Our trip to the Adirondack Mountains 🏔️

On October 28, 2019October 28, 2019 By ourprecioustravelsIn family, family travel, travelLeave a comment

We’ve been waiting to go on this trip for so long. We LOVE nature, mountains, and anything that offers a gorgeous view and an opportunity to explore. Being pregnant, we had to hold off on our adventures for a little bit. But now that our sweet boy is here, we planned this mini getaway in a day and a half, and we are so glad we did!

We left on Saturday night (10/19/2019). Packed our bags that day, waited for Zack’s sister to come over so that she could take our fur baby Bear while we were gone, fed Rylan his baba, changed his diaper, and headed for the road at 9pm. The drive was about 6 1/2 hours one way, and traveling at night time isn’t the most exciting thing but we really wanted to catch the sunset at the top of White Face Mountain.

If you’re unaware of White Face Mountain, it’s the only mountain in the Adirondacks that you could practically drive all the way up too… once you get to the top, there’s a small spot where visitors can park their cars and walk the rest of the way if they desire… If you choose to stay where you parked your car, you’ll still have a beautiful view, but there are some stairs that take you to the very top!

When we finally arrived, we drove halfway up the mountain. What we saw next made us a teencey bit upset.

The first thing we noticed was a sign stating that the mountain is closed until mid May. About 40 feet away we see that the entrance to keep going is totally blocked off. This was not mentioned on the website so we were at a total loss for words. Not only that, but we had no signal at all to find a different “possible” way up. The only thing we could literally do was drive back down the mountain, find the nearest town so that we could get some sort of reception.

We found a town, parked at a tiny hotel and talked about what to do next. We couldn’t check in to our Airbnb until 3pm, every little breakfast diner we passed was closed, we couldn’t go up the mountain, the sun was starting to rise. We were absolutely exhausted, disappointed, starving, and unsure of what to do.

The hotels parking lot we were sitting at overlooked White Face Mountain. The sun was starting to rise, and it turned out to be the most breathtaking view. My husband Zack, being the passionate photographer that he is, didn’t waste any time at all. He pulled out his camera gear and immediately started shooting.

After 30 minutes of taking pictures, we drove into the town to finally get some food. We stopped at a diner called the Downhill Diner. The food was delicious, affordable, and very filling. And the staff was very sweet! They were really helpful with directions, locations, and great places to check out while in town.

Back on the road, and we fell in love with the area!! It was gorgeous everywhere our eyes looked. Zack is on a mission to “chase fall”. The Adirondacks was a couple days past peek when we visited but still the pictures he captured were so beautiful. Here’s a few 🍁🍂

We got really lucky too. It turned out to be a beautiful fall day. On the warmer side even. Perfect for the babies to enjoy! These pictures might make it look freezing out lol, but it was one of those perfect days you didn’t want to be inside…

Finally 2pm rolled around the corner, and we received a message from our Airbnb host saying that the cleaning crew has left because a family was there the night before us, and that we are more than welcome to come and get settled if we’d like.

So, that’s exactly what we did. We drove to our cabin, got settled, fed Mr. Rylan, and discussed dinner because after all of the exploring so far, we were hungry again… Lol

After dinner, we explored a bit more around the town before it got dark, and a bit colder and then headed back to our cabin to relax. The kids were sleeping almost right away. Gracie fell asleep on the couch watching TV, and Rylan fell asleep mid bottle 🍼😂

We took our babies to bed, and Zack and I relaxed for a bit in the kitchen. Zack was determined to see that sunrise from White Face Mountain. He talked about it all day. The only thing holding him back was fear of walking up a dark mountain in the middle of the night, and in the freezing cold, alone. I couldn’t bring the babies obviously, but I did my best to reassure him that if he does decide to go, he’ll be okay no matter what. He’s strong, he’s brave, he’s determined. He’s got this!

Not too long after, we went to sleep. Zack set an alarm for 4am, unsure of how long the walk will take him. From our cabin to the mid way point of the mountain where it was cut off, it took 15 minutes drive time. I can’t speak for Zack, or how he felt that night. But I do know that when he left, it was below freezing outside. The ground was covered in frost, you could see your breath, and IT WAS DARK!!!

He did have a very bright flash light, a head light, water, his insulin and test kit, snacks for lows, warm clothing, etc. But I don’t think he was prepared for just how long the walk ahead was… The road he took all the way up was covered in steep snow. When he finally reached the top, he said it was about 7:10am. It took close to three hours traveling on feet in the freezing cold, and dark one way. And this is what he sends me via text…

But he caught some truly amazing pictures. Take a look

Rylan’s Birth Story 💙

On October 19, 2019October 19, 2019 By ourprecioustravelsIn birth story, family, family travel, parenting, pregnancy, travel6 Comments

September 26th, 2019 was our official induction date. We were supposed to arrive at the hospital at 7pm, and call one hour early just to be sure our room was ready for us. Zack, Gracie and I wanted to make our last week as a family of three extra special. Visiting our local pumpkin farm, having Gracie pick out a special toy of her choice (she picked a glittery Unicron beanie baby in case you were wondering 🌟✨🦄), and on our last day we had a delicious family dinner date.

After dinner we took our baby to Grandma’s house, gave her lots of hugs and kisses and promised that the next time she sees mommy and daddy, baby brother wll be here ♥️

After daddy and I dropped off miss Gracie, we headed home to grab our hospital bag, take a shower, give our fur babies some love and be on our way. Baby time here we come! 🤗

We checked in to the hospital at 7pm. They walked us to our room (room 8 – alllllll the way at the very end of the hall), and we anxiously awaited for the induction process to start.

At about 9pm we were given cervidull to help ripen and open the cervix because we were not dilating what’s so ever! Doctors advised us that the cervidull is supposed to stay in for 12 hours and that by morning time, we might reach 1, maybe 2cm in dilation. But oh my gosh were they so wrong…. Midnight rolled around the corner, and I was in an IMMENSE amount of pain. The contractions were so intense… When the doctor checked to see if the cervidull has been doing more than just making me contract (i.e – dilate), they discovered that I went from 0 to 4cm in just 3 short hours. They decided to pull the cervidull out early, start the pitocin and let nature take its course. Once the cervidull was out, I felt intense contractions, but nothing like they were… Thank goodness for Zack bringing me huge cups of ice chips and popsicles when needed 😄😄

After a few hours, the doctor came to check on our progress again. We were still at 4cm dilated, and the cervix was still very high.

A couple more hours pass and still the same news… So, I requested a membrane sweep in hopes that that might keep things moving along…

With Gracie I was absolutely TERRIFIED of the epidural… and once the epidural was given to me, it made me feel uncontrollably cold and so so tired. I must have had at least eight hospital blankets on me and I was still shivering. My eyes were so heavy, I couldn’t keep them open for more than a few seconds. With Rylan however, the epidural seemed to be so much more intense. I was still VERY cold… I must’ve had at least 10+ heated blankets on me and I was still shaking and shivering uncontrollably. I was also very tired. But once the tiredness wore off a little, it became really difficult for me to breathe. My chest and heart felt heavy and I felt like I was going to die very literally… It felt as if I was being suffocated and couldn’t get the oxygen I needed. I felt like was I was going to throw up but nothing would come up because I didn’t have any food in my system for 6+ hours. My blood pressure dropped so low the nurses and doctors became concerned. They decided to end the epidural.

At about 1:20pm I felt an enormous amount of pressure “down there”. A nurse was standing beside me and Zack. Both of them telling me to breathe. I remember the nurse saying “if you feel like it’s time, let me know”. About two or so minutes later, I felt like his head was RIGHT THERE lol. I screamed IT’S TIME! Zack ran to grab the first nurse he saw – not even 30 seconds later, Zack plus about six other nurses and the doctor came RUNNING IN. The doctor took a peek and then said, “Okay, get ready to push”. The lights went dim, I felt EVERY SINGLE THING, but when I was asked if I’d like to feel the head, I couldn’t say yes fast enough lol. Feeling his little peach fuzz gave me so much motivation. Not even 15 minutes into pushing, and Rylan Emerson Mikolajczak was brought into this world on September 27th, 2019 at 1:41pm. He weighed 6lbs, 12oz and measured 20 1/2 inches long. Born with beautiful grayish, brownish eyes and a head full of brown peach fuzz. He’s the sweetest little thing.

Gracie is the most amazing big sissy too. It’s so beautiful watching her transition into big sister. She’s so gentle, loving, helpful, and our hearts are so beyond the word full to be a family of four ♥️💕

We love you so very much sweet boy. So happy to finally carry you in our arms and have you home ♥️♥️♥️

Thank you so much for stopping by.

P.S – Posting Rylan’s Birth Vlog down below. Feel free to check it out 🙂

Until next time…

Jess, Zack, Gracie, Rylan and 3 fur babies

Gracie’s Birth Story ♥️

On September 21, 2019October 19, 2019 By ourprecioustravelsIn family, family travel, travelLeave a comment

In April of 2015, Zack and I found out we were going to be parents. It was a butterflies in your tummy feeling to say the least, but we were SO HAPPY you guys. We cried happy tears, could not stop smiling, and wanted to tell the world that very instant.

For days prior to finding out, I remember throwing up non stop. But, to be totally honest I thought it was just a stomach bug. It was going around at the time, especially with the seasons changing, I didn’t think too much of it. I’m not sure what told me to take a pregnancy test, but I did. The very first test I took came out positive. I took 5 (yes, you totally read that right)… 5 more tests following the first all to confirm I was in fact pregnant. Zack wanted to come to the pregnancy confirmation appointment I had scheduled with my doctor and sure enough our first sonogram appointment was underway to see our little peanut.

I remember friends, family, and even Zack swearing it was a boy. But, I knew from day one it was a baby girl. I had this feeling I couldn’t shake. “Mom instinct” I guess. At our 21 week appointment, it was confirmed – IT’S A GIRL!!!

I felt nausea every single day I was pregnant with her. But that didn’t stop me from wanting to shop for her all of the time. Lol. We decorated her nursery pretty early too. Her “theme” was pink and gray elephants. Passing that room, we’ve been guilty to stop, soak in the surreal feeling of being soon to be parents, and thinking “We are so ready to meet you baby girl” one too many times.

Our baby shower was beautiful, and we couldn’t be more grateful for all of those who showed up that day We felt so much love, and all of the baby blankets, clothes, diapers, and stuffed elephants had us in total awe!

We were 1cm dilated at our 36 week checkup. By week 38 + 4 days, at 2am I got up to go pee. When it seemed like my “pee” was done, I stood up, walked back to bed, only to feel a huge gush run down my leg. I woke Zack up as I was standing in a puddle of my own broken water… lol and we called my doctors office immediately. We didn’t feel any pain at all. So, we were told to walk back and forth in our house at a fast pace until we feel some sort of contractions going on. Well, we never felr any. We had a trail leading from our kitchen to the living room that I don’t think we’ll ever forget… At about 5am, we called our doctors office again and said “we’ve been walking back and forth non stop at a really fast pace. Still no contractions but still leaking amniotic fluids.

We were told to come in…

I remember the nurse saying “you guys are really happy to be having a baby soon”. We came into the room singing and dancing you guys. We were BEYOND excited, and still in no pain at all. They started giving us pitocin right away. I walked around our room, i remember squatting through some minor contractions. But nothing hit me harder until once offered the exercise ball. All of the pain I was long overdue to feel, once I started bouncing on that just a few times, PAIN like I never felt INSTANTLY took place. It was so intense, I screamed as each new contraction begun.

I was terrified of the epidural. Something about a needle going into my spine didn’t sit well with me. So, I really tried to fight it as long as possible. Zack was the best support system. Even during the intense pain I felt, I continued to walk back and forth around my room. As each new contraction begun, I give him so much credit because I probably made his hands black and blue with how hard I squeezed. He reminded me to breath because at that moment I absolutely forgot how too, and he kept me calm. There was a point where the pain became too much, and the nurses, and Zack could tell I needed the epidural. Knowing Zack couldn’t be in the room while the epidural was performed made me all the more scared. But the nurse that was there with me was the sweetest. And I knew Zack was just outside of that room door waiting for the okay to come back in.

Once the epidural set in, I remember being extremely cold. I had AT LEAST 8 hospital blankets on me and I was still shaking like crazy… I also remember being REALLY tired. It was a challenge to keep my eyes open for longer than 5 minutes. When the nurses would wake me up, and tell me to turn, my body felt like a semi truck. It was so heavy. Just the amount of effort it took to move only made me that much more tired.

Then I remember feeling this huge sensation of pain. It felt as if she was going to come that very second I woke up from a DEEP sleep crying. Zack tried to page the nurses and no one responded. So he ran out into the hallway, grabbed the first person he saw, and ran back to me. One of the nurses said “you’re crowning. Get ready mama. It’s time to push”. Those intense contractions I felt prior to the epidural, I felt all over again. But the excitement of meeting our baby girl, plus Zack being my breathing coach (literally) lol, time seemed to fly by. After an hour of pushing and 19 1/2 total hours in labor, Gracie Elizabeth Mikolajczak was born on Wednesday December 16th, 2015 at 8:28pm. She weighed 6lbs 8oz with the biggest blue eyes and not a single strand of hair on her head lol.

We’ll be sure to update you on Rylan’s birth story once he arrives 💙🤰

Until next time…

XOXOXO

Jess, Zack, Gracie and Rylan

Pregnancy Update 🤰💙

On September 19, 2019September 19, 2019 By ourprecioustravelsIn family, family travel, travelLeave a comment

It’s been so long since we last updated our travel blog, and there’s good reason for that – we promise! 😅 We’re still supr pregnant and taking things a bit slow. This pregnancy has been one complication after the next, and we’re so close to the end. If you guys could imagine, we’re getting so anxious to meet our little man.

Gracie and Rylan will be sharing a room together. Zack and I laugh because of the thought of pink and gray elephants, mixed with green, blue and red dinosaurs, but Gracie is all about it 🦕🐘

His crib is all set up and waiting for him, car seat is installed, all of his baby clothes, blankets, special dinosaur blankie, burp clothes, bibs, bath towels, hats, little socks, EVERYTHING – is washed. Hospital bag packed. We. Are. Ready. Needless to say.

All except… He is way to snug in mommy’s tummy. I don’t think he has any plans of coming out all on his own. We’ve had a lot of sonograms this pregnancy – way more then we ever did with Gracie – because they are concerned that he is measuring small. Our last sonogram he weighed 5lbs, 11oz. We’re 38 weeks pregnant as of today (09/19/2019), and I am honestly not too concerned. Gracie broke my water at 38 1/2 weeks and when she was born she weighed 6lbs, 8oz. I think genetically I’m not meant to carry 9lb babies, which… If I’m being honest is okay with me 😅

We eat like crazy. Trust me, this little boy has an appetite, so I’m not in the slightest bit worried. But, due to his “small growth”, they want to induce us at 39 weeks. We’re praying all goes well. We’re not dilating, or effaced. NOTHING is happening leading us to believe he may come sooner, but Zack is confident my water will break again, naturally on Tuesday sometime – two days before our induction day. I would be totally okay with that if that were the case, but I don’t see it happening. This little boy is stubborn you guys 🙆

We are thrilled to meet our baby boy so soon though, and we cannot wait to begin our travel adventures again. For now though, we’re enjoying the very little time we do have left as a family of three before we become a family of four 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 plus 3 fur babies 🐕🐈🐈

We are going to make a blog post on Gracie’s birth story. And when baby brother arrives, we’ll make one for his as well, so stay tuned! ♥️

In the meantime, enjoy these cute pictures of our most recent family fun day enjoying fall festivities, feeding a camel, face painting, pumpkin picking, and enjoying a delicious dinner date 😋