Houston Trip

Dear Kate,

We headed out on our last summer vacay and what a vacay it was!  We traveled west via Mommy's Pilot to the great state of Texas, specifically the hot and humid, Houston, Texas!  Yowza was it toasty there, but we had some mighty fine accomidations to help ease us into that crazy heat including a swimming pool right in our back yard!  Let me start from the beginning - so we went to visit Lizzy, Mimi's Sister, Mommy's aunt, your Great Aunt and her fam.  If you recall, they came to visit everyone in Tennessee earlier in the summer and we thought we owed them a trip to see what all the fuss was about in Texas.  We headed from Franklin on Tuesday afternoon and took a pit stop at Mimi's house where you discovered a clever way to not have to hold your bottle yourself.  Wise one you are.  Perhaps a wee bit lazy, but wise beyond your years my friend...

We left super early Wednesday morning and drove a very long 12 hours through a couple states until we reached our final destination.  You and your sis did fantastic in the car considering and Mimi did a pretty good job sitting back there with you!  Lynnie and I did the majority of the driving but Mommy enjoys it.  Everyone was super excited to see you, but Sarah was especially excited.  She just loves little cute blue eyed, blonde babies, or well, any babies for that matter.  She was eagerly willing to change your diaper or feed you dinner or whatever help you needed.  You, of course, had to share her with your sister, but Sarah did a good job of keeping things even!  The next day (Thursday) we headed to the children's Museum.  It was right up your sister's alley, but not exactly fit for you, or at least where we were.  We later discovered a toddler area that you could have gone to but by that time we were all exhausted!!!!  But don't worry, Sarah showed you a good time! 

And you did an excellent job of sitting in your stroller...

Your naps were a little messed up, but you handled it all very nicely.  We had you sleeping in the 'attic', kind of like Aunt Amy's house, which was perfect except sunlight would come beaming in the window in the morning.  But that's okay, we handled the 6:15 sunrises with style.  Sarah is an early riser, so that helped :)
On Friday headed to the pier where there are all kinds of rides and fun things to do, if you are a wee bit bigger - the story of your life, huh.  Soon enough baby girl, soon enough you, too, will be riding those rides with Mommy and Sarah!

We grabbed some Mexican and walked all around the pier and yes, it was still that hot humid Houston weather!  

You can only imagine that after a hot day like that we headed straight to the pool to cool off!

Saturday was 'chill day' and included you taking both naps in your pak n play and not in a car seat!  Sweet!!!  It also included a night out for the adults which means a babysitter for you and the rest of the kiddos, but according to Sarah you wanted nothing to do with the sitter and only wanted her (Sarah!).  Mimi was a bit nervous, but I think you survived just fine.  On Sunday, we dilly dallied around with a couple errands and a good dinner made by Lizzy (although Mommy met Aunt Meg - yes, Aunt Steph's sister - for dinner!!) and it was a nice, quiet uneventful day!  Monday was our last day and we wanted to make the most of it so we headed to the History Science Museum.  Again, not exactly your thing just yet, but let me tell you, you provided entertainment for one rowdy little boy!! Emery was obsessed with you that day.  Don't get me wrong, we'd catch him playing with you, making coo noises, etc, but at the museum he wanted to be in complete charge of where you went and where that stroller went!  So, we let him!  (that's you and and him in the background there!)

We also went through this beautiful butterfly exhibit where thousand of butterflies were constantly flying by you. You loved it and tried to catch every one of them! 

Here's you trying to touch one and one coming right at your sister's face!!!

After a yummy lunch, we headed to Lizzy's house for one last day in the pool, which I might add, you thoroughly enjoyed.  Along with the rest of us, of course!!!

Yep!  You even swam under water!! Lynnie (did I tell you she went with us??!) had a new cool case for  her Iphone where it could take pictures underwater!! We all loved it!  (this, too, freaked Mimi out a bit!).
This freaked me out a bit!!!

Sarah had been 'playing' with you upstairs and came down with you looking like that!!!! You didn't seem to mind it.  You are so easy going!
On Tuesday morning, we, again, got up super early and drove the 10 hour hike to Mimi's.  We did pretty darn good timing and only had to stop for meals and one extra time to potty.  Not bad, huh.  I debated the whole way home whether I should just keep on driving once we dropped Mimi off in Memphis, but after much plea from Mimi and the cleaning people letting me know they would be at my house the next morning, I decided we'd stay that night at Mimi's and go home Wednesday to a nice, clean house.  Well... I got home and the house wasn't clean.  Somehow there was miscommunication and they weren't there until 2:30, so, I gathered some things and we headed to Aunt Stephs.  I know, right.  I was dying to be home, too little girl.  But Aunt Steph let us crash at her house for the afternoon and even cooked us dinner.  Finally we got home and we were both exhausted!!!!

But, oh so worth the exhaustion because I think you had a grand ole time visiting that great state!!!!  I know Sarah and Emery both enjoyed your company!!!  Back at home, wrapping up summer!! It's been a fun one, for sure!!! Loves you crazy hair!!