Dear Little One Residing in my Belly,

Every year on the last week of July my family gets together for a family vacation. The goal of everyone present was to throw me into labor. Everyone figures that you have been in there long enough.

Day 1 began on Wednesday night when they threw me a baby shower. Lots of people came to give you presents that you would be able to use. I am very excited that there are so many people who already love you and you are not even here!

Day 2 was where the adventure really began. Your lovely Aunt Krystal, I think, designed this whole trip for your arrival. To set the precedence, Uncle Shane broke his arm the previous Tuesday. He wanted to make it a REALLY crazy week!

We started our fun at Roaring Springs. I LOVE water, and especially love water parks. Much to my dismay, your vacation spot and my bulging feet would not allow for too much fun to be had. Your dad and I only went on one slide together. You handled it like a dream. Maybe you'll like water as much as we do!

Two of the "rides" at the water park that I felt would be the most relaxing and easy to handle turned out to be the most stressful and uncomfortable things imaginable. The first ride was the "lazy" river. It was a stream the was full of inner tubes that you could float on around the water park. The first time around with your dad was the most fun. We lazed around without anyone posing any threat.

The next time we forged to the lazy river we took the entire crew with us: Grandpa and Grandma, Uncle Kory and Aunt Charisse, Aunt Krystal and Uncle Shane, Aunt Kelsey and Uncle Nathan, Aunt Karli and her friend Riley. (Aunt Karli has issues with being a third wheel) Grandma came out of that ride looking like a drowned rat. I think that she was under the water more than she was above! Aunt Krystal and Aunt Kelsey were like two kids in a candy store flipping over poor innocent family members with such glee! Poor Aunt Charisse was at the mercy of Uncle Kory. She came out waterlogged as well. Your dad protected us the WHOLE time! He made sure no one pushed me under any of the waterfalls, however, I was extremely anxious the entire time.

The second ride that turned out to be quite a roller coaster was the wave pool. My little abs were squishing you all over the place trying keep myself from running over all the little kids who were at the mercy of the waves without a tube! Your dad made sure to secure a tube for you and me to ride in.

Every time I was in the water I was in a tube. Everyone in my family learned how to get me out. Your dad would pull my arms while someone from behind would push the tube and me out of the water. It was actually quite smooth!

Day 3 was the craziest of all! We floated down the Boise River. That may not seem like such a bad thing, but it turned out to be very hectic. Your vacation spot made it impossible for me to be of any help whatsoever of getting around. Your dad figured out an ingenious way for us to float together. I was laying down in a two person raft by myself, while your dad rode in an inner tube with his legs on the back of my raft. He used the paddle from my raft to row us down the river.

Your dad and I originally thought that floating down the Boise River would be the easiest event of the weekend. We were VERY wrong. I think that your dad was dead after we went through that chaos. There were three little drop offs that we had to go through. On the first drop off I had Buster, Charisse and Kory's dog, with me. As we went down, Buster flipped out and tried to climb on my head as we got drenched with freezing, cold river water. Bbbbrrrrrr!

At one point in time we came across a bridge over the top of the water. Underneath was a sign that directed the floaters only go on a designated side of the bridge. Your dad and I were floundering, trying to get to the right side. At the last minute, your dad pushed us on the right side while he went on the wrong side. There was a whole bunch of concrete that he scraped across. Almost immediately after that, your dad caught up with us and we were pulled by the current to one side of the river with everyone else on the other side. Your strong daddy pulled us across that very strong current in very deep water to get us with everyone else. He was very tired!

We finally reached the end of the float and your dad had to lift us out of the raft. I could not move. As soon as I got up and started to move around, I began to have contractions. Floating the river made you want to enjoy it outside of my belly! The contractions continued, but never really progressed.

That night we all went to Jamba Juice.

I guess we missed Karli and Riley.

Jamba wasn't the part I wanted you to know, however. The following story will tell you what you are getting into with your dad and your aunt.

As we were driving home your Aunt Krystal was driving Grandpa's pickup and tailing your dad in our little Honda. Aunt Krystal was brighting us and doing anything to be obnoxious. We came to a rural stoplight that was red. When the light turned green your dad sat at the light. He was resolved to sit there 'til it was yellow until another car came to the same intersection wanting to go in front of us, so your dad decided to go while it was green. Aunt Krystal continued to bright us and honk her horn.

Coming up in our rear view mirror was a cop. He pulled over Aunt Krystal and then came for your dad. He pulled us over and asked us if the vehicle behind us was tailing us and honking and putting on their brights. He then asked if we had sat at the green light for a while.Your dad waited a couple of seconds and replied in the affirmative. The cop began to ask about road rage when your dad said that the vehicle behind us was the other half of our family. The police officer's attitude immediately changed to being amused and began to joke with us.

Your dad then asked, "When you go back can you tell them that we said we didn't know who they were?"

Mr. Cop replied, "I'll tell them that I'm going to have to drag them off to jail for questioning."

Two minutes later we were at our house laughing and waiting for the frazzled riders in the pickup. I still couldn't believe that we had gotten out of their without any tickets.

That cop rocked!

Little one...look at what you are getting into!

That night your dad and I walked around our subdivision talking about how we were prepared for you. I thought you were going to come that night because contractions just kept coming. After going to bed, however, everything stopped. I guess you weren't ready to come with that big of an audience.
Day 4 was the infamous canoe wars. It really looked like they all had fun. I sat on the beach. You and I really could not have done that one!

After the canoe wars, your dad and Uncle Kory took us on a ride in the canoe down the river. It was a lot of fun! You really were not a fan of the life jacket that we squished around you.

The vacation that was intended to bring your arrival ended with dutch oven potatoes, teriyaki, baked beans, and raspberry cobbler.

Little one, everyone is waiting for you!