Summer Vacation

Warning: This is a long one...

Alden and Daddy took a mini-trip to Mr. Rodney's farm. As soon as we told Alden that he was going to get to go to a farm, he took off running to the door telling us he would go to the farm "right now" which is his new favorite phrase.

If Alden could live on a farm, he would. A giant field to run and animals everywhere. If there was a train there it would be his perfect world.

As if the horse rides, and the cat chasing, and the goats were not enough fun for one afternoon, Mr. Rodney let Alden loose in the blueberry bushes. Unfortunately, although Alden helped pick blueberries all afternoon, no one brought any home for Mommy. It seems that a little two year old ate every single one he picked!

Alden was able to spend the day with Taylor and Annie Kate Parks. He had a blast with his new playmates and learned a little bit about what it might be like to have two older sisters. Two older sisters that liked to play with hair. He came back home with a very different hairstyle that the one he left with that morning.

The farm was not the only road trip Alden went on this summer. We took a very, very long drive up to North Carolina for Uncle Tommy and Aunt Nicole's wedding. We armed Alden with Woofie Dog Dog and his new portable DVD player. If you mapquest the drive, I guarantee it does not take the 13 hours it took our family of four to arrive at our hotel. Not one of those 13 hours included a sleeping two year old. We did have a car sick and teething and constantly hungry Baby Spencer along with a brother who was sick and tired of the car sick and teething and constantly hungry little brother. The best thing we could do was break up the trip a little. First stop, Chattanooga Aquarium.

We decided that strolling Alden around in a stroller would not let off some of that car seat energy that needed to be let out for the second leg of the journey. So, we hitched him up to the monkey backpack. I truly think that keeping your child on a leash is the dorkiest invention on earth...and was fabulously brilliant for Alden. He thought the monkey was very cool, and it was the only way we did not have to literally run through the aquarium to keep up with him. Practicality over style: This is just one step closer to admitting we need to buy a mini van.

Petting the sting rays.

Alden got to see a real Macaroni Penguin for the first time and learn they are not just a creation of Eric Carle. Baby Spencer was packed up in the Baby Bjorn and apparently disliked the penguins as much as the car ride. Spencer was not the one we were worried about being happy on this trip!

Inside the tank with the starfish and the crabs.

What would a visit anywhere be without a trip to the gift shop? The Tennessee Aquarium people are very clever and make the gift shop serve as the exit of the Aquarium. Since there is a salt water and fresh water Aquarium, that is two gift shop visits. Alden is very good about looking, playing, and leaving. He usually does not ask to get gift shop items. However, we have never left the local Target without a "treat." Go figure.

Believe it or not, this was Alden's first ride on an escalator. He just got on and off like he does it everyday. We are always amazed at the things that do and don't amaze him.

After the Aquarium, we wondered down the street until we found a great place to have lunch. Alden had a strawberry lemonade and cheese pizza which was pure heaven to him. We had a relatively peaceful drive to Johnson City because Baby Spencer slept and Mommy slept...but NOT Alden. There is one great thing about travel. If you don't know where to eat, it is a pretty sure bet that you can find a Cracker Barrell somewhere and that is what our navigation system did for us. God himself invented the navigation system in my car! This was one of many times it saved me on this trip. We checked out the nearest Cracker Barrell for stop number 2 on the trip for several reasons: First, blueberry pancakes and sausage are a sure bet with Alden. Second, Daddy decided that the good ole country store would be a great place for Alden to burn off some steam. Third, it was the kind of place I could nurse a baby in a restaurant and not cause too much of a scene.

So, after 13 hours we finally arrived in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Theoretically, since we were already all in pajamas, and it was way past our bed time, we would crash! Even after the whole family sang songs to Baby Spencer all the way up the mountain (with Mommy squished in between two car seats), and Mommy rocked him to sleep in 60 degree weather on the porch under the big dipper, and we had let Alden have a trial run on his new travel air mattress, the day did not end in slumber. Alden was up running around way past midnight and Baby Spencer slept all of one hour in his pack n' play before alternating the rest of the night in bed with us and on the sofa with Mommy. A big old mess!

The next morning, we took Alden to Tweetsie Railroad Museum and Amusement park. Oh my gosh! This was the best thing that has ever happened to him! Every night and every morning after we went he would say good morning and good night to Tweetsie. With Alden, we knew that the first thing we had to do was take a the train ride. This was also special because this is where Daddy and Uncle Tommy used to go when they were little and came to the Mountain House.

So, we didn't really do our research. We didn't realize that it was a Cowboy and Indian show ride. You stopped several times for this continuing narrative of Cowboy Train Robbers who end up being stopped by the Sheriff and the Indians. What happens is that the kids on the train all had cap guns and would join in the shooting of the Cowboys. SO LOUD! I would not have taken Spencer on this trip if I had known this, but fortunately, he is used to noise I guess because he slept the whole time! How, I will never know. Alden loved the Indians because they rode a horse. He didn't care that the Cowboys or kids were shooting, but five days later, he is still telling us about the scary man that pretended to be a tree and fell down. The whole fight thing happens and he is freaked out by a man holding two tree branches! Don't get a toddler's mind.

Alden and Daddy on the chair lift to the top section of the park. According to Daddy, we are lucky Alden did not leap out of the chair. After the chair lift, Daddy pretty much was terrified to take him on the Ferris Wheel.

Okay, on this trip, Alden discovered coin rides. You know, the ones that cost a quarter at Wal-Mart? Look at this. We spend all this money on a trip, and we could have taken him to the outlet mall for the day! He loved riding the little train so much that when I ran out of quarters other people started donating money! I am not kidding!

Alden on the Mouse Mine Train. You went in a dark tunnel where you stopped and had a puppet show where they play music and plastic mice and cheese spin around for a few minutes. From that ride, he tells me that it was the mice and the scary bug (a dragonfly that flew over the spinning animals). He so tried to get out of the ride to jump up and get the scary bug!

Oh my, the Deer Park...a petting zoo. Joey told Alden that this llama was Captain's cousin (from the zoo here). So, Alden really thinks that this is Captain's cousin! His father is so mean.

Feeding the deer and goats ice cream cones filled with deer food.

I have never seen baby pigs before. These were the cutest things ever. I may never eat a pork chop again.

Ahh! Thomas the Train follows us everywhere! I wish I had kept count of how many Thomas the Train tables we have had to endure from shoe stores to travel. Yes, can't pass up a ride on the Merry-Go-Round. Look how excited my little baby is looking up at Mommy. Very few people will ever look at you like that. Baby Spencer was sound asleep. Turns out he HATES the Baby Bjorn! I had loaned it out to Baby Sara and just been using the K'Tan carrier since his birth. Remember the fussing at the aquarium? Bjorn. Once he got back in his K'Tan, slept the entire three hours we were at the park. Go figure.

Are you worn out yet? I was. But the weekend was not over yet. There was still the main event of Uncle Tommy and Aunt Nicole's wedding. The boys and I were sent to the hotel to wait out the ceremony, and only all narrowly survived the five hours alone in one room with no naps. Seriously, narrowly survived. A few of the lighter moments included learning why we have our TV bolted high up on the wall in our home. Alden not only stuck multiple things into the DVD and VCR placed at this level, but unhooked them from the TV continuously and found it great fun to turn the TV on and off at random every few minutes. This would have been fine if Spencer had let me put him down for more than 15 seconds without screaming because he brother was torturing him by screaming or running into him every time he tried to fall asleep. the culmination of the event was when the POLICE showed up at the door. Yes, you heard me. While I thought my child was pretending to talk on the phone, he had in fact dialed 9-1-1. To make it more complicated, you had to dial 9 to get out of the hotel. How did he accomplish this! Thank goodness for understanding police officers in the small town of Blowing Rock, NC.

I tried to give him a snack. He carried it around until he had taken all of the pots and pans out of the kitchen cabinets. He finally decided that he would eat the goldfish out of the skillet that I just really hope had been cleaned in this decade.

We were let out in time for the reception in which my child seriously let his hair down to p-a-r-t-y!

Always the ladies' man, young Alden had her at hello.

I have never seen as much energy in anyone in my entire life than my child on this little road trip. The wedding reception was like the apex of all possible Alden energy. Lucky for me, since I had endured the what is sure to lead to hours of future therapy, Excedrin moment, hotel room saga, Joey decided that he would be in charge of running and chasing at the wedding. I wasn't completely off duty but only had energy enough to watch the child that has no ability to move from one place to another on his own.

Of course, there was plenty of help to be found. First, he found Aunt Susan who was completely gullible and got big, giant grass hill in the rain duty with Alden and his wedding date.

Grandma and Alden found a piano. He so loved it and was so cute playing it! He brought me and Daddy and who knows who else up to see it. Since then, he has had me draw two things over and over again on the Magna-Doodle: Uncle Tommy and Aunt Nicole or the piano. We may have found our future instrument. Note to Dad: A baby grand would look nice in the living room.

Remember Alden playing with Great-Grandma Bettie's walker on her visit? Well, this time she brought the cane. Just as much fun!

Alden loves music and loves to dance. He totally hijacked the dance floor and boogied the night away. I am not sure, but he might have busted in on every single wedding dance. It was really just a joy to watch his beautiful smile and love for his Aunt and Uncle and being a part of their day. Here is the Dancin' Man!

Conga line leader!

Dancing with the Bride and Groom.

Mr. Don catching the escape artist who was trying to leave the premises.

Sweet Baby Spencer started out the night hanging out with different family members. First, Mom and Dad. (We love Alden, but he had run off after the cute girl by this point)

Then, just Dad.

Granddaddy Bo took a turn.

He really does love Grandma, but was very, very tired at the party.

And Great Grandma Bettie got to hold him for a long time. After that, Mommy took him back, put him in his pajamas, and tucked him into the Baby K'Tan to sleep on her chest until the evening was over. While Alden partied on, my old soul here pooped out completely.

Did Alden dance until he dropped? He danced, but again, he didn't drop until way after midnight and several stern warnings from Daddy to get back in the bed and Baby Spencer continued with the rejection of his pack n' play. Nonetheless, we all woke up and Mommy got everyone packed up and we headed to Fleetwood to the Family Chalet. I was so excited to see it. We had a fire and flood two years ago, and the renovations only recently been completed. Since I didn't go to the wedding, this would be my first time to see the spruced up home and my own boys first of many visits to their family home.

We were able to share brunch with Tommy and Nicole's friends as well as Grandpa, Donna, and Uncle David in celebration of the wedding. No man in this family is a vegetarian. In fact, most omelets ordered by these men have every kind of meat known to man. I think the yearly trip to Detroit is not really for baseball but an excuse to eat Bratwurst, Knockwurst, and Kielbasa. Alden fit right in choosing a breakfast of sausage and cheese. Oh, he is his father...uncle, grandfather, and great uncle!

Felt right at home immediately. Can you look closely and see at least two people on Alden patrol as he is attempting to force his way out onto the deck?

Aunt Nicole finally got to meet Baby Spencer.

Everyone wanted a turn to hold our sweet little one. Everyone probably would have held the sweet big one if he would stay still long enough. Thank you Barbara for babysitting a long time and letting Mommy eat breakfast! See all the presents behind her? Alden did think that they were for him. Luckily, he decided to listen when we told him they were not his.

The first Mountain House photo of our branch of the family. It just made Daddy so excited about bringing our boys to relive all of the memories he had with his brother growing up here. We just about stayed too long at brunch. We had promised for days that we would stop at the Knoxville Zoo on the way home, and Alden had totally attached himself to that idea and told everyone. They closed at 6:00 pm. If we were lucky, and had no delays, we would get there at 4:30. Petal to the metal!

We made it! The Knoxville Zoo is a pretty cool zoo. Very nice with lots of animals Alden had never seen before. The minute we got there, it randomly started to rain a scattered afternoon shower. Okay, never have I been prouder as a mother and trip packer than to discover that I had not one but two umbrellas in my car. Miracle! So, we armed ourselves and went in rain or shine. It only lasted about 15 minutes. Daddy wanted Alden to burn off some steam so we left the stroller in the car. Daddy would regret that decision.

What we had talked about for weeks at bedtime! Alden got to see a bear for the first time! Dream come true.

We can't wait to get the elephants at our zoo in September. Alden had only seen elephants from far away at the circus. This was pretty cool. There were lots of Alden's favorite animals that he had read about in books but never seen in real life. Just a few were the red panda, a cheeta, and more penguins.

We had really grown accustomed to the low humidity and temperature in the eighties. It was hot and gross. Alden made it for about 20 minutes before wanting Daddy to carry him the rest of the time. There is still discussion of whether Baby Spencer plus the backpack or Alden was heavier to carry all over that zoo.

Funny story. Alden saw chimps for the first time. They were in a room and while we were there, the zookeepers raised the sliding doors into their habitat. Alden says, "Chimps are going through the garage door." Until this day, when we talk about the Knoxville Zoo, Alden will tell you they have chimps that go through the garage door. Here is the baby chimp in front of the "garage door."

We didn't finish the zoo. We were so hot and exhausted and OVER this trip. The plan to stop in Chattanooga and spend the night on a train and play the next day at the Children's Museum went out the window. We Googled restaurants and found an awesome pizza and sandwich place downtown in Market Square with a park and tons of restaurants and an outdoor Shakespeare performance. I loved my soy cheese pizza (first since the onset of Baby Spencer milk allergy) and Alden and Daddy even had an ice cream treat and found a friendly St. Bernard. It was the perfect ending to our trip and so cool because it was not planned at all.

Wow! Trip almost over. The ride back was much better than the ride up. Both boys were put into pajamas before leaving Tennessee. After a pretty dangerous trip for Mommy over the seats and DVD player into the backseat to sing songs, tell stories, read books, and complete the bedtime routine a la car, both boys and MOMMY slept peacefully thanks to Dad. Everyone was back at home in our beds and ready for boot camp week. That's right, Mommy don't play. If I can handle 26 hour car rides and 10 hour hotel room showdowns, I can handle potty training and putting a five month old on a nap schedule. Bet you can't wait for the next blog for the full report on the outcome!