Road Trippin to Nashville

Who says you can't go home again??  Nashville will always hold a special place for both Hunt and I, and it was delightful to have a few concurrent excuses to make a little weekend road trip back down there.  Spring was in full bloom so it was incredibly beautiful.  I had the opportunity to give a Trauma lecture for the NP students at Vanderbilt, and it happened to be the same weekend as Harrison's 3rd bday, so we turned it into a family weekend.  The cousins were enamored with each other- you could really tell now that Harrison and HG are only about 6 months apart, and they were super cute playing together.

Nothing like an iPad and some toddler puzzles to draw the kids into one place.. 

On Saturday, the kids got to go to Cheekwood Gardens to see trains and the amazing tulips while I was giving my lecture.  Looked like a super fun morning!

Little twirl

Love the tutu wearing girl digging in the mulch and dirt

Toddler tickle time

On Saturday evening, we went out for an early outside dinner for Harrison's birthday.  It was the perfect excuse to pull out this adorable dress that Sue got for HG when we went down to Bloomington!

When in Nashville, a girl must always wear her boots.

Couldn't resist some legs shots with twinsie boots.

Not the most flattering chin shot, but still sweet.

A few family shots on Sunday prior to our departure.. Not a small feat to get all the little people looking at once and smiling.. hence the second shot where it all starts to fall apart with general squirming and fussing, and HG getting a good sniff of her flower.

A Decade

It's been TEN years!!  Sometimes it feels like just yesterday that Hunt and I were standing on that beautiful grassy area overlooking the Atlantic as we said our vows.. And sometimes it truly feels like several lifetimes ago.  I think that it is entirely safe to say that I really had no idea what lay ahead for us or honestly what it means to be a married couple, and the twists and turns and ups and downs over the last ten years have definitely been somewhat of a crazy ride.  Despite all the bumps along the way, though, our little family is still together and we are blessed in so many large and small ways.

Mommy Squeaky Day Off

Harps and I had a super fun day off together yesterday.. We woke up to a huge rain and thunderstorm, and much to my delight got to spend several hours in bed together watching Frozen (the current household favorite.. "I want to see the ice".. "I want to sing the snowman song".. "Where's Elsa?".. etc). We may have had juice and breakfast pastry in bed, followed eventually by some popcorn, and Winnie may have enjoyed some as well.  In the softest of little voices, she will sing along with the movie which is beyond adorable.

This is her "pony" which is a little tricky to do with that super fine hair of hers.. But she gets super excited about it

Eventually we motivated into some actual clothes to head out for a Target run.. "Mouse" got to join us for the ride.  Well accessorized to run some errands for sure.

And then we spent some time checking out the worms, post rain, which were totally slimy and gross but it felt like the right thing to point them out for the inquisitive toddler.

And then it was off to see Dr. Martinson.. HG did amazingly well with her exam, and Dr. Martinson was really good with her, giving "Mouse" a thorough evaluation as well which seemed to assuage the usual fussiness.  The doctors office also has Frozen stickers, so much excitement and pleasure for that to complete the visit.  HG is getting big and tall!! 34 pounds and 36 inches!  We reviewed her milestones, and she is doing exceptionally well.. She can pick out most letters and can pretty much spell her name, as well as pick out words that start with various letters, etc. so that little brain of hers is a sponge.

Diapies nakies, but still well accessorized for the visit.  She told Dr. Martinson about her bracelet from Daddy in Africa which was very cute.  All agree that the little nugget is quite verbose for her age!

We came home for some outside stroller time and to get Mommy/Baba some exercise.  She has been asking for sunglasses- specifically Care Bear ones.  These proved difficult to find, so Mommy ordered some Tinkerbell ones and told her that she was Care Bear's friend.  I am so thankful to have a nice stroller to exercise with, and a toddler that with enough snacks and entertainment, will still tolerate being in it!

All in all, just a really awesome day!!

Criss Cross Applesauce

Toddlers are pretty funny little people I am learning.  Everyone talks about how challenging they can be, in fact one reference to three year olds as being "assholes" actually had me laughing out loud recently.  And it is definitely true that there can be some toddler moments that literally make me want to beat my head against the wall.. But some of the stuff she says lately just cracks me up and must be documented.  If only I could have it all recorded in her voice, though, since that is honestly mostly what really makes it all so funny.

HG- "Sit. Sit on da floor. I want to do mermaid matching game in da playroom."
Me- "Ok."  As I sort of sprawl out on the floor..
HG-  In the most emphatic of tones- "NO. SIT LEGS CROSS APPLESAUCE HANDS IN YOUR LAP."
Me-  Laughing out loud.

I must keep writing these little gems down.  So glad she is learning some good stuff at school everyday!

Gammy Susie Comes to Town

These are just a handful of shots that I was able to catch with our real camera from the visit.. We had lots of other cute and fun moments.. playing candyland, reading at the library, brunching and lunching, and a day down in Bloomington at the science museum and shopping.  It was a super busy few days that helped pass the time for both the toddler and I, especially over the weekend which can seem to drag on a bit when I am doing the single parent thing.  HG is obsessed with Gammy which is absolutely precious to see, and it just warms my heart that she gets to experience that special relationship that is so uniquely pure and wholesome as she grows up.

I love this one of their two hands side by side

Ladies Night

When Hunt and I picked our house location, I had no idea that we would get so lucky to be surrounded by such fun and friendly neighbors.  It is definitely an assortment of women from varying backgrounds and with different views on parenting, working, etc but it has served to be a fantastic social outlet for me which I am very thankful for.  There are some 40th birthdays this spring- the first of which was Bo's this month, so plans were concocted to do a surprise ladies night out for her.  It happened to coincide with Sue being able to babysit while she was here and a nice lighthearted night out amidst a long stretch with Hunt gone.  We almost always seem to do stuff with all the families together and lots of kids to keep up with, so it was really fun for everyone to have the night off, eat some sushi, and stay up waaay past what should be my bedtime.