Springfield/Olney/Indy Visit

You and I set off on our first solo flying adventure to visit family.  We had a fantastic visit and you were a great traveler, as always.

While we were gone, Daddy took a road trip with his friend Rob to visit Monument Valley and Zion National Park in Arizona and Utah.  I could tell in the days before we left that you weren't sure about being away from Dad for that long so the day before we left you dictated a note that you left in his bag, along with your tiniest bunny, Marshmallow, for him to sleep with.

The note reads:

Stay safe.
I love you Dad.  I'll be back.
When I get back I will play with you at home.
If you aren't back when I am back at the house I'll make sure that you're not going too far.
Since I'll be there so long I'll need you.
You're my favorite.
I love you.
K

Brandee and her kids picked us up at the airport in St. Louis and we went to their house in Springfield to stay for one night.  This was your very first time visiting their house and you were very excited.

We tried to let all of the kids sleep in one room that night, knowing it was unlikely to work.  When we finally broke up the party and I made you come to my room we had this conversation:

Me:  Kinley you really need to go to sleep.  It's way past your bedtime here.  It's even past your bedtime at home.
You:  What about Australia?

The next day we headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house in Olney where we spent most of our stay.

Catching fireflies.

We got to have pizza with some of Grandma Norma's family at Monical's one night and they all came back to the house to visit after.  Most of them hadn't seen you since your very first trip to Olney when you were 8 months old.

They were lighting some kind of sky lantern things that are apparently a thing in the Midwest right now.  I kept waiting on you to ask about whether these are bad for the environment, but you didn't mention it so neither did I.

We happened to run into my Aunt Chris at a restaurant one day and she invited us to come swimming at their house.  She has a granddaughter who is about 4 months older than you so Chesney came to play with you and the other kids.

Short visit at my friend Clara's house.

Riding in luxury.  You were really fascinated by the fact that they can watch movies in their van.

Edie's doll Camille looks almost exactly like your Jessie (darker hair and eyes) so you dressed them alike and they were friends for the duration of our trip.

As always, the basement was a big hit.  One day I was in the kitchen and knew you were downstairs.  I heard something very loud and clunky on the stairs and asked Grandma to go check it out for me.  Next thing I know she was carrying up the tricycle that you were trying to haul up the stairs on your own so you could ride it outside.

Which bring to mind a conversation from a few months ago.

You:  I'm the strongest kid in my class.
Me:  How do you know that?
You:  All my friends tell me.  When it's time to clean up I just pick up the tricycles to put them away but no one else can carry them.

Excited for Brandee to fix your hair....

....though the excitement tends to wear off.

Levi found this monkey puppet and was playing with it one day.  For the remainder of the trip you would pick it up and take it to him wherever he may be any time you found it.

After we got home I was showing you some of the pictures.  You looked at this and said, "I don't have any shoes on, that doesn't seem very safe."  If only you could think of these things in the moment instead of just afterwards.

Watering plants with Grandpa.  No trip would be complete without it.

And harvesting the crop.

Candy Land.

PAC-MAN.

Adventures with Jessie and Camille.

Shortly after this:  "Mommy!  Levi's making too much songs and I can't sleep."

Grandma Tami bought you some things to play with while we were at her house and it included a string of white rose lights.  I was trying to organize things and bundled them all up which made them look like a bouquet.  You started playing with it and saying you were getting married, which made Grandma Norma remember my old First Communion dress still in the closet.  We got it out and you and Levi had a ball playing wedding.

Also, you are holding my Care Bear which we recently spotted in one of my childhood photos from what was probably my first Christmas.  You call it Love Bear and wanted to bring it home.  It's been a favorite since then, which warms my heart.

Talking to Daddy on the phone.

The neighbors had a baby lamb born about 2 weeks before we were there so Grandpa took us over to see it.

Drawing a picture with Grandpa.

Talking to Daddy again.

We planned on doing story time at the library with Grandma Tami, but as we were waiting for it to start we kind of got swarmed when Grandma tried to read to you.  You were so tired already and neither you or Grandma seemed to be appreciating the audience so we didn't even stay.

We love all the cousin time we can get, but it's always good to get some one on one time with Grandma and Grandpa too.

Rare sisters photo!

You didn't believe this was the same Amanda from my wedding photos so I told you we would take a picture and compare it to the wedding pictures when we got home.  Thus far I have forgotten to do so.

For our last night of our trip we went to Indy and spent a night at Matt & Rene's house.  They just bought a new house this year so it was the first time for both of us seeing it.  It was a short stay but still glad we made it.

Airplane haiku.

Home at last!

We stopped for lunch after Daddy picked us up at the airport, then you fell asleep in the car on the way home.  I carried you in and you proceeded to sleep for 15 straight hours.  Exhausted for sure!