Pageants, soccer moms, and neck control

This was Jude once he got home from the hotel this weekend, he was SO happy to be at home on his blankie. He squealed for a really long time, I think he truly recognized that he was back home. So I had really been looking forward to going to the pageant we went to this weekend with Emily. Number 1, because she was so excited, and number 2 because it was a break away. Being away at a hotel seems to give me the right to say "I am busy", and I need to do that every now and then. It's a way to shut off from everything. Fortunately, the pageant went amazing, and I will get to that, but the hotel stay was horrid. Let's go down a list of issues right quick.

1. I had requested a wheelchair accessible room in my reservation. When we got there they had us in a regular room, but luckily they remedied that situation quickly. So I figured everything would be alright, I was wrong.

2. At two AM Jude threw up all over Mike's bed, so we called down to get new sheets sent up. It took forty minutes, and they only sent one blanket, no sheets. So I took the comforter off the bed Emily, and I were in to lay down for Mike.

3. The next night my Salmon was very undercooked at the resteraunt, I felt like I was eating sushi.

4. Jude was in my arms, and I was heading to my room when he started to have a seizure. The maid was in my room so the door was open, thank goodness. So I went to enter my doorway to set Jude down on the bed, and the Maid SHOO'D me out, and shut the door on me. She told me I had to get the key out of my pocket, and open the door. I understand this is for security purposes, but you really think someone is going to break into a room while their child is seizing in their arms.

5. Upon check out we had requested a bell hop to help us with our luggage since we had Jude. We were informed "there are not bell hops working on Sunday", which was very strange. Mike even indicated to her Jude's situation, but she still said no one was there. I PASSED a bell hop on my way down stairs, and at that point I was fuming mad. I felt like they discriminate against special needs.

I put a call into their corporate office today. The hotel also had several teams of girls that were in a soccer tournament staying this past weekend. Many of them were so nice, and came up to tell Emily how pretty she looked. Several moms inquired how they could put their daughters in a pageant, and several daughters begged their moms to put them in. Then there were the few who had to pass judgement simply because the word "pageant" was involved. One mom walked up to Emily and said "So do you REALLY like doing this". Emily looked at her like she was insane and said "Well yes, I really LOVE doing this". The mom replied "Well my daughter says she cannot even think of wearing a dress or make up" I laughed and said "Emily likes doing this I am just along for the ride because she loves it, oh and by the way she plays pitcher, and short stop in softball" The mom looked a bit stunned and said "Oh, well she is........ multi talented I guess". "Yes she is, a tom boy and a beauty queen" I said.

It's unfortunate but there are people that give pageants a bad name, but there are several good systems out there. Emily's goal is to eventually go into the Miss America system when she is a teenager. They have great scholarship programs for teens for college, and focus more on talent. Emily has learned poise, speech, and more from competing in pageants, and if I would let her do more she would. Although, it's time consuming, and can be costly so she is limited to a few. I guess you find the negative in every sport. Yes, they use make up but Emily does the natural side so it's just for stage lighting just like cheerleaders use. Anyway, I sat back and wondered what that mother would have said if she was witnessing a full on glitz pageant with fake everything everywhere, she probably would have passed out.

So the pageant itself was wonderful, and Emily had a great time. She won overall natural photo, overall best smile, and the 9 and up mini supreme. She was also in the top 15, and she won interview, photo, and most beautiful in her age group. Here is Emily in her "fashion wear". She was suppose to wear something you would see in a magazine.





I thought she looked precious, and what a great job her friend Dane did on her hair! Anyway, when we first got to the pageant we surveyed our room, and I laughed at the baby bed they gave us. It seems Jude did not fit.





So Jude wound up sleeping with Emily, and I for a bit until he woke up continuously, and then he moved in the Mike. That's when said throw up accident happened. Jude's teeth were hurting so Mike was trying to sneak some Motrin into his bottle. Jude was grinding his teeth so hard he would make his gums bleed. Jude hates Motrin so he thought he would disguise the taste with formula. The taste was NOT disguised because Jude threw a fit until he threw up everywhere!





While we were waiting on events, Jude worked on his head control. He was there to cheer on sissy tho when she went down to compete. He is getting so much better at holding up his heads, and moving around. I am so proud of him!!





When I snapped the below picture, I said "Emily I think you should go on stage like this" she cracked up! To me she is so beautiful no matter what!!



So I am happy to say that Emily's Smile Boxes sent out 50 official Emily's Smile Box build a bears to a children's hospital in San Diego, one in Chicago, and one in Arkansas. I am so proud.......Emily is branching nationwide. Her goal of reaching every children's hospital in the nation is becoming more attainable.