Chicago updates, and other such things.

Well, Miss Sunshine and I made the trek back to Shriner's for her post-op check this week. On the positive front, we made the trip there and back relatively in once piece. I had forgotten what an absolute nightmare traveling alone with a small child is. Sheesh.

So, quick summary of the first day of our trip - drive three hours to the airport. Spend nearly half an hour trying to find a parking place that is under cover due to predicted snow. Nearly miss flight. Have to carry baby, backpack and car seat that weighs roughly 3000 pounds (or at least that is how much it FELT like it weighed!) onto the plane. Nice flight attendant carries the car seat down the aisle for me. Miss Sunshine does well on the flight, but the airline only has apple juice that is appropriate for her to drink. Nothing to dilute it with. Wind up giving Miss Sunshine straight apple juice because she is getting fussy and I want to avoid an all out fit. Arrive in Chicago. Take Miss Sunshine out of her car seat to exit the plane and realize she is SOAKED through all of her clothing. Change her into jammies because that is my only option other than her clothes for the next day. Stop in airport to buy one of those little metal wheeled racks to wheel the car seat on because carrying it is SO not working out. Drive to hotel. Check in, get settled in the hotel, change Miss Sunshine because her diaper is on the verge of leaking again. Not 30 seconds after changing her, get AUDIBLE poop. Roll eyes, sigh, and change diaper again. Not a full minute after THAT, yet another round of pooping. Decide I'm going to wait her out for a few minutes so as not to waste any more diapers... Less than five minutes after that decision, we have had countless audible poops, and Miss Sunshine has now leaked POOP onto her jammies - you know, the only other clothing I have for her besides for her clothes for the next day... Give a quick sigh of relief that I had the foresight to rent a car so we could drive to a nearby Target to purchase more jammies for Miss Sunshine, as well as grab dinner. Pick up some jammies, decide last minute to also get a cheap pair of leggings and a t-shirt. Drive back to hotel, feed Miss Sunshine, stick her in travel crib so I can eat, take her out of travel crib and realize she is now soaking wet through her clothes. Say a REAL prayer of thanks that I had the foresight to get that extra outfit so she has clothing to wear to her doctor's appointment. Take Miss Sunshine swimming in the indoor pool. Upon getting back to the room, let her run around naked while I run a bath for her. Miss Sunshine face plants on the HARD hotel room floor and gives herself a bloody nose. Have I mentioned how much it sucks traveling alone with a small child? Finally get her calmed down, give her a cup of milk and get her to sleep. She wakes up several times through the night thanks to sleeping in a strange place. But day two went much better for the most part...

Summary of Day Two: Get up, get dressed, get Miss Sunshine dressed and head to Shriner's for her appointment. She is healing PERFECTLY according to the surgeon (YAY). Speech is going well, they want us to concentrate on B, P and D sounds with her now. Some concern about her weight, they do not feel her weight gain issues are related to her cleft, contrary to pretty much everything I have read, researched or been told about cleft palate. They are going to recommend to our primary care doctor that he refer us to an endocrinologist to test her growth hormone levels. That upset me pretty badly. We then meet up with my cousin's for a late lunch, and head back to the airport. I get turned around in unfamiliar Chicago and have to back track. What took me five minutes to travel in the WRONG direction takes over 20 to travel in the RIGHT one. Not to mention hitting EVERY POSSIBLE traffic delay on the way to the airport. Very nearly missed our flight - thank god it was delayed 20 minutes! (I told the girl at the counter I was probably the only person she ever met who was HAPPY their flight was delayed!). Because I am running so late, I did not have time to put Miss Sunshine in my wrap to walk through the airport. So I am carrying her, my backpack, another bag I bought to contain all the extra clothing I had to purchase thanks to our adventure the day before, and the car seat. Struggle through security. Pick her back up on after reloading and realize - Yep, she has soaked through yet another diaper (have I mentioned how much I hate disposables now that I use cloth?). Luckily, due to the flight delay, I have JUST enough time to stop and change her diaper at least. She's going to have to tough it out in her wet pants because I have nothing else to put her in at this point - she has peed or pooped on every article of clothing I brought and/or bought for her with the exception of a pair of pajama shorts - and its in the teens where we are heading so that won't work. Struggle my way on the plane with the assistance of some VERY nice gentlemen, where Miss Sunshine proceeds to fuss or cry or scream for nearly the entire flight. Said nice gentlemen then help me off the plane with Miss Sunshine (an hour later than scheduled and I am now DRAINED) where I have a three hour drive home. I'm still trying to catch back up!

During our trip, Miss Sunshine developed a slight cough, which turned into a ridiculously runny nose, wet cough and low-grade fever yesterday, so now we get to have antibiotics on top of everything else!

We have many other happenings in our house as well, but since this took so much space, I'm going to leave them for another time!