LLL of NC Conference 2009

We are home from the 2009 Conference of the La Leche League of North Carolina and I had a fantastic time! The conference was held at the Sheraton, which was a lot more comfortable accommodations than the rugged Unicoi Lodge where the LLL of GA conference has been held the last two years.

While I was packing my suitcase, John packed a suitcase for Mary by emptying her entire bureau drawer into the luggage:
After I emptied that out, he took the suitcase and emptied out his shoes-and-socks drawer into it, so he was all "packed" himself:

I planned to deny the kids naps in the morning so they would sleep blissfully for the three-hour drive to Raleigh. Despite this photo taken a few minutes into the drive, John quickly woke up and Mary never fell asleep. They were both overtired fussbudgets (my fault!), so I squeezed myself into the space between their two car seats and keep them company for the whole ride. Mom's plan: thwarted!

For the sessions all day and the evening of Saturday and the morning of Sunday, I toted Mary along with me while John had "special days" with daddy. Mary is a mild tempered baby anyway and I wear her much of the time at home, but I certainly noticed that because she got to be in arms for me for two straight days, she did not cry once. She cried last while stuck in her car seat on the drive to Raleigh and then once we were driving home to Charlotte. Babies know what feels right to them!

The sessions were fantastic and I learned so much. On Sunday afternoon after lunch, we spotted a woman giving pony rides (in this very sketchy park with many gentlemen lingering around). John loved his very own ride with Marbles the pony.

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, so we attended the 4:30 traditional Latin Mass at Sacred Heart cathedral. The phrase "attended Mass" is usually used loosely by parents of littles. Chris and I traded the two children back and fourth for the two-hour service. I started with Mary, but she quickly had a poopy diaper so I had to go out to the car to change that (these older cathedrals don't have modern big vestibules or nearby bathrooms). I got her settled and came back, by which time Chris had been out a few times with John. We got to go back in, but then both babies were melting down. I got Mary nursed and settled and then traded with Chris, so he kept the baby inside while I took John outside. I got Mass in three-minute segments and mostly by listening to the sound wafting from the open church windows to the courtyard outside. Another typical Sunday!

Lastly, this photo is titled, "You Know You Live in the South When" (taken at a gas station on our drive home):

My Southern relatives might not even get what is so funny about the photo, but my California relatives have likely never seen such a thing in their neck of the woods!

We got home late at 11:00 p.m. after both kids were pills again and I reluctantly spent the drive sitting in the back seat. But we survived! Chris was an awesome husband to come with me so I could enjoy the conference but have my two-year-old close to me too. Thank you, honey!