Mom and Kyle go to Forks!

Hey all you twilighters, have you ever read the books and wondered what Forks really looks like? Not the "Forks" in the movie (all of the Forks locations in the movie are actually various parts of Oregon and British Columbia.) but the real Forks, the real La Push. Well, I got to go see it! This summer my family had a family reunion up in the Olympic Peninsula in the state of Washington. We were up there for 9 days, and we only went to Forks for a few hours one of the days, so it was definitely a side trip. And good thing it was, because Forks IS A TINY TOWN! One of the smallest towns I have ever been to in my life! But this post is not just about that. Its really about the family reunion. I have the most wonderful extended family in the world, I really do. They are all so sweet, and fun, and awesome that combined with the drop dead gorgeous Washington scenery, it was pretty much one of the best trips ever. Get ready for a lot of pictures! It was just me and Kyle, and all my relatives!

My post HAS to start with my Uncle Wendell. He is the best grandpa in the world. I would not have been able to go without him helping me with Kyle. Most of you know already that Kyle is quite a handful, but for those who don't, KYLE IS A HANDFUL! He has so much energy, and is so curious about everything! I was 6 months pregnant at the time, and with no Joe to help me.....well, lets just say I was so grateful for My Uncle Wendell. He basically took care of Kyle for me every day, always sweetly, always with a smile on his face, always like it was no big deal and like I was doing him a favor for letting him constantly take care of a wild and crazy almost two year old. I was so humbled by watching someone be so willing to serve someone else so happily. But I have always thought of my Uncle Wendell as the nicest person I have ever known, bar none. My mom told me that at his own wedding reception he stayed after it was over to help clean up! He is so cool. Once again, THANK YOU UNCLE WENDELL!!

Kyle's first airplane ride. It was quite the event. He spent the entire two hour flight opening and shutting the window shade, kicking the seat in front of him, pooping, and crying! But it wasn't that bad : )

"Just you and me mom! "

Our trip started in the rain forest. Yes, there really is a rain forest in the USA! August is the "dry" season, so most of the moss that covers EVERY surface there was actually brown! Still flippin' amazing though!

Cool, right?

My awesome family. Left to right. Uncle Will, Alex, Kyle and Uncle Wendell, Aunt Nola, Alicia, Aunt Cheryl, Daniel, and Esther

After the rain forest we spent the night in Forks. The "twihards" (of which I, a grown up, responsible 26 year old mother of four am most assuredly NOT...well...maybe a teensy bit, but only a little!) went all around town to see all the twilight stuff! The town prints up Twilight maps so you know where to go. Below is a corner they had set up in the local store. The one store that you have to get pretty much everything at. See the sign? The Twilight Zone, get it? hardy har har.

Bella's truck. I have no idea if this is the real one from the movie, but if not, its basically the same one.

I think 3,000 people is stretching it.

Well, better get me some of those!

Despite the fact that Twilight and New Moon were not filmed in Forks, the town has designated certain spots as the Twilight landmarks that would be the real thing if in fact the Twilight story were real. I think its safe to say Forks is a little Twilight crazy. Of course, I had no problem racing around and seeing all the sights myself.... : )

This house is called the Cullen house. I have no idea who owns it, but it is the house that has been designated as the home most like the the Cullen's house described in the books. Obviously it is huge, white, deep in the woods, and right next to a river, so I understand why they picked it.

This is the real Forks High school.

The hospital......

They even have a parking spot that is reserved for Dr. Cullen!

This is the home designated as Bella's house. Charlie apparently drives a van when hes not rounding up the ruffians of Forks.

Myself, I was amazed by the size of their mailbox!! Look at that thing! What kinds of mail does the "official Swan residence of Forks" get every day, wow!

Ok, you have absolutely no idea how much Twilight merchandise was for sale. It was everywhere, and everything. You name it, you could buy it with something relating to the Twilight saga on it. There was only one thing that mystified me. WHAT the HECK are vampire droppings? Seriously.

We stayed the night at the Forks motel. No vacancy!

Nearly every store had a claim to Bella, Edward, or Jacob. Bella shops here! Jacob digs our burgers! Edward's dentist!!

The Quileute reservation is breathtakingly beautiful. It has as many references to Twilight as Forks does! For instance.....

There you will find Bella's Bulletin Board! Here you can write messages to Bella, Jacob, Edward, or just your thoughts in general. And boy, when you read those notes, you realize how serious Twilight is for some people. You don't mess with Twihards. For them, Edward, Bella, Jacob, and vampires are real people. Some of my favorite notes are below.

My cousins Alicia and Esther.

Apparently Bella is a very good actress.

This Twihard had a lot of thoughts she wanted to express.

Mmmmm... such love expressed in just a few words : )

Team Jacob, Team Edward....Team Alice!

After this fun diversion, it was time to hit the beach!

Driving down to La Push beach was a treat in itself. The scenery there, the lush woods all around....so indescribably beautiful. Fortunately, since I cant describe it, I have pictures : )

This is the real beach that is in Twilight. La Push. Holy smokes it is so beautiful. There are seriously no words for how amazing it is. Its so breathtaking that you cant seem to take it all in. You just walk, and gawk...and gawk some more.

Kyle and Uncle Wendell. This is how Kyle spent about 85% of our trip. He had the best view!

Two of my four sisters. My 24 year old sister Elise on the left, and my 28 year old sister Jessica on the right. They are so fun and happy all the time!

Kyle really took to Uncle Wendell. For a week he had a pretty cool surrogate grandpa all to himself!

Look at this driftwood! Whole entire trees! Driftwood is supposed to burn cool colors, but it is now illegal to burn the driftwood on the beach so we couldn't check that out! Its way prettier to stare at though. And climb over! Those trees are so huge its quite the workout! Isnt it cool how the forest comes right up to the shore? I've never seen that before.

Ah yes, the Treaty Line : )

After the beach, we drove down to Port Angeles, where the family reunion was officially starting the following day. Along the way we saw some more cool stuff. We saw a bunch of these old boats just marooned along the shore!

The next few days of the family reunion, we did what my family does best....hike! I love to hike. This was a cool one. It took us up to the very most northwestern tip of the continental United states! Here is the tip of it, look at those caves, wouldnt they be fun to go explore? Sigh, such gorgeous scenery.

Ok, the one and only pic of me, at the northwestern tip! Please forgive my appearance, I was 6 months pregnant, and it was before I started exercising!!

What would make this tree look like this? So awesome!

In Port Angeles, Twilight fever was still going strong. This store had EVERYTHING twilight. I almost bought a felt mushroom stuffed ravioli keychain (not kidding) but changed my mind at the last minute. I kind of wished I had bought it!

We also went on a whale watching trip. So fun! I saw the tail fins of two whales, so I didnt really get the full experience, but the highlight for me really was hanging out with my family.

Not just my Uncle Wendell, EVERYONE helped me with Kyle. It was so great to have four kids, Esther, Alex, Daniel, and Ben, there to play nonstop with Kyle. And they loved it, and he adored them! Thank you so much guys!

By this time Uncle Wendell was Kyles best friend. Mom? What mom?

Kyle and his first cousins, once removed.

My wonderful Aunt Cheryl and Kyle. Its funny that it really took an entire family to help with one small two year old. But it really does take that much effort : ) Kyle is a force of nature.

Dressing up is always fun : )

This is what Kyle would do when he wanted to get down but Uncle Wendell is surprisingly strong!! We tried one time to go up on deck, and as you can see, an ocean dip was just a few short steps away. For this reason, Kyle and I spent most of the whale watching trip.....

.....down here. The view was awesome though : )

Kyle is the only one of my kids to get crazy long and thick eyelashes. Look at these things! He could use them to sweep the floor! Not that he ever would, but can you imagine these babies with mascara on them? Its so unfair, I am jealous of my sons eyelashes!

Isnt Port Angeles beautiful?

More hiking with the fam. This is my 19 year old sister Kathryn.

Hiking here in Washington is so beautiful you forget you're exercising! You just trek in a daze of astonishment!

My awesome sister Elise.

My oldest sister Shannon. One of my best friends on Earth. She loves the boys so much!

I think this trip was as fun for Kyle as it was for me. I got to see all my family, and Kyle got to have all my family pay endless attention to him, with no competition from his brothers! Pretty sweet deal!

Grandma lovin up her grandbaby!

Arent these forests so cool? Everyone should take a trip to the Olympic Penninsula. It is so amazing up there!

Our last stop before home was dinner at this AMAZING resort. I think thats called...cascade lake? I will have to look it up. The resort has this dock that extends far out into the lake. The water is so clear you can see to the rocks on the bottom where it is shallow! So amazing. So beautiful!

And then home! Kyle is naked because I didnt feel like getting him dressed for the plane ride home. Just kidding. We had a layover, and Kyle had a blowout, and of course I had forgotten to pack an extra outfit on my carry on! That story will be its own poop file sometime down the line. But it doesnt seem Kyle minded being naked very much. Dont worry though, I took this picture right before dressing him in the outfit I found in the airport giftshops.

Such a fun trip! And I am definitely going back one day. Its too gorgeous not to! I love nature, I love Kyle, I love my family!

Daisy Lyn Segalla

Our beautiful baby girl has arrived!

Daisy Lyn Segalla

She was born

November 21, 2009

9:56 A.M.

9 lbs. 9 oz.

21 3/4 inches long

So,

Proper blog etiquette dictates that when you are blessed with a baby, you must then record every moment of your experience on your blog. And who am I to fly in the face of blogging tradition?


The week before Daisy arrived was very long and boring. Waiting, waiting, waaaaaiiiiitiiiiing.....
Good thing there is that "nesting instinct" to keep you busy!
I had a mountain of baby girl stuff I had collected and been given over the past 6 months piled in the corner of my bedroom. That long week before she got here I tackled it. First I piled it up on my bed, and then laughed at how ridiculously huge the pile was. Then I took a picture.

This is her shoe collection...still not enough of course : )

And the scary mountain of pastel...beautiful sight isn't it?

I had her coming home outfit like, three days after I found out I was having a girl

The mountain of clothes and shoes finally got folded and organized into her dresser,

And put on a bar,

stacked onto a handy filing cabinet,

and stored in and under our beautiful new crib!

That blanket, the most beautiful blanket ever crafted, was made by Grandma Segalla

And pink linen...sigh....cant get enough of that pink linen...it makes me happy just to look at it

And then, the day arrived.

I had never had a c section before, and as those who speak to me regularly can attest,

I was very nervous. EXTREMELY FREAKED OUT is probably a better description.

The below pic is of me about 5 minutes before I was wheeled off to the O.R.

Its weird how deceiving photos can be. I look relaxed, happy,....and I felt as though I were about to jump out of my skin, that's how nervous I was!

So what happened to me between the last pic and the next is so crazy. Its also a major factor in why I am not crazy about having any more children, though that's up to Heavenly Father, ultimately. The reason I was having a c section was to avoid what happened last time. Kyle was ten and a half pounds, and got stuck coming out, and suffered trauma to his "little" body. I had been told that most likely Daisy would be bigger, and so when she started measuring a lot bigger than how far along I actually was, I scheduled a c section. I knew my recovery would be longer, but she would be fine, and that's all that mattered to me.

Little did I know what was in store for me.

I had to go in to the operating room alone to get set up before Joe could come in with me. I was nervous, but actually my nervousness went mostly away when the waiting stopped and the steps began to get this baby delivered! I went in, sat on the table, and got my spinal block. I lay down on the table, and that's when I began suffering from a MAJOR panic attack. No one had ever told me about this possibly happening, and I hadn't read anything about this, when researching the c section. When you get an epidural, you are numb, but can still slightly move your legs. When you get a spinal block, there is no movement, you are literally paralyzed from the chest down. Holy cow. That feeling of being paralyzed hurled me into the depths of some kind of weird psychotic episode, I am not even kidding. I remember it suddenly hitting me that I couldn't move my legs, and it terrified me to the point where that thought was the only thing occupying my mind. I started yelling, "I cant feel my legs, I cant move!" and I started thrashing., my arms flailing around and hitting the nurses. I remember they were trying to talk to me, trying to reassure me that that was normal, but it felt like I was possessed, I didn't take in a single word they were saying. I was hyperventilating, my panic was so crazy I had this crazy strength and they couldn't even keep hold of my arms. It is so weird to recall this because I remember every moment, and yet I was not me. Finally, I started grabbing my oxygen mask, all the stuff connected to my body like the IVs, and started ripping them off in sheer agitation. At this point there was no reasoning with me so three nurses bodily pinned my arms down to restrain them. Simultaneously they injected a major narcotic into my iv and clamped another oxygen mask onto my face. Because I was still thrashing and clawing at my face to rip it off, until they got my arms pinned down they pushed that mask down hard and turned the air all the way up to force it into my lungs (to give me the same affect as if I were taking deep breaths to calm down, which of course I wasn't doing on my own) and finally, finally, I started to "come back." It still bothered me immensely that I felt so paralyzed, but I was able to just deal with it until the surgery was over. When I calmed down and realized what had just happened, I was so embarrassed!!!! Seriously, seriously embarrassed. I think I apologized about 1000 times. What with the emotional impact of that panic attack combined with the narcotic they gave me, I was completely wiped. I couldn't feel any of the normal c section pressure on your stomach for the duration of the surgery, and I was so lethargic that when Daisy came out, I didn't even really register it! I am amazed at the picture of Joe and I and the baby below because there I am smiling to beat the band, and I didn't feel that way at all! I just wanted to go to sleep, and it was like, baby? What baby? Who cares about a baby? So, there. Isn't that a crazy story? I have never heard of that happening to anyone esle! And I cant find much information about that side affect on the Internet! But I do know that unless Heavenly Father sends me a very clear message to have more kids, I don't think I can deal with that happening again. No way. It was awful. BUT....when all the crud did start wearing off.....there was my girl!!!! The first day I was conscious, but barely, but the next two days were all I hoped they would be with my baby girl! I just stared at her in wonder! I love her soooo so sooooo much!!! I got out of the hospital two days later, and have spent the last five days overwhelmed with love and gratitude for her. I have the four most beautiful children ever created! Alright, overload of pictures coming up.

Tadaaa!!!!

Meeting Daisy for the first time, a moment captured on camera, but not in my mind

Awww...look at that lady meeting her baby...wait, that's me?

Dad loving up his baby girl!!

I love this picture, and it seems I can smile through ANYTHING!!

Daisy getting her first bath and of course hating it!!

The MacKay cheeks legacy.

Huge beautiful blue eyes! She is so alert with them!

After the crazy emotional overhaul and drugs wore off, I spent the next two days doing this, in this position, just looking, and crying, and being grateful, and getting all the nurses to tell me that "yes, this IS the most beautiful baby currently in the hospital"

My sweet beautiful girl, I hope she always "clings" to me!

Daisy is a champion face scruncher

Aunt Suzy lovin' up her niece!

Dad and his baby girl.

I cant wait to have an eventual album of pictures of them together.

Look at that smile! He loves her so much already!

I don't care how many there are, you cant get enough pictures of a sleeping baby!

And this is the only time for the rest of ETERNITY that Daisy will be a sleeping baby!

Loving life to the max!

She is so cute! Have I said that yet?

Daisy's grandma Segalla.

Sandra Lyn Segalla.

Her middle name is now Daisy's middle name as well. We love you Grandma Sandi!

Her coming home outfit. SOOOO CUTE!!!!!!

Look at this collection of angels!!! All mine! Kurt cannot get enough of Daisy. He wants to hold her all of the time, and is so tender and sweet with her!!! Cleve also liked to hold her, and Cleve REALLY likes to sit with his hand on her head, looking at her. Kyle says "Baby!" so cute and kisses her...if we are not holdng her. If we are holding her and ask Kyle to come give her loves, well, we might as well be asking him to come kiss a piece of poop! Poor Kyle. No longer the baby! That is a hard trophy to give up! But we just love him up so much, and tell ourselves that two year olds dont stay two forever!

Anyways, we think our family is complete, right now nothing feels more beautiful and complete than our family! Holy smokes is this house crammed full of happy! Want to get high on some joy? Come on over folks!

Welcome to our family baby Daisy! We love you so much!

You had to be there...but you'll laugh anyway

Everyone has one of these.
Something hilarious happens to you, and it is so funny that the memory of it sets you off every single time. Just a quick memory flashback, and suddenly you are in Walmart, holding a box of Tampons, laughing your head off. BUT, try telling the story to someone else. You swear to them that when you tell them this story, they will have tears rolling down their cheeks by the end of it. Then you proceed with the story. Halfway through the story you are giggling, but also realizing that this story isn't coming across as funny as you remember it. By the end, you are barely able to get the story out through your laughter, and finally, you finish, wipe your eyes, and notice that your audience is smiling politely at you, and then they laugh....a moment too late. They just didn't get the humor. I have an experience like that. I have told this story at least a dozen times, and each time I have barely been able to get the punchline out because I dissolve into helpless laughter at each attempt until finally, I force it out. The worst part is that your uncontrollable laughter has set up for your listeners the idea that you are about to tell them the joke of the century!!! They indulge your breathless tale (punctuated with your silent, shaking, laughing pauses) with huge, expectant grins. Then, inevitably, the end comes anticlimactically. But they force the chuckles out so as not to be rude, and in the end you are left with only the comfort of that hilarious memory. But, if this has happened to you, then that memory is usually so great that is definitely compensation.
And lastly before I start, I am sorry if it seems like I am laughing at this poor woman's plight, but I am most definitely NOT laughing at her, just everything else.
My story begins not so happily. Last year Cleve had a weird medical issue that precipitated a trip to the Emergency Room. As is the case in Emergency Rooms, we waited not a few hours to get seen, and then more hours for this,another couple hours for that, etc. Eventually it was decided to transfer him from Apple Valley to a Children's hospital in L.A., so thus began the wait for a superfluous ambulance to take him there. (Don't ask me why, I think HMOs have bizarre policies too) So, at the time of my story, Cleve and I had been waiting there in the Emergency room for 8 or so hours, and it was now 4:30 in the morning. I had not been asleep yet (And I am not an all nighter girl, heck, I am not even a 10 p.m-er!) and was also feeling the strain of being worried for so long. Maybe that's why this was so funny to me, who knows?
Cleve lay asleep on the bed in a semi-private exam room. I sat slumped in a chair next to him, worried, exhausted, and depressed at the knowledge that there was absolutely no foreseeable sleep in the near future. Suddenly a woman was wheeled into the room with her cowboy hatted husband walking beside her, and placed in the spot next to me. They drew the curtains around her for "privacy," but as we were the only people in the room,and the only other sound in the room was Cleve's soft breathing, I could hear every word that was spoken. Their 20 minute conversation with the doctor, though extremely far from being word for word, can be condensed down to going kind of like this.....
"Doctor, what is wrong with me?Is IT supposed to look like that?" (I put IT in capitals because for the duration of the conversation, whatever malady this lady was suffering was referred to as IT. I think she was talking about either a c-section incision, or the incision made for a hysterectomy, but I will never know for sure.)
Immediately I began to be slightly amused (curse me if you want, but I was EXTREMELY tired) at the contrast between the Dr. and the woman. She was verging on hysterical fear, judging by her voice, and the Dr. was absolutely, completely monotone voiced. It could have been a computer talking.
"When the stitches tear, IT does look like that. IT can appear scary, but IT will heal fine as long as you change IT'S bandages regularly,and keep IT from getting wet. We cant sew IT back up because of the risk of infection, so you will just have to take it easy until IT heals."

"But Dr. LOOK at IT! IT is really freaking me out!!! I don't want IT to stay like that! How will I change ITS bandages?"

This conversation went on for quite some time, with the same words from the two respective parties. Up until now, the husband had been completely silent, the conversation strictly between the Dr. and the woman. I couldn't get over how flat voiced and matter of fact this doctor sounded in the face of this poor woman's obvious emotional distress. Finally, he couldn't repeat himself another time, and announced he had to go, and left the room. Though I was dying of curiosity, (come on, you would have been too) I suspected, but never did find out exactly what IT was. But here comes the part of my story that gets me every time. It takes me approximately 4 attempts to tell this story before I can finally quell my laughter enough to do it. Thanks goodness I am typing this, or you'd never have the patience for the ending. I am laughing right now.
As I said, up until now, the husband had been completely quiet. The woman had a nice, unaccented, all American voice, even with the tinge of hysteria in it. When the Dr. left the room, the woman began telling her husband all the same things she had been telling the Dr. How IT was REALLY freaking her out, how scared she was, how she didn't know if everything was going to be OK, why did this have to happen to her, etc. I assumed that after the onslaught of insensitivity delivered by the Dr. she would get loving reassurance from her husband. After a few minutes of this, there was a pause, and the woman said,

"Honey, I don't know how I am going to do everything I have to do and follow the Dr's orders! You'll help me right? With the kids, and changing the bandages?"

And then the woman's incredibly sweet husband finally opened his mouth. In the THICKEST southern drawl I have EVER heard in my life, this hick, I mean sensitive soulmate, droned out slowly (and keep in mind he shouted the last word, shouted)

"Weeeeeell, I suuure wayeell heelp with arrr keeeiiids, and doooo sum of the cookin.....ayand I giss oll hayelp weeith them bandayges tooo...(I sure will help with our kids and do some of the cooking and I guess I'll help with them bandages too)...but I aint NIVER gonna look at IT because.... wayell.....That is GROSS!!!!!!"

This man shouted that last word out as loud as he could! And it did me in. I grabbed Cleve's pillow, buried my head in it, and laughed, and laughed, and laughed until I could laugh no more and had soaked the pillow with my tears.
So. Are you laughing? Or smiling, and chuckling politely? See, no matter how many times I tell that story, I remember it exactly in my head, and cannot help dying again and again with giggles. (Though I did,and still do feel bad for that poor woman) but no matter how hard I try I cannot seem to get how funny it was across! But tell me anyway,did you laugh? And if not, just think back to the story that you cannot express the humor enough of, but die laughing every time you remember it.
Ciao for now!!!
Melanie