Back in the Swing of Things!

I guess not really... since I wrote that title on
Thursday night.
And I guess not really since I think my laptop
is dead! AND it has all my Utah pics on it :'(((

I'm going to try again tomorrow, hopefully it'll
work and I can transfer my photos to my external
hard drive. Seriously so upset!!

So this is going to be a boring post... because no
pics.
I should have blogged while I was on vacation,
but I didn't want to add a laptop to my luggage.

So Dmitri and I went to Utah - and now are back.
We spent 2 weeks there, and it was pretty nice.
I missed Daniel like crazy, but being around family
made it a little better.
I like that there's never that awkwardness when
reuniting with family.
You just kind of pick up where you left off.

One of the reasons I should have blogged everyday
is that I've already forgotten what all we did!

So hopefully my pics will help me along.

We flew out Wednesday {the 10th} at 11:15pm. I
was really worried how Dmitri would do. Our last
flight in October didn't go so good - at all. And there
were TWO of us taking care of him!
I seriously prayed and prayed that our flight would
go good, and he would cooperate.
I tried keeping Dmitri up as much as possible that
day. Unfortunately he crashed big time around 4. So
I decided to only let him sleep an hour.
When I went to go wake him, he hadn't moved from
his original position, and was snoring pretty loud.
So I let him sleep a little longer.

Daniel had to work that night, so we got a ride from
a friend in our ward. {seriously - so grateful! Thanks
Krissy:)}
She and her son came to pick us up around 9, and
off we went.
Dmitri was awake on the way there, so that was a
relief. We got unloaded, then I proceeded to check us
in. Of course the code listed on my itinerary didn't
work. It never does. So I stood in the nice long line
to wait for an agent.
The line moved pretty quick, and then we were on
our way to security. Everything checked out okay,
and off we went to wait for our plane.

Dmitri was in a good mood, and didn't mind being
in his stroller. So we parked ourselves and just hung
out.
The terminal was packed. There was one family, they
were taking their first trip to Oregon to get their
daughter settled at the college there. She was talking
to Dmitri about his hair, and then we just talked about
various things about Oregon and Utah.
She was so nice, and her husband too. They even insisted
I take one of their waters they had just bought.

There was another family with a baby boy about 2
months younger then Dmitri.
Dmitri ran around with him for a bit. His mom offered
her assistance if I needed any help on the flight. Like
watching Dmitri if I needed to use the bathroom. So I
thought that was nice of her.

We boarded - and the stewardess' said that the flight
was totally booked. BUT I got lucky, and there was an
empty seat in my row.
There was a guy sitting with us, maybe my age. He was
talking to his wife on the phone, and was describing
Dmitri to her. So I couldn't tell how he felt about sitting
next to a baby.
But he ended up being really nice. He moved over a seat
and told me to feel free to sit Dmitri in it.
Our flight took off, and Dmitri was really calm. He just
sat there looking around. About a half hour into the
flight, he started fussing and wanted to get up, but no
go, the seat belt light hadn't turned off yet.
So he settled down, and stretched out on my lap with
his blanket. Then off to sleep...

He slept most the flight. He'd wake up every so often
because his foot would fall off the seat, but otherwise
he was out!

I made the mistake of getting up and changing his
diaper in the bathroom. Because then he knew he didn't
have to be confined to the seat. So we stood up for
an hour or so, while he talked to the stewardess, and
tried to escape to first class.

We got off the plane in Portland, got breakfast and
chilled until our connecting flight was ready to board.
We were there for almost 4 hours.....
It went fairly quick. I think.

So we boarded the plane heading to Utah. I was sure
Dmitri wouldn't sleep - because he had slept on the
last flight.
Well.... plane takes off, and off to sleep he went!!
He slept the entire flight! Even when we landed and
his head flew forward.... sound asleep!
We also seat next to some nice people on this flight too!
One was an 18 year old girl on her way to visit her mom,
and then an older guy on his way back from a business
trip.

Dmitri and I were seriously so blessed!! And I am SO
grateful!

So we land in Utah, grab our butt load of luggage, and
head out to meet my sister. She picked us up on her
way to work, and then I took her car and drove Dmitri
and I to my parents house.

Everyone was either at work or school when we got
there, so we settled in and then said hello to Misha and
Bianca!! It was good to see them. They're even fatter
then last time, I don't care what my mom says!
They were so excited! They said hello to me... then went
looking for Daniel.
Once they realized he wasn't there, they came back to
me. Lol chopped liver I tell ya!
Dmitri was less then thrilled with his sissys! When they'd
run up to him, he'd back up and say "NO! Go away!"
Lol he never really warmed up to them.... more Misha
then Bianca, but he still didn't want Misha too close to him.

I don't remember what all we did on which day. So here's
the list that I remember.
{hopefully this will be revised if my computer comes to,
and I can get my pics!!}

We went to the Dinosaur Museum. I kind of got to be
chauffeur while there. I had to pick my little sister up
from school, then pick up my mom from work.
So since my mom works close to the Dinosaur Museum,
we decided to kill some time until she was off.

We went to the museum last time we were in Utah.
The last time, Dmitri was TOTALLY into computers,
and that's all he wanted to play with.
This time he definitely got into more of the action and
exhibits.
He LOVED playing in the water and sand, with the little
toy dinosaurs.
After the museum we checked out some of the stores
at Thanksgiving Point. Then we got some ice cream.
So it was a nice time!

We also went to the Aquarium with auntie Belle and auntie
Nen.
They've added some more stuff since we had been there
last.
It was a Saturday, and snowed all day. So because of
the snow, we thought it'd be a safe choice. Nope. It was
PACKED!! I guess there were a couple birthdays going
on. It definitely would have been a lot more fun if it
wasn't so crowed.
Dmitri kind of got into to stingray exhibits. He couldn't
get his arm low enough to touch them as they swam
by, but he had a good time trying.

We went to the Tree House Museum in Ogden, with
Jennie and Sophie. So so cute!
It's a new interactive kids museum, so everything
was nice and clean.
Dmitri had a good time. The highlights for him were;
pushing the buttons for the US states map, and the music
room.
He absolutely loved the music room. Hopefully pictures
to follow!!

Then Dmitri and I took a short trip to Gardner Village.
Daniel and I love it there. It's always a must for us. It's
so fallish. Love it.
Dmitri hadn't napped that day, so he fell asleep on the
drive over. He wasn't ready to wake up, so he was
super super crabby!
He did however, brighten up when he saw a couple
ducks in a little man made pond. Umm yea.... he tried
to walk into the pond to say hi to them. In 45 degree
weather. Maybe 50.
He also saw some geese by the big pond, and tried to
walk into that pond too!!
So I took him to the bridge to look over. Ummm....
he tried to jump off the bridge to get to the water.

So we left.
{after a trip to the candy store}

We also spent a lot of time with family! Which is always
so fun!
Dmitri loved playing with his cousins! And he had fun
with all his aunties and uncles!

We also did some playdates with friends. So he had a
good time hanging with his friends he hasn't seen in
forever.

Ugh... Dmitri was one giant bruise.
He fell down the stairs at Grandma's house {again}.
He repeatedly bonked his head on Oma's craft table.
I'm sure he got nipped at by the dogs a couple times,
and a swat or two from the cat.
He got a scratch on his face and black eye from falling
at a friends house. Still don't know how he managed
that, because there was nothing dangerous in sight!

We enjoyed dinners with family, too much McDonald's,
and not enough sleep. But we loved it!
Missed Daniel though! It wasn't the same without him :(

He spent his time working, playing computer games
and watching movies. But he said it was lonely without
us.

Our flight back was good. We were supposed to take
a flight from SLC to Vegas, then have a 22 MINUTE
layover, and get on a flight to LAX.
Well... the plane going to Vegas was late, so we got
put on a flight from SLC to LAX {THANK GOODNESS!}

And.... Dmitri slept the whole flight. I swear I didn't
drug him! I think he's trained himself, because he'd fall
asleep right at take off.
Got to LAX and had a 3 hour layover. Then sat in the
plane at the terminal for 45 mins. Boo! But off we flew to
HI. And he slept.... 4.5 out of the 6 hour flight.
They played 'The Blind Side.' Super adorable movie!!

So it was a good flight!
Daniel met us at the airport with a lei. So that was
lovely! :]
Dmitri was being really shy - but once we got home,
he would not leave Daniel alone!
Daniel was watching tv on the sofa, and Dmitri climbed
on the sofa and sat on his head, then sat with him.
So he missed his daddy for sure!

While in Utah, Dmitri and I shared a bed. Which was
new. He got used to it, and by night 3, he was falling
asleep without too much problem. Some nights he'd
just put himself to sleep.
So... I took that as a good opportunity to put him in
a big boy bed.
He slept in his crib the first night back, with no problem
at all. But he climbed out that morning and hit the
floor pretty hard.

She we took the front off his crib, and converted it
to a toddler bed.
The first night I had to sit with him until he fell asleep.
But he didn't try to get up at all.
Second night, same thing.
Third day, I took him into his room to nap. He got up
as soon as I left, but I just left him in there. I could
hear him playing, but then it got really quiet. So I
went to check on him - and he had crawled back in
his bed and fell asleep!
Success!

Same thing that night. Got up when I left the room,
but put himself back to bed and slept through the
night - without falling out of bed! {first couple nights
he fell out a few times}

No nap today, because I babysat and the baby was
distracting him at nap time.
So I figured he'd be pretty tired tonight. Especially
since we had the missionaries over for dinner tonight.
Dmitri had a good time talking to them.

So we did his nighttime routine. Dinner, bath, brush
teeth, pjs, book, prayer and bed.
I lingered after the prayer because he kept pulling
out the book we just read. So he sat in bed reading
it to himself, and I left. I peeked back in, and he was
asleep in bed. Yay!!

So that's been what we've been doing! Fun fun :)
Hopefully I can get my pics, and add them to the
blog.
I hope :(

Alright, nighty night!