I Wanna Getaway...Although Not As Much As I Thought

All parents, as much as they love their little ones, dream of a getaway. This mom is getting one.

For a brief one night, I will be jet setting to Dallas with the hubby and my brother to go see the opening weekend concert for my beloved Dave Matthews Band.

As always, I have a tight chest of anticipation. While the hubby has been overly excited, counting down the days until we leave, I have been looking at Stella with a twinge of guilt and sadness — except for this morning when the devil temporarily inhabited her tiny body.

However, I couldn’t pass up this chance to see one of my favorite bands and travel one last weekend before my doctor grounds me with the third trimester no airplanes rule.

What is it about being a mom that ties you to guilt and sadness every time you have to leaveyour children? Am I the only one that experiences this? Many times, I cry half way to my destination. I worry and fret over whether she will be all right, knowing full well that she is in the best of care with grandma and grandpa.

As I getaway, I know I will need to have my phone fully charged so that I can call and check in before the plane takes off, when we land, before we get to the hotel, around dinner time, and one last time to say goodnight. I will plan my events around what time I can say hello via iPad and see Stella face to face.

Yes, I sound like a stage five clinger ex-girlfriend, but, what can I say, I am a mom.

The best part about going away as a parent is the difference in emotion during the return home. Usually it is a feeling of dread with the thought of returning to reality. Now, it is pure excitement to see that little face that you have been missing while you are gone.

It is healthy for all when parents get a getaway and luckily, we get to return to some big hugs and sticky kisses.

Mommy and Daddy Date Weekend

Tales from the Skies

Because we can't seem to sit still for too long, hubby and I took a quick trip to the Bay Area to attend the Bridge School Benefit Concert and pay grandma and grandpa a little visit. It just so happened that Dave Matthews was playing so I was super excited for the getaway. Because we were just heading up for the weekend, we decided to fly up and take Stella on her first plane ride. I figured, that the worst that could happen was that she would cry the entire one hour and fifteen minute flight.

I must admit, getting through security with the extra pursing hanging around my neck was a little nerve wracking and stepping onto a tiny 2 by 2 seated plane didn't help either. But as soon as we walked onto the tarmac and saw the plane (yes, that is how small the plane was...barf) Stella's excitement took over. She loved the plane, charmed everyone around us (which was pretty much everyone on the flight, did I mention it was a small plane?) and the flight went off without a hitch.

After no more than a couple hours of getting settled, we kissed Stella good bye and headed off for the Bridge Benefit Concert. The event was two days and we were in for tons of music played by Neil Young, Carlos Santana, the Foo Fighters, Mumford and Sons, Arcade Fire, Tony Bennett, Eddie Veder, Norah Jones, and of course, Dave Matthews. The Bridge School is a school that was founded by Neil and Pegi Young for children with severe speech and physical impairments. This benefit concert is an annual event that has been going on for 25 years, and this is the first time we have attended.

It was one of the most touching events I have ever been to. The children of the school are allowed to sit on stage and watching them enjoy the music was life changing. There were touching videos of the children in the school environment that made me understand how wonderful the school is and how it touched the lives of so many impaired children. While I am grateful for Stella's health, I am now also grateful that there are schools such as this to ensure that these children are given an environment in which they thrive.

My 1st plane ride!

Look at all the amazing children on stage!

Ready for my flight home!

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Back from Heaven

After an absolute amazing weekend at The Gorge in Washington, it is back to reality. To me there is nothing better than the Dave Matthews Band. To top it off with a completely surreal venue like The Gorge takes the experience to another level.

Although we left Stella behind for four days, my hubby and I were soon thankful for my parents (who came down to watch her) while enjoying the view and free cocktails from the VIP tent. Friday was the first of three, wonderful, music-filled days ending each night with the Dave Matthews Band. I looked longingly at the small kids that were there and even got my baby fix by holding a few, but was grateful to be able to share the weekend with my hubby and some baby-free time. There were some once-in-a-lifetime opportunities (like a midnight screening of a movie after the concert) that we were able to enjoy, which would not have been possible with Stella. I even met Boyd and Jeff, two members of the band, after the screening!

This weekend taught me that we all truly need and deserve some time off from parenting and that when you do have the chance, take it and make the very best of it. I was so happy to come home to my baby girl and will never forget this weekend. I am not do happy about the extra pounds I put on from endulging myself all weekend but these tight pants are a small price to pay for the weekend. Have any of you had similar weekend getaways? I hope they were as great as mine and if you haven't...take one! A haute mom deserves it!

The Gorge

Me and Jeff Coffin

Hubby and I in the VIP tent

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Haute Mom Dilemma #19 - Leaving Baby Part 2

It is Wednesday morning and I have been away from Stella for over 24 hours. Yesterday I snuck away in the early morning darkness to catch my flight to Boston. I stole a couple kisses from my sleeping baby and disappeared into the night. I felt sad on the way to the airport but with the craziness of checking-in and airport security, my mind was filled with other thoughts. I had a video of Stella laughing on my phone and decided it would be helpful to watch her while I was waiting for our flight to board. BIG MISTAKE. I immediately started crying. Not sniffly crying, like when you get choked up about something but CRYING like when you are PMS-ing and you see a Hallmark or Folgers commercial (Remember that one where the college son comes home and surprises his family on Christmas morning? Yea, I have goosebumps right now.) My brother walked up to us and said he saw me and thought, "Oh, oh. Something just happened while I was gone and I am not going to say one word." The tears were flowing while I boarded, during take-off, and still three hours later when I was landing in Chicago for our layover. Once I checked in with my parents, and they sent some pictures, I finally was able to relax. I am sure the beer I had during lunch didn't hurt either.

I went wandering through the airport looking for a place to pump...yes, and dump. According to American Airlines I am not allowed to carry breastmilk on the plane unless I was traveling with a baby. TSA did say I could take milk on the place but it would have to be frozen. Since I didn't happen to bring my freezer with me, I decided I was going to have to dump this liquid gold until I could figure something else out. Since airports aren't exactly private, I chose to wait to pump on the plane. The nice flight attendants allowed me to use the back row and once they figured out how to turn the outlets on I was good to go. (Did you know there were outlets under each seat? I didn't. Pretty cool though.) Thanks American Airlines flight attendants for making it the friendly skies!

After checking in to the hotel, we went to a nice dinner and then partied like rockstars at the Dave Matthews concert (enter teenage fan scream here). I love Boston! We were able to have access to the backstage area, the VIP lounge, and also had amazing seats. It was a great time! After the show I checked in on grandma and grandpa who assured my all was good on the homefront.

Fast forward to now. I am getting ready to pack up and head back home. Who thought it would go this fast? I am so excited to get back to Stella and feel very fortunate having my family to take care of her while I was gone. It was a good test for me, and for her. Looks like mommy and baby passed. Now, I am off to go formulate a plan to bring home some breastmilk. I am actually considering packing it in my suitcase in bags of ice....Hmmmmmm.

Here are a couple pics from the side stage viewing area:

Haute Mom Dilemma #19 - Leaving Baby Part 1

Haute moms, I need you now. Please come in full force and bring your haute powers. I am leaving my baby tomorrow for approximately 40 hours and I am feeling a little, well, panicked. This post is labeled in parts because I know that there will probably be a number of entries in the next 40 hours where I will feel the need to blog. My flight leaves in 12 hours and I feel like a brick is sitting on my chest. Oh wait, that may be Stella sleeping.

I have a favorite band. Not favorite like, "Oh they are really good" favorite but FAVORITE like 14-year-old Justin Bieber "aaaaaaaaahhh!!!!" favorite. The band is the Dave Matthews Band and I have seen them eight times, since I became pregnant with Stella. Stella has seen them six times in utero. Overall, I have seen them over 50 times.

For that reason, and a small work venture, I am flying from California to Boston to see the Dave Matthews Band...backstage passes baby. You know it would have to be big for me to leave Stella behind. I even thought about bringing her but figured logistically, that would be unfair to her. My parents, as mentioned in my last post, will be taking care of her. I have to pack and do some things because our flight leaves at 6 a.m. but can't stand to put her down long enough to do much of anything.

On a separate note, I called American Airlines (had to because they cancelled our flight - argh) and talked to them about traveling with my breastpump and pumped milk. They told me that I was not allowed to travel back with the milk I pump while I am gone. Apparently, having my baby with me is proof that it is real milk but traveling without a baby means it could be anything. The kind lady did tell me I could check the milk in for an extra baggage fee. Gee thanks. Um, what exactly am I supposed to do? All of you pumping moms out there know the stuff is like gold! Can this really be the rules?!

Well, I will keep you posted but for now I am going to pack, starting with my travel pack of kleenex since I am sure I will be blubbering all the way to the airport...and to Boston for that matter. I hope I can clean myself up long enough to fulfill one of my lifelong dreams, being backstage at a Dave Matthews concert. I keep telling myself to be strong, kind of like the end of the Karate Kid when Daniel-son is trying to get up off the mat. I know I can do it - send me some haute vibes ladies.