, and spindly pine trees spreading out like a green carpet as far as we could see. I wish Little One would remember forever how much fun She had, bouncing along in Her saddle as I pack-muled Her along. She giggled and took in the views and scooped up pebbles and made small talk with chipmunks. She might not remember what a great day it was. But I always will.
Here are some pictures of the grand expedition!

Little One is too busy surveying the climb to pose

The great groom and the greatest girls

Little One enjoying Her picnic at the top

The lovebirds!

Still too enthralled by the view to smile for the camera..can't say I blame Her!

Lordy in her element. That's my kind of beautiful bride!

Gypsy Trip Event 1- Lordy, Lordy!

Back in the archaic past, which we call "high school" there was a girl we call Lordy. The first time I met her, I thought, "wow she has pretty hair". And she did. But over the next (holy moly I can't believe it's been-) TEN years, I found that there is much more to Lordy than really, really, pretty hair. I'm not the only one who noticed. So did Mr. Ed.


(See. Pretty Hair.)





Apparently Lordy thought Mr. Ed was pretty cool, too. So Little One and I jetted over to northern cali to help them get hitched. It was quite an adventure! This wedding took place on a gorgeous ranch, which just happened to be about a 30 minute drive on a, uh, "rustic" dirt road- from cell phone service. Don't even think about civilization. So I tried to gulp down my mama "what if" worries about Little One, which was pretty easy considering Lordy was the most un-zilla bride ever, and took every precaution to keep Little One safe. What a great Auntie!
Now, me, I had a ball. I got to hang out with some of my best, most favortiest, closest to my heart girls, who I see much too rarely, and I got to do it in a beautiful setting.
Little One...well...She had a rather rough time of it. She was pretty fussy and clingy quite a bit of the time. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that She got hauled around a lot, missing naps and being generally over-stimulated by all the people and excitement going on. Being at the apex of the Seperation Anxiety phase didn't help a whole lot either. We also shared a room with a handfull of other people, including some frat brothers of the groom.
Frat Brothers are great, sweet, fun guys. Seriously, they are good people, Peanuts. They also snore, which is apparently scary. And they sometimes stumble in at 2 am shouting, "BAby! Baaaby! HI baby!!! Hee! Taheehee! Theresababyinhe-ouch! Sorry table. Wheresmahbed? Where's my-BABY! Uh oh. (dropping to a loud whisper and looking at me with concern) She's awake!"
It turns out being a bridesmaid and a single mother wasn't quite as cake as I'd hoped, and I'm sorry to say I think I did a rather mediocre job at both. And I'm very sorry to whoever the dude was that burst through the door at 1:32am on the eve of the wedding, walked up to me and Little One in bed, and demanded, "wheres my phone?!" Wrong place, wrong time, wrong mama.
BUT! As I said, I had a blast. I reveled in being with my girls and I soaked in the amazing scenery and I oohed and ahhed over the fabulous details of the perfect wedding, and I did no vacuuming whatsoever. And despite Little One's difficulty adjusting She squeezed in plenty of Her own fun, too. SO much fun, that I will have to post each part of this event seperately, I think. Because here is the other thing about Lordy with the really pretty hair. She knows how to have fun. And this wedding was not just great-wedding fun, it was epic, Lordy sized fun. Which means that it extended over several days and, as you will see, several miles.