Happy Birthday Gwenevere
We started off the birthday celebrations Wednesday night. We packed up our camping supplies and decorated for the birthday girl. Papa ran to the store at 10pm just to get birthday balloons for the birthday girl to wake up to.
Thursday morning we woke up, ate breakfast, Gwenevere opened up her birthday presents. A chia pet cat grass plant and 6 more boxcar children books. Then we loaded up the car and headed out on our adventure. We stopped by Max and Rebecca's place first to drop off our stuff and to say hi. Then we went to Powell's bookstore. The kids where so excited.
Gwenevere got a Cat book, James got an archery book, I got a children's book (The Book of Mistakes), and Everett got a maze book. Grace was saving her money for an ikea elephant.
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| I love listening to her read |
After roaming around Powell's for an hour we headed to Ikea. The girls and I went inside while James stay in the car with Everett and Edgar. They took Hank on a walk while they waited.
The girls and I zoomed through the store as fast as we could. We were on a mission to buy a new dresser for the girls' room. But we made sure we took full advantage of our blitz shopping and bought a few odds and ends along the way. Gwenevere bought a toy mouse, Grace bought an elephant, I bought a few more shelves for the house and then we purchased the big dresser.
After Ikea, we stopped by dominos to pick up some dinner. Then we went back to Max and Rebecca's house for the evening.
Rebecca made Gwenevere some chocolate cookies. We ate dinner and sang happy birthday. Then Gwenevere opened up the gift from Max and Rebecca. She got a notebook and some gel pens.
After Dinner James and I took off for our first date since Edgar was born. Rebecca and Max watch all four of our kids plus their three. It was a party. Thank you Rebecca and Max.
While the kids played James and I went out to eat. We where both not hungry so we found a little coffee shop and enjoyed some hot chocolate and tea before we went to the Judge John Hodgman Show.
The show was fantastic. a little weird, Portland Weird, but fun,
After the show we debated sticking around to meet John Hodgman in person. But we decided against it. Instead we took Hank on a walk and talked for over an hour. Oh how I love uninterrupted time with James. We talked about plans for the upcoming year. Dreams for the future and goals for the now.
When we got back to Max and Rebecca's house. The kids where all asleep. We visited with Max and Rebecca for about an hour and then we headed off to bed. Rebecca and Max had a vacant apartment we where able to sleep in. Max fixed it up with candles and all. We took the kids over to the apartment with us so they didn't wake up Max and Rebecca during the night.
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| Photo credit: Rebecca Edgar sleeping while we where on our date. |
During the night Edgar was sleeping next to Grace on a sleeping pad on the floor. I fed him at midnight right before going to sleep.
Suddenly I woke up. It was 6am and Edgar never woken up during the night. I lean over Grace and gentle touch Edgar's chest.
Nothing.
I started to rub his chest waiting to hear him breath.
Still nothing.
This is not the first time he's done this. I took a breath and move my hand to his face.
I touched his cheek, it was cold. I tried rubbing his face eagerly hoping he'd breath any second.
Touching his face freaks me out. I thought to myself, "Is this real? He feels so cold."
Then I said out loud, "Come on baby, breathe"
I moved my hand back to his chest still rubbing, "Should I do CPR, or should I wake up James? I still can't believe he hasn't taken a breath yet."
I looked over at James ready to call his name. He's better at CPR then me.
Then it happened, Edgar took a deep breath.
I let out a huge sigh of relief and then my heart start pounding. I started to shake, grateful he was breathing again.
This was by far the scariest of Edgar's sleeping scares. He's done this two other times to me.
After thinking about this experience I've come to realize two things. First,I'm grateful that Edgar still wakes up 2 times a night to nurse. and Second, I think Edgar is a deep sleeper. I'm glad he sleeps next to me most nights. I think he needs my breathing to help him regulate his.
I did fall back to sleep for a bit but it took me a while to relax again.
When everyone woke up, we packed up our things and headed out for another adventure.
This time to Fat City to eat breakfast. The place was crowded as usual. Everett was overwhelmed by the noise but did a great job coping with the experience. We used ear plugs to help decrease the sound and some redirecting that seemed to work.
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| Everett enjoying 2 suckers from Fat City Cafe. |
After breakfast we walked over to Thinker Toys. A toy store Gwenevere had a gift card to from Dumpa from last Christmas. Gwenevere picked out a charm bracelet and two charms.
after a few more errands (deseret bookstore for garments and an archery store for arrows) we drove to Lincoln City.
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| We got a bandana because is supposedly makes him look friendlier. A great trick for being out in public with a dog. |
The campgrown was wet. So glad we where staying in a yurt. The kids had so much fun walking around the the rain puddles. We where able to check in an hour before check in. We unpacked and set up house. Then I ran to the grocery store to pick up groceries for the weekend while James and the kids played.
When I returned home we ate dinner and then James took the girls shopping for a raincoat for Grace. They went searching for a simple rain poncho but couldn't find one. They ended up an gymboree and found a really cute yellow raincoat that is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.
Finally it was time for bed. Rebecca and Max arrived around 8pm we where party poopers and went to bed without a campfire. It was pretty rainy all night anyway.
I woke up to silence. All my babies still fast asleep. It's a rare thing for me to wake up before my kids. I layed in bed just enjoying the peace. Finally James got up, he too was awake just enjoying the quiet morning.
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| Gwenevere slept all night in her hammock |
Rebecca spoiled us with a dutch oven breakfast. While we waited for Breakfast to cook the kids roasted marshmallows, made marshmallow men and burnt toast. I love seeing my kids play with fire.
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| Charlie is a great chief |
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| I'm not sure what it is either. hahahhaa It once was a marshmallow man |
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| Photo credit: Rebecca |
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| Photo credit: Rebecca |
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| I can't get over how cute this kid is. Shout out to Primary.com They have very comfortable clothes for my sensory sensitive kid. He loves the bold colors just as much as i do. Plus no logos. |
We also took walks to the lake, waded through water puddles, and enjoyed lots of warm tea and hot chocolate.
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Grace rocking the dock. I love this picture. She looks a little wild and free
Photo credit: Rebecca |
Soon Grandma Sharolee and Grandpa Don arrived. We sang happy birthday and Gwenevere opened up her birthday gift. Gwenevere and James had made dutch oven brownies that went along with the birthday celebrations.
Gwenevere received a nook (digital book thing) and a gift card to build a bear. She was so excited. And has already started reading The Little Prince. Such a great story. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Cox. While iIm mentioning gifts. Gwenevere also received some money from Grandma and Grandpa Thomas and some cash from Red Grandma. She used all her gift money to get the herself her dream build a bear pet. It was a very special birthday for her. Thank you all.
After lunch Rebecca and Max packed up camp and then we headed to Neskowin beach.
All morning it hadn't rained and our good luck continued throughout the afternoon as we played at
the beach. Chasing waves. Climbing rocks. Digging in the sand and exploring the ghost forest 2,000 year-old Sitka spruce stumps, the remnants of what used to be a forest of 200-foot trees. At low tide the remains are scattered in the sands on the southern reaches of the beach. This “Ghost Forest” made its debut after violent storms hit the coast between 1997 and 1998. The stumps are believed to have been buried and preserved by the same event that destroyed the trees – likely an earthquake or tsunami.)https://www.outdoorproject.com/adventures/oregon/beaches/neskowin-beach-state-recreation-site
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| Photo credit: Rebecca |
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| Photo credit: Rebecca |
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| Photo credit: Rebecca |
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| Just a girl in her raincoat with a lighter. |
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| I spy a cat (aka Gwenevere) |
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| Rebecca and her awesome skills at work |
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| Playing in the waves |
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| I love my new rain boats and my warm dry toes as a chase waves with my kids |
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| Grandma holding Edgar so I can play |
After playing at the beach we drove up to Tillamook. We had first planned to attend a cousin's baptism but weren't able to make it so instead we took our cousins out for ice cream at the tillamook factory. We bumped into Red Grandma, Aunt Val and Deanna and Callie. It was fun seeing everyone.
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| Edgar tasting the ice cream. |
After ice cream. We said goodbye to cousins. Grandma and Grandpa Cox went back to Longview, Rebecca and Max drove to Portland, Brittany and her boys went home and our little family drove back to Lincoln City for another night.
Once again we arrived home tired. James built a fire and we roasted bratts over the fire while he read to us from The Hobbit. Grace whittled on a stick while she listened to the story.
Everett and Edgar where too tired to roast bratts so they went to bed without dinner.
The next morning James made breakfast, then we went back to Gymboree to pick up another raincoat since they were on sale. The sale they had on Sunday wasn't as good as the friday sale so we didn't get the raincoat. instead we got the boys matching Christmas sweaters, Gwenevere a dress and Grace a penguin necklace.
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| Everett wearing his new sweater and hat |
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| I just love that he's wearing a sweater. it's a dream come true. |
once again the tide was in. after shopping, we drove to the beach and watched the waves. It was beautiful.
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| Our Friend Seagull. With a hurt foot. |
After watching the waves, We went back to camp. Packed up and started our drive home. We stopped a few times to look at the views. We debating visiting a museum in New Port, but in the end we decided just to go home. We had a lot of fun exploring and we where ready to be home.
We came home, unpacked. Played Uno and went to bed.
It was the best Birthday Weekend Celebration EVER!
Thank you family for celebrating Gwenevere with us.
Thank you Max and Rebecca for watching our kids while we went to see Judge John Hodgman.
