Life as a single mother....for a couple of weeks anyway!

My husband Shawn just got back from a 2 week trip to South Korea with the university where we both work. Now before you judge him for leaving his wife and small baby, know that I fully supported him in going on this trip:) No seriousely....what an opportunity! I figure if we can't both go then at least one of us should be able to. But even though I had help from my parents and in-laws...it was a long two weeks.

Let me help you understand how much Shawn contributes to the home and then you will realize just how ready I was for him to come home. He is the chef. Of his own will. Granted, cooking is not my forte...but I would do it if I have to. He loves it though! He also has a strange love of doing laundry, ironing my clothes for me in the morning, and basically gets me through the day. Now I'm not helpless by any means and I always step up to the plate when he is gone. But....it's so nice to have him home!

Our dear child developed her first "illness", which was a cold. This started a couple of days before he left. But as soon as he was gone her sleeping through the night habit made an exit due to the cold. Right. So as I was up a million times a night and overanalyzing what in the world could be wrong with her I had to tell myself...this too, shall pass. And it did.

We started out the week with his parents coming to stay. They were fantastic. They cooked, cleaned, and Stan did a million small projects that we would probably have never taken on ourselves, but that needed doing! I tell him and my dad that it is not a criteria for them to do projects when they come. But they both claim they like it and I will not begrudge them of this:)As they left my parents came. They had not seen Olivia in quite a while (or me but I've discovered that does not matter anymore) so that was fun. Kathryn and Erik came in for that weekend too and we celebrated her birthday. Mom stayed with me the whole next week and we had lots of fun despite Olivia's cold and sleepless days and nights. We ended the 2 weeks without my other half by going to Michigan to visit family. This was a blast! I was so nervous about having Olivia in a car seat for that long but she was great. What a trooper! I think she knows that she has to love travelling due to the family she was born into. I've posted pics below documenting these two weeks.

By the way....Shawn will not be leaving for that long again:)

Getting some love from Grandma Lois


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We have arrived! See this sweet dress? It came to her all the way from dear friends in Australia!

Nana time. Look at that hat. Couldn't you just eat her up!?!

Break time in driving. Ok. Here's what happened when we stopped. Everyone else would go in and enjoy a great sit-down meal while me and Liv kicked it in the van. We would eat, change diaper, and (as you see above) she would then get to lay on the van seat and kick and play. I know. I'm a great mom.

This is one cashed out baby. The fun is officially over.

More pics from the trip to come later. Who knew it was so hard to format these???