A weekend of cars in the land of horses and buggies

Sophie had her first "vacation" last week, and it was quite the experience. Every year, my family travels to the National Chrysler Products Club National Meet. I'm now the club chair. Dad is treasurer, Journal editor, and a lot of other things (Basically, he's Mr. NCPC). I introduced Joe to the fun in 2010 when we went to Sugarcreek, Ohio, and suckered... er, sweetly coerced... him into writing the National Meet recap and other stories for the Journal. Hey, I wrote 'em for years. People are sick of my blatherings. Besides, he's a better writer than I am. (Don't believe me? Check out his blog.)

Anyway, the Sunday before, we attended an anniversary celebration in Harrisburg. Since Joe had to go to work that day, Sophie and I went back to Chambersburg with my parents for the three days before we headed to Bird-in-Hand, Pa., for this year's National Meet.

As you may well guess, or know, traveling with an infant is an adventure unto itself. Petey was loaded down with a very large suitcase that held all of my clothes (and some of Sophie's) for the week, two diaper bags (one acting as another suitcase for Sophie, because you can never have too many clothes for an almost three-month-old), another bag full of "linens" (burp cloths, receiving blankets, etc.... things that, again, you can never have too many of), another bag of "extras" (like the baby sling, toys, etc.), her kick and play gym, her pack and play, and the stroller. And this was to go to my parents' house, where Mom stocks Dreft (which, despite all of the things I packed, came in handy), diapers, bathtime necessities, and the travel tub. I'm not sure all that stuff will fit in Petey if we go anywhere else. Dad's Durango was jammed full on the way to Bird-in-Hand.

Sophie's a mixed bag when it comes to traveling. She slept most of the way to Harrisburg, and apparently was pretty good on the way from Chambersburg to Bird-in-Hand (I rode in the Crossfire convertible with Andrea). But there's something about the reverse trip back to NEPA that usually has her fussing. Hmm....

The NCPC National Meet is a good, albeit busy, time. Being on the club board of directors means some extra responsibilities, but on the flip side, there are gorgeous cars to see and good friends to catch up with. Everyone was very excited to see Sophie for the first time.

It's also more than just a car show. People arrive a few days early and take part in driving tours. Friday, Dad, Joe and I did that, checking out the Ressler Family Home and Mascot Roller Mill with several other members. The home was left to a foundation by a brother and sister, last of their line, from the milling family. It is really a step back in time, as everything was left just as the siblings left it when they went to the nursing home in 1977 -- and really, it's not too far off from the 1800s, when it was built. Their father, apparently, was not into modern conveniences. Next door is the grist mill, also very well-preserved.

We then went to a member's home to see his private collection. When you say that he likes 1956 automobiles, you aren't kidding. He has one of almost every make and model from that year! They are in absolutely beautiful condition as well. Three of them were previous NCPC Best of Show winners, and a fourth won during Saturday's show. He's done most of the work himself. Seriously, these cars are gorgeous, probably better than the day they rolled off the showroom floor.

Friday evening brought about our traditional board meeting, general meeting and fun auction. Emphasis on the "fun" - you get your random assortment of old car parts, stacks of paperbacks, and the occasional odd item like a charcoal portrait of Gary Coleman. But it's not just goofy items - this year, we had an autographed first edition novel from a new member, some lovely hand-knit items, and a weekend getaway to the Poconos! Our auctioneer and his assistant kept things lively as well. We also kicked off a Chinese auction, a new addition this year. There were nine great gift baskets made up and chances were sold til the banquet Saturday. I didn't win, but my mom did. Jealous!

Saturday morning was showtime! I also serve as the event photographer, capturing each car as it enters the showfield, for our National Meet Journal issue. This is admittedly a bit stressful, as I have to make sure I catch every one and that their information is in order. This is why I have my "lovely assistant" Andrea, who takes their info slips before they get to me, and my "handsome assistant" Joe, who parks them correctly so all photos are (relatively) uniform. However, I get to see everyone as they come in! There were some really gorgeous cars this year, new and old. We have members with cars from the 1920s all the way through modern Challengers. It really is a great variety and this year was no exception. I think pretty much every decade was represented.

Later in the day, after the show, Joe and I took Sophie for her first swim in the hotel pool! I was inordinately excited about this. I taught swimming lessons as a teenager, and I think it's important to get kids comfortable around the water at a young age. I really wanted to take her to the outdoor pool, which had an incline entrance, but it was blazing out there. The indoor pool had steps, so I could stand her on the top one. And then I carried her around and paddled her feet. She seemed to like it!

That evening was the annual awards banquet. It's a banquet, nothing out of the ordinary, but time for good food and good friends. And trophies. :-) I also had the pleasure of recognizing the former NCPC chairwoman, who was in attendance. When I was 13 and went to my first NCPC National Meet, she was the chair, and I thought it was the coolest thing that a woman was chair of a car club. No girls I knew at the time were into cars. She was something of my inspiration, because here I am today, chair of the NCPC myself. I wonder if I will serve as similar inspiration to any young ladies in the club...

On Sunday, we traveled to nearby Lebanon to visit my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Bob, who invited the rest of the Botchie clan there as well to meet Sophie! It was a fun afternoon. We used to all get together for almost every holiday, but now that we "kids" are grown up and have families of our own and have scattered about, we don't get to see each other as much. Several of my cousins were there too, and it was great to catch up. Facebook pictures just aren't the same. :-)

So how did Sophie fare with all the travel? Not too badly, I'd say. It helped to have Mom, Dad and Andrea around for extra help. (Side note: Grandpa has the magic mojo to settle Sophie.) She slept 10 hours solid in her pack and play at Mom and Dad's and eight hours the first night in the hotel, which is doubly amazing because she's been going through a phase where she likes to be held to sleep. She wasn't too fussy at Friday night's events but we did have to roll her around in the stroller during the banquet on Saturday. She did like shopping, though. :-) The car rides weren't too bad, with a minor exception on the last leg home. We'd been talking about flying to Florida later this fall to visit my family there, but now I'm not so sure. Moreso because of the amount of stuff we'd have to take. We could roadtrip, but even so, we don't have enough room in the car and I don't know how she'd hold up for 20 hours.

All in all, a good week. I wish it had been longer!

New mommy lessons, part 2

Remember how I said baby brain is real? Yup. I forgot some of the lessons I wanted to include in my last post. So, here's the addendum:

1. Baby brain is real. Oh wait, I said that.
2. Spit-up becomes an accessory. Or it might as well be. It will decorate your clothes. And you will change your shirt a few times a day, prompting...
3. Laundry becomes a daily chore. Either the baby's or yours. Trust me, you don't want to leave baby laundry sitting around too long. You will also have to squeeze loads of laundry in between feedings, burpings, changings, etc., so you'll start to think to heck with it and you'll do small loads at a time just to get the stuff clean. Sorry, environmentalists.
4. Sleep when she sleeps is a myth. Sophie's asleep right now. She's been asleep since about 5. I held her for the first hour, since she was a little fussy, and since then I've made food, started laundry (see above), caught up on email and written this blog post. Your baby will likely sleep at hours when, despite your own lack of sleep, you're just not tired. You're better off taking advantage of the chance to get chores done. Or else your house will be in worse shambles than it likely already is. And you may find yourself doing said chores at 11 p.m.
5. Some days, you just won't get anything done. This is OK. Sophie has had her good days and bad days. On the bad days (post-Mom's visit), she pretty much occupied all my time. At first, I felt guilty or like I was failing the mommy test. Then I just said to heck with it. I get it done when I get it done. (Not to say I don't get a bit frantic if I'm about to get company, though.)
6. "This time goes fast" isn't a joke. Sophie's already going to be a month old tomorrow. She's grown and she's developing a little personality. Yes, everyone says to enjoy this time because it goes fast, but they aren't kidding. Sometimes, I just stop and stare into her eyes and marvel over her, because she won't be this little forever.

New mommy lessons

Our little girl, Sophie Marie, arrived on April 22! (Yes, that's four weeks ago to the day!) Since we didn't know her gender ahead of time, we were a bit surprised! (Everyone thought I was having a boy.) She's named after my Great-Grandma (GG) Lombardi and both of Joe's grandmothers.

The induction went... OK. I was in labor for 22 hours and pushed for almost four - was thisclose to a c-section. You really don't remember the pain afterwards, at least I don't. I do remember the fatigue, though. But it was all totally worth it, because Sophie is beautiful and amazing.

So I've had this blog post in my head for about two weeks now, but no time to write it. Joe's walking Sophie around, trying to get her to drop off, so I'm taking the opportunity to try to write it. It's my list of new mommy lessons I've learned in these four weeks.

1. Computer time will be minimal. Well, til you figure out how to prop your netbook up on your Boppy and type one-handed. Oh, and don't expect to read the newspaper every day either.
2. Burp cloths become household decor. You'll leave them draped over every piece of furniture in the house.
3. Corrollary to No. 2: Pretty much anything baby-related becomes household decor. My living room currently has added the pack 'n play, swing, car seat, bouncy chair, and kick and play mat as part of the ambience. Sophie's hats are scattered hither and yon like the aforementioned burp cloths.
4. If your mother can/is willing to stay with you and help with the baby, TAKE HER UP ON THIS. My mom managed a three-week stay. I can't tell you how grateful I am for her help. Two days after she left, my house was in shambles. Just having an extra set of hands while Joe was at work, or before company, was great. I also came home with swollen feet and ankles (which I did not have during pregnancy), plus I had an episiotomy. Aside from the usual need for a woman who's just given birth to take it easy, I needed to just a bit more. Another reason Mom was a godsend.
5. Believe it or not, you will quickly adjust to lack of sleep. I like my sleep. I don't like to wake up. I usually took my sweet time rolling out of bed. But somehow, once you hear that baby crying, you will jump to attention. I can't say I'm not sometimes groggy (I stumbled a bit the other night as I got out of bed), but I can actually go from asleep to awake pretty darn fast now.
6. You may have some weird fears at first. They'll go away. The first two nights we had Sophie home, I could NOT go to sleep if I were the only one still up. I just couldn't bear the thought of no one being awake to watch Sophie. I tried to sleep on the couch next to the pack 'n play, but at the slightest rustle my head would pop up like a prairie dog. My mom, God bless her, would relieve me and stay up with Sophie so I'd get some sleep. This did go away after about the third night, when we put her in the crib and I took the monitor into my room for the first time. At first, I jumped at every little sound, but exhaustion set in and I fell asleep. And then when she cried for real, it woke me up and I took care of her. After that, I was fine.
7. Trust your instincts. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone will offer advice. There are classes, books, websites, you name it. If it doesn't sound right, you DON'T have to listen. Like my husband, the journalist, says, "If your mother says she loves you, get another source." Double-check anything that doesn't sound right.
8. Accept the hormones.   I thought I cried over silly things when I was pregnant. It got worse after I gave birth. One day I burst into tears because the balloons my family brought me were starting to deflate and I hadn't gotten a picture of Sophie with them. Don't worry, this too shall pass.
9. Baby brain is real. Like I said, I've been trying to write this post for two weeks. I've probably forgotten half of what I wanted to put in it. I forget a lot of things now. Fortunately, I have not yet burned down the house. *crossing fingers*
10. Who cares if it's gas? That smile will melt your heart. As will anything and everything about your baby. Sophie's adorable all the time, but sometimes I'll see her asleep and it takes my breath away all over again.

The final (?) countdown

I'm a bit of a mess.

I had a blog post rolling around in my head last week about "coming down the home stretch," i.e. approaching my due date (which is this coming Sunday, April 21). I got caught up in finishing one last freelancing project and other things, and never got to write it.

Then Monday came along, and after the bombings at the Boston Marathon, "coming down the home stretch" didn't seem appropriate. (I know that's a horse racing term, but still.)

I never wrote about Newtown. I won't really write about Boston. Both of those events made me wonder what kind of world I'm bringing BabyD into. But I am trying to focus more on the positive - the people who helped, the stories of courage. I have to, for my own peace of mind and so that I can imbue BabyD with confidence and optimism.

Today, I'm a bit of a mess for other reasons.

I had my weekly checkup. I am at 39 weeks and two days, and there's been no "action" - no contractions, nothing. The doctor did tell me I've dropped some, and I'm dilated a wee bit (probably about .5 cm).

And then she hit me with, "we're going to schedule an induction for Sunday night."

Remember how my blood pressure was up about halfway through the pregnancy? Well, it had settled down for awhile, but over the last few weeks it started to yo-yo. The lower number crept up, then back down. Today, the upper number was up but the lower number was fine. But this yo-yoing is enough of a concern that the doctor wanted to schedule the induction. Without the BP problems, she said, we'd wait for 41 weeks, but because of it, she felt better scheduling the induction rather than taking the chance of the BP spiking or anything like that.

Hence my mess. I'm not sure what I'm feeling right now. There's a part of me that's like, OK, now I know when BabyD's going to arrive (assuming s/he doesn't up and arrive before induction... which, you know, as persnickety as his/her mother is, s/he may be as well, so it is a possibility. :-) ). But then there's part of me that's disappointed that we don't get to experience the whole "hey honey, it's time!" And there's part of me that's freaked out by induction - is this going to up my chances of a c-section? Is this going to hurt worse? (I suck at pain, I admit it. Joe already knows I am not too proud to ask for drugs during labor.) Is this all going to be OK for BabyD? Oh, and am I ready for all of this?

As I said to Joe when we left the doctor's office - come hell or high water, by this time next week, BabyD will be here!

Dilemma: Dart or Durango?

My husband and I are considering buying a new car. It's not a pressing need, but his Sunfire has racked up the miles and is not going to be be very baby-friendly (two-door). However, it is in good shape and hasn't had any maintenance issues (*knock wood*). My PT Cruiser has fewer miles and sufficient space, so we're not desperate, but we're pondering.

We've been considering the new Dodge Dart ever since we saw the early release at auto shows. But after commuting "troo da notch" from South Abington Township into Scranton and back in the snow, Joe started to wonder if something a little bulkier and with four-wheel-drive might not be a better option. My dad got a bead on a 2011 Dodge Durango just traded in at the dealership he and I (and half our family) have dealt with for years.

So now, dilemma: which would be better?

In terms of price, they're pretty much even. We could get a brand-new Dart for about the price of this Durango (which has 40,000 miles on it already - although Dad knows the previous owners and they do maintain their vehicles well). We haven't priced out insurance yet. New (aka with warranty) vs. used is a consideration.

The Dart would get far better gas mileage. The Durango would have far better hauling capacity. But it's not quite that simple. We've seen the Dart in person, and it is no slouch in the trunk department, or legroom for that matter.

Here's what we're asking ourselves:

• Do we need the extended cargo room of the Durango? BabyD is our first child, and while we hope to have more, two-kid space is not a pressing need. We have a mental wish list of things we want to do to the house, but so far Petey has sufficed for hauling supplies (sometimes much to my dismay). We go to Ocean City, Md., every summer (or hope to) but don't haul a ton of equipment. But on the flip side, anywhere we go now for more than a day trip will require all sorts of baby equipment. Petey can handle that, as can a Dart, for short-term trips, but maybe the Durango would be better for longer trips.
• What will be better in bad weather, or are they both sufficient? Joe said that none of his fellow workers who live up here drive SUVs - they all have sedans. The Dart is bigger and theoretically sturdier than his Sunfire. The Durango has 4WD and more tourque as opposed to the Dart, though it has front-wheel-drive which isn't horrible. I've not had problems with Petey in snow, so I imagine the Dart is also pretty good in it. But there's always that security of a larger, heftier, 4WD vehicle like the Durango.
• Which is more important - more space or better gas mileage? This is really the one we keep dancing around. We crunched some numbers and estimated that the Durango will cost about $800 more in gas per year (Side note: I did just read today that gas prices are expected to go down in 2013, with the average family saving about $200 for the year). Is it worth it to get a sturdier vehicle with more space? Or to turn it around, do the gas savings of the Dart make up for having less room?

If you're a parent, a NEPA resident, or a NEPA parent, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.  

The doctor dance

I'm not going to be one of "those moms" who posts every little aspect of pregnancy on Facebook,  I swear. But the past few days qualify as "adventure," so I think it's blog-worthy. :-) And writing it out is therapeutic.

Warning: This will delve a bit into health stuff, mainly pee, so if that makes you squicky, turn back now.

Tuesday, I had a regular four-week checkup with the "babydoc." Because I go to a practice, they have tried to schedule me with a different doc each time so I get a chance to meet all of them. I like this, because you never know who will end up in the hospital when BabyD makes his/her appearance. Also, so far I like every single one of them.

BabyD is doing well - nice strong heartbeat (We have the 20-week scan next week - and nope, not finding out the gender!). But Tuesday's doc was a bit concerned about BabyD's mom. Seems I'm developing a pattern of high blood pressure readings during my babydoc visits and he thought it might be chronic hypertension. I've not had a history of high blood pressure, but it does run in my family, so... hmm.

Babydoc wanted me to follow up with my familydoc and get blood work done. OK. I'm totally fine with this - anything to make sure BabyD is good to go.

However, in the meantime, I foolishly Googled "hypertension and pregnancy." Warning to any moms-to-be who have never Googled anything "... and pregnancy" - DO NOT DO THIS. It will scare the crap out of you. I ended up reading about pre-eclampsia and all that entails and getting freaked out for BabyD. 'Cause yeah, that's gonna help the blood pressure. :-)

Today I went to my familydoc and my blood pressure was... "perfect." *headdesk*

I love my familydoc too. He looked back through my appointments with him and with the babydoc, and all my BPs were fine with him but high with the babydoc. So is it "white-coat hypertension"? He said he's reluctant to put me on meds, which I appreciate, because he said they'd likely make me feel fatigued and crappy. I don't need that.

And now we get into the crazy part of the day....

OK, so familydoc wanted me to get a blood pressure monitor and track my BP for the next two weeks. Not wanting me to have to spend a lot of money, he wrote me a prescription in the hopes my insurance would cover it. (I greatly appreciate this consideration.) This would lead to The Great BP Monitor Hunt, but we'll get to that, because first...

... I went to the next room to get my bloodwork done. Except the nurse looked at the order and said, "We can't do that here." They can only do basics and the order required a few specialized tests. No biggie, I understand. They give me a list of labs that are connected to my insurance (again, appreciated) and one is two doors down. So I hoof it over there, only to find that I need to (WARNING, SQUICKY STUFF) do a 24-hour urine test along with it. Which means I have to collect my urine for an entire day, in a huge jug, that must be refrigerated. (Clinician: "Oh, it's cold enough out, you can keep it in a bucket outside." Best friend: "Just don't put it next to the apple juice!") Have I mentioned how much I HATE PEE TESTS???? I hate collecting my pee. This ain't easy for girls, people!!!

All right, enough of that. (This is the part my mother reads and says, "You really put that out there for people to read?" I feel it's a public service. :-) )

I head off to RiteAid to get the BP monitor. The very nice lady at the pharmacy tells me that she knows insurance won't cover it if I buy it there, but recommends a medical supply store in Scranton. Again, appreciated. I go home, look up this supply store, and call to ask if they have a BP monitor that might be covered by insurance. Nope.

*sigh* This leads to me going onto my insurance website, looking up "medical supplies," and calling about five places on the list and getting really sick of asking, "do you carry home BP monitors?" Finally, I find one. She's not sure insurance will cover it, but come on in and they'll see what they can do. Of course, by this time it's mid-afternoon and did I mention I have freelance work due tomorrow?

The long and short of it is, I'm going to go up to Eynon to get this BP monitor tomorrow before I head back to the 'grove for a dinner date with Dad, who's there for GBP presentations (I know, it's Susquehanna-speak), and ZTA officer training the next day. And Sunday, I get to collect pee. Yay.

By the way, I adore BabyD. Me and my blood pressure, not so much.

The obligatory intro

Greetings to all who stumble across this humble patch o' web. My husband and I moved to NEPA in July 2012, and shortly thereafter discovered there was a wee one on the way!

We like to go out for random drives and explore, which we've always referred to as our "adventures." Adapting to a new area, organizing a new house, being pregnant, etc. are certainly all adventures! I actually had the idea to start this blog a few months ago, but am finally getting around to it, so I may write up some retro adventures as well. (I could write a book on the adventure that is finding a house.)

I am a southcentral PA native who has lived most of her life (with a four-year exile we won't talk about) in central PA. My husband is a Baltimore native (lovingly, a Baltimoron) who has spent several years in central PA as well. NEPA is not far from our previous home, but it is a world with its own flavor that we're enjoying getting to know.