For the fourth of July we took the kids on a plane (with a stop!) up to Wisconsin to spend some time with Lew's parents. The children were rock stars on the plane. It did mean that I had to hold separation anxious Chalupa for an entire day. Did I mention he weighs over 20lbs? My arms were exhausted and sore by the end of both travel days. It's very draining.
Chalupa slept on the plane (both ways) for at least the first leg. The last legs (after the stops) were shorter so it wasn't too bad.
Numero uno reason I nurse as long as I do ... it's a go to weapon for fussiness. You have to kind of finagle the timing so he'll eat but if you can work it so he's nursing on the way up, that with the jet noise usually lulls him peacefully to sleep. Then you get limp 22lbs of baby weight on you the whole trip. But at least then I could read. Lew is helpful on these trips becuase I'm super needy. I can't do much with sleepy kid on me. G watches or plays on the ipad. He is a gem.
Once at Gma's house there was sooo much to do. They live on a channel of McDill pond, so they have a pontoon boat, and they borrowed canoes and paddle boats. But the first day, being Independence Day, there was a parade.
G loved the water. And all the grass. And they have a four season room where the two dogs and the cat hang out. He quickly camped out there. He always wanted to be in there.
Grady and I on the canoe. He was all set to go alone with Daddy but I didn't like the idea of him at the front of the boat alone, with Dad all the way in the back. The pond is not terribly deep and he was always in a life vest. But I didn't like the idea. So I tagged along.
There were of course fireworks. I say of course. Really there was a question as to whether the kids would make it. They had been up till after 11 the night before, they'd both taken monster naps. Chalupa almost two hours in the morning and two again in the afternoon, and G slept almost four hours himself, 1:30-5. And at the dinner table, G was asking to go to bed. Actually said, "mama, the sun is going down. That means it's time for bed."
But we went for ice cream and went to see some nearby fireworks anyway.
The iphone actually did a pretty good job taking pics.
There was music and a river and we stood up against the rail of the bridge and we watched all the pretty fire works. G used his Buzz Lightyear laser to shoot them all down. Chalupa whined at first but then soon just watched the lights. He flinched at a few of the louder ones. I don't really tolerate fear much. I mean G is currently afraid of swimming pools and I'm not forcing that or anything - yet. So it's sort of ludicrous of me to say I don't "tolerate" something. But I do try to push them outside their comfort zones, like we all do. Chalupa was afraid of the car engine for a time. Had to fix that quick as G likes to stand outside and listen to his daddy rev the engine before he leaves for work.
The next day we kind of laid low. There had been a lot of activity the days before and Gma had to work anyway. We sat outside and had smores that night.
Saturday we went to the farmer's market and there was a fountain and G had a wonderful time.
There was much playing in the four season room.
And there was horse feeding and playing at the playground at the campsite where they keep the RV. They have a big shovel. G really liked that too. But this is the horse that bit G's foot. It ripped the seam right off his shoe. Thankfully his toes don't go all the way to the front and I'm pretty sure he curls his toes. His fourth toe did get scratched? and bled. It was very swollen the following day. But we made him extend and try to pick up something with his feet (Lew's idea) and he did it and was able to move it. It's sore to touch. And he asks for bandaids if you mention it.
He talked endlessly to the checkout clerk at the grocery store today about the airplanes and his trip to grandma's. Seriously. Probably five minutes. All about the dogs and the boats and the airplanes and going to Grammy's. He likes telling two stories specifically, one, the day we left Mavvy knocked him over and scratched his face and two, about the horse that bit his foot.
Comments