Asheville Vacation Part I

I could write for hours about the awesomeness of our first family vacation but instead I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.  But first there are a few things photo's didn't capture.

1) Max was a total trooper the whole trip.  He only had 3 meltdowns, all of them justified (too long in the car) and none of them in public.

2) The weather was simply gorgeous and I actually got a taste of fall before coming back to hot as Hell Savannah.

3) People in Asheville are totally obsessed with their dogs.  Frankly, it was a little odd.

Day 1

We arrived in Asheville around 4:30 and after completely rearranging our hotel room  unpacking, we ventured into downtown Asheville to get a lay of the land. There, Max got to experience his first smelly hippie drum circle.  I'm not stereotyping hippies by saying all are smelly.  But the people are this drum circle? Seriously gross.

After a bit of walking around Max fell asleep and for the first time since he was born, we were able to go out to dinner, with Max, past 7PM!

It was a Labor Day miracle. We didn't want to push our luck so we were back to the hotel before 8:15PM.

Day 2
We spent the whole day on Biltmore property.  Who knew there was so much to do beyond look at a ginormous house?  During the house tour Max was fabulous in his sling.  I was terrified he would lose it and his screams would echo through the cavernous house.  Instead he just smiled at strangers and took a nap.

 After touring the house (where pictures weren't allowed) we all snacked...

...then explored the ridiculously gorgeous grounds outside the house.

  

This is the side of the house.  THE SIDE!!!!

Seriously, those Vanderbilts knew how to live. Who has their own lake?!

Outside of the house, there is a ton of other stuff to do on the estate.   We spent the majority of the day at Antler Hill Village, eating ice cream, tasting wine and checking out the farm. 

The above should be submitted to Awkward Family Photo....

 After 9 hours at the Biltmore, Max was DONE. That night was the hardest he ever slept. 11 hours, no fuss!

Well, I think that's enough pictures to overload your browser.  Tomorrow I will post part II...The Blue Ridge Parkway!

The Unintential Advocate

I'm not one to talk to strangers.  I was not blessed with my father's gift of gab as he can make friends with a wall. I'm intimidated by small talk as I find it awkward.  If you know me you'll laugh but when it comes to strangers, I'm pretty shy.  However, as a babywearer in Savannah, it looks like I'm getting over my fear.

There is plenty of scientific evidence showing how babywearing is good for both baby and parent. Benefits include better parent-child bonding and a more socialized baby. While those are great reasons, the main reason I wear Max is because it's crazy convenient. Every other benefit is just gravy.

Max hates his car seat so when out and about, wearing Max lessens the chance of a breakdown.  Plus, car seats are ridiculously heavy without the baby.  Add my almost 14 lb son and I can barely pick it up. Note to self: Get butt back to gym.

While it may be common in lots of larger cities, here in tiny little Savannah, those who babywear are rare.  While I expected a few stares, I am quite surprised by the response I get when I've got Max in a sling. From church to Starbucks to the grocery store, I have not once worn him without someone stopping me. I was worried that with the recent recalls on slings that I would experience some negativity but the response has been overwhelmingly positive, or at least one of curiosity. Brett thought he would tons of "What the heck" type stares but instead he gets big smiles.  Ain't nothing sexier than a man carrying a baby.

When questioned, I start spewing the benefits of babywearing.  I tell them all about my Maya Wrap or Brett's Ergo.  I explain how my sling isn't the type that was recalled and that no, he isn't going to fall out of it.  I extol the ease of use and how it's doesn't hurt my back.  I talk about the joys of being hands free and how it allows Max to see the world or simply fall asleep to the rhythm of my heartbeat.  I even go into the various types of slings, wraps and carriers available. The conversation usually ends with the other person saying "I'll have to check that sling out" or "I need to tell my daughter/niece/sister about it".  Without trying, I suddenly turned into a one woman babywearing commercial!

I guess my enthusiasm for the joys of babywearing outweighs my crippling shyness.  Just another lesson learned on the Motherhood Express.