The Big Easy - Days 2 & 3

Saturday was the wedding, but not until the evening, so we had all day to enjoy breakfast beignets, Jackson Square pigeons, crawfish tails & Bourbon Street! So that is exactly what we did. Emma loved chasing the pigeons until they would try and fly off. It was perfect weather and Georgia slept the whole time, peacefully in the Snugli. We ate lunch at a yummy place by the square and walked along the Mississippi River. I think I would love to live in a place where you could actually walk around to different shops, restaurants, etc. It seems like it would be so much fun. Emma is always in a good mood outside.
Anyways, we head to Bourbon Street after our nap. Trying to find a place that 1. had music, 2. allowed children, 3. had football on tv, & 4. had food, but not in that particular order. We didn't quite succeed. We found all but #1, but luckily there was the next door club that was blaring the music. Emma was too intrigued and would take her snacks outside and try and escape to the dance club! This girl loves music and loves to dance.

It was hilarious. People would hand her beads and clap for her while she danced. She would just eat and bob her little head, squatting on occasion. People were also taking pictures of her, so if you see her on some weird website, my bad.. I felt kindof weird about this, but didn't really know what to do- it wasn't like she was topless.. Daniel was hilarious too, he was not really liking her popularity with the beads on Bourbon Street at such a young age!
So I was inside the place with Daniel and Georgia, and Emma and my dad were outside on the street. A waitress came up to me (kindof panicked) and asked if my little girl was wearing a blue polka dot outfit, I said yes. She said, "Well, she fell down on the street." My heart skipped a beat.. I was imagining her head split open and blood everywhere. She proceeded to tell me that she spilt her food and that she was trying to pick it up and eat it and that "the man with her was letting her eat it". She was so frantic about me not letting her eat the food because of how dirty it must be. It really annoyed me, because I was thinking the worse, but she was fine, as long as we let her save some of her snacks! ;)
We ended up watching the Bama game at the bar and we got so into it, that we didn't realize how quickly the wedding was approaching. We left the bar at 5:45 and the wedding started at 6:30. So we rushed to the room, changed clothes, no showers, and got everyone dressed, barely!! The wedding itself was beautiful, in the courtyard of the Royal Sonesta, where we were staying. It was lit by candlelight. Emma was not happy during the ceremony and Georgia was not far behind, so I failed to get any pics of the area.

The reception was nice, with great food and drinks, and dancing, too!! Emma had a blast eating and dancing. Georgia slept in the Snugli the whole time. I know I was pitiful to wear the Snugli over my dress, but it kept her quiet and happy, and that wins over appearance in my life, at least for now!! Listi girls

The bride and groom, who now live an hour from us in MS, left in a carriage. Emma, Georgia & I missed that. We wanted to go out again, but Georgia wouldn't cooperate, so we got another decent night of sleep.
On Sunday, we had to pack.. we had so much crap.. I hate it!!
We did have a great brunch with the wedding party and then we ventured off to Jackson Square again. We decided to do a horse drawn carriage tour around town. It was suprisingly interesting and fun. Initially, we did it just because Emma would love it, but the history and stories were neat. I would love to do that one night, with a bottle of wine and no kids!! Daniel and I will be going back one day, without our babies!!our carriage ride
Jackson Square
It was a wonderful weekend, eventhough we never got to try a Pimm's cup (supposedly the oldest drink in America) or venture out on the streets at night.

The Big Easy - Day 1

We survived our weekend in New Orleans with the 2 girls. It was a lot of fun, not so much like a vacation, but a nice diversion from being home!
It all started on Thursday early morning, around 5 a.m. Georgia was ready to eat, so I fed her and at 6 woke my dad up so we could get ready to leave asap.
We got the girls in the car at 7:15. They did fairly well, Georgia sleeping and Emma watching her video. It got a little wild with 2 feedings, but luckily my dad was there to take care of Emma.. she was barefoot and running through restaurants.. gross.. but hey, I don't think I could have done it myself. I will probably not be traveling as much by myself..how would I go to the restroom??..hopefully we will get back to Texas soon with a shorter drive!
We arrived at the Royal Sonesta on Bourbon Street around 4. The rehearsal dinner was to begin at 7. It was a Galatoire's, an extremely fancy place. No high chairs, gorgeous dinner settings, wine glasses, no lids for their glasses.. you get the picture! Emma was wild! She did fairly well, considering she was sitting at the table like a grown up!
Just minutes after we arrive at the restaurant, I see Emma wandering and can smell her! Yes, she has a dirty diaper. Nice timing. So we head to the ladies' room. Not a lot of options here. I lay her on the ground of a stall and change her diaper. I kindof cringed, but hey, it was a NICE restaurant, the floor had to be fairly clean. It couldn't have been a solid, easy diaper, but a 5 wipe one. That just made me laugh, one of those laughs to keep you from doing something else, like scream or cry. dancing with the band

Georgia was doing great.. sleeping as usual! Well, finally she woke up, really hungry. So I do the only thing I can and head to the bathroom to feed her. I enter a different stall and start breastfeeding. She is eating well, quiet as a mouse. Well, when she eats she usually wakes up and poops. She is not quiet while doing this.. It is loud and sounds like a machine gun.. so all the ladies in the restroom at that time probably were thinking I was having major problems and not feeling well.. not knowing a baby was in there with me. Another laughing moment! I was in there for about 45 minutes. Daniel was texting me getting worried and Emma was going out of control and ready for bed at this point!
We had to duck out during one of the speeches, but we did get dessert- banana bread pudding, although I missed most of the main course!
We never made it out that night..my dad was going to watch the girls for us, but Georgia would never go to sleep, so we ended our night relatively early, but it was much needed!!Jackson Square

Grandparents are Grand!!

Sam & Juliette with Georgia...they brought us dinner that night and were there the whole weekend she was born! Thank you for being wonderful grandparents to Emma and Georgia!
Sid & Vicki with Emma and Georgia...they kept up with Emma while we were in the hospital and let us take over their bedroom and home for the past month+. Thank you for being wonderful grandparents to the girls!!
Pawpaw braved both girls last night so that I could have 1 last girls night out!! I left him 2 girls with pacifiers and one crying and the other whining. Emma doesn't take a pacifier, never has..Thank you for loving them so much; I see how much they love you back!!
Grandma Gee & Georgia..she babysat multiple times and loves to hold her girls!! Thank you and Thomas for being wonderful grandparents!!

Daddy

Daddy & his girls!!
Snugli time!!
Sleeping time!!

Thank you Daniel, for taking off so much time from work to be here with us. You were wonderful in the days before Georgia was born, taking Emma swimming and buying us icecream, and putting up with my craziness!!
You were even more wonderful after Georgia was born, making Emma yummy breakfasts with homemade pancakes and egg sandwiches, holding Georgia when I needed a break and giving in to eating Mexican food whenever I wanted!
We love you so much and appreciate you more than you know! You are so sweet and eventhough you complained that "Georgia sure does eat loud" (in the middle of the night,)we are glad you got to go home for a few days and hunt!! Kill a big one for us! Before you know it, Emma & Georgia will be tagging along hunting with you!