But where have I been?

We’ve been on the road for the last ten days. That’s a lot of days. And even more laundry.

Some points (some are highs – some are lows) in no particular order:

Jessika has the most charming and adorable children I have ever met. If our Pinenut is even half as wonderful as Claire and Ella we’ll be blessed.

I have the croupy thing that is going around. David has had it for almost a month and I really thought I had escaped. Alas. When I’m done here we’ll go to the pharmacy and pick up the lovely prescription called in for me by the doctor. There will be codeine cough syrup. I imagine I’ll sleep well tonight.

On our flight to Denver, and subsequent flight to Newark, I fit in the seat just fine with plenty of room for the tray table. Ten days later there was not so much fitting. Yesterday, on the flight home I was rocking out with my iPod to Jimmy Buffet’s “Southern Cross” when I noticed that the Pinenut was a wiggling and a jiggling. I leaned over and told David about his son’s apparent love of cool music. He looked at me a little strangely and then lifted the try table into the “upright and locked position” and damn it if the pinenut calmed right down. Color me disappointed.

While David was working all week I played at the upscale spa attached to our hotel. Hair. Nails. It was wonderful. Oh, and then there were the naps. At least one every day. Bliss.

As we were traveling we obviously ate out quite a bit. (We did have a kitchenette so I did do fruit and lunches in the suite.) When we arrived at the Italian Villa for supper on one of our first nights I asked David to pull the table out a bit because I couldn’t slide in. The hostess said, “Oh yes! Pull out the table she looks ready to pop! When are you due, sweetheart?” “Um, not until June.” “June!! What? Are there triplets in there?” “Nope, just the one overachieving little boy.” “Are you sure?” Yes. Yes, I sure that I am so not eating here. However their fettuccine alfredo – which I allow myself once a year – was phenomenal and I may yet forgive them.

We hit upon a gem of a restaurant sort of accident. We asked at the front desk for a recommendation. The kid said Zana-D (if they had a site I’d link) was his favorite place. Damn straight. Amazing food. Amazing service. As we sat down we were each served a hunk of parmesan cheese, along with bread and the most amazing dipping sauce. I had a salad that was definitely a bold menu choice: avocado, tomato, red onion, and chopped shrimp pressed into a mold and then set upon a bed of fresh beets. Goodness it wasn’t pretty, but it sure rocked my taste buds! My entrée was veal saltimbocca. Yes, I shun veal, why do you ask? It just looked too amazing to pass up. It exceeded all of my expectations and has me rethinking my ban on veal. Dessert. Oh dessert. Dessert was a shared strawberry zabaglione. I thought I was going to pass out from the sheer wonderful-ness of the pudding. As we finished the last bite of our puddings the waiter brought out a glass jug – think moonshine – and two glasses. “Homemade limoncello. On the house.” Sigh. I pointed to my abdomen and the waiter blushed and turned to David and said he would have to drink mine. David doesn’t drink so we didn’t get to partake it what I am sure was just this side of heaven. (May I add a little irony here? The only drink David has ever finished? A limoncello while in Europe.) Maybe next time. After that David sort of rolled me down the stairs and I spent the rest of the night berating myself – for eating too much – and my son – for taking up so much of my space.

The hotel has six, or maybe seven, swimming pools. I love swimming pools. You can’t feel the weight of the baby in a swimming pool. I love that. I never really noticed how much he weighs until I got out of the pool the first time. Stupid gravity.

One of the indoor pools has sort of lazy river thing going on off to one side. I love the lazy river thing. You just flip over and back float down the channel. And when you’re done? Head over to the waterfall and the force of its current propels you back to the lazy river part. Wonderful. The outdoor pool might have been my favorite though. It was a black bottom pool that was heated to really warm to offset the literally freezing temperatures outside. You entered the pool from inside the building so you’re never really cold. Brilliant!

This was supposed to be our last hurrah before the baby arrives. However, with the croup I wasn’t able to fully enjoy the trip, and thus neither was David, so we’re thinking about other trips we can take in the next few weeks. Then it’s time to let go of our denial and get started on planning for this expected kid. Sigh. So much to do and, really, so little time to do it! For now I shall go acquire my drugs and sleep well tonight!