As I sit here typing at 9:30pm, I feel as though I may need tooth picks to prop my eyes open. I am POOPED as pooped can be, but have such a full heart, as the past 4 days have been spent with a majority (missed you Ben and Meg!) of my family.
On Thursday evening my mom, dad, sister Laura and her boyfriend Jacob, and my brother Jeff all drove in from Baton Rouge for the weekend. They came a little later than planned, since they had to be re-routed due to flooding in Louisiana. All I can say is that (a) I felt terrible that they had to be in a car for 13 hours and (b) I was incredibly grateful it wasn't ME with TWO BABIES being rerouted across the south. I am pretty sure I would have cried (and I'm pretty sure my mom almost did!). Thankfully they made it in one piece.
Friday Drew had to work half a day, so we spent the morning lounging around allowing Brayden to entertain us. He was SO excited that his "Wah wah" "Jeff" and "Jabob (Jacob)" were here to visit!
what a little cutie!
During naptime mom, Laura and I went on a little shopping excursion and then we were back before the boys woke up. The day was gorgeous, so we quickly decided to head out on an adventure to a local trail/garden that Drew has long told me about but that we never have gone to as a family. Drew's class during college (he is a Landscape Architect major) helped design portions of the area we went to... it is BEAUTIFUL. If you live in the area I highly recommend Compton Gardens! Of course, I was busy snapping pictures, and I am pretty sure that other people at the trail thought we were a bit crazy stopping along the way to have mini photoshoots :)
(please note how tan my mom is, and how pasty white I am-- I could not be happier about the fact that we have a pool pass this summer!)
"Hey guys! I'm just sittin' here watchin' all the crazies."
We attempted a family photo...
TAKE 1
TAKE 2
TAKE 3
TAKE 4
I just gave up after TAKE 4. Hoping that we'll get better by October, when we have a family portrait session FINALLY planned!
Dad said he was being an indian. Whatev.
Missed you Meggie!
"What... what is that? A flower? Oh, I think I'll pick it to eat."
Oh hi Gigi!
(PS-- I should note that he's FINALLY sitting up on his own. He's still wobbly, and will tumble if you don't sit there with him, but he's doing it, and couldn't be happier about it!)
Laura and her boyfriend Jacob (who B affectionately named "J-Bob"
This was a fresh spring creek, so Laura and Dad took turns drinking the water. They didn't get sick, but I kept telling them I wasn't cleaning up if they did :)
Ofcourse, B threw rocks...
And also fell into the water, so he had to go pantsless for a few minutes while Drew rung out his shorts.
he found a flower and RAN to show me.
but before he got to me he stopped to blow on it. I think he confused it with a dandelion.
B grabbed this stick and then said "It's a stick... no a gun!" then shot it in the air. BOYS.
He rode his Strider a lot of the trail...
We even met another little boy who was riding a Yellow Strider... Brayden was so excited to see someone else his age on a bike!
(this was WHY B wanted to sit on the rock)
(this picture cracks me up)
(Laura told B this was a grenade launcher)...
so then he tried it out...
can you tell the strain on his face? he was trying so hard to be just like Laura!
Jeff being Tarzan
not sure why he's making this face. but it's funny!
about as good as I was able to get. 2 year old pictures are impossible.
B climbed up there all on his own!
the trail head has a splash park also, and Brayden loved it. Well, actually love is a strong word, but he liked splashing in the puddles atleast!
I just love this picture of his profile... so sweet!
Saturday my parents went to visit some good friends of theirs, so the kids were left to their own. We decided to make use of our new pool pass, so we all headed to the pool. The water was cold, but we had fun. I totally forgot my camera on that trip so no pics for Saturday.
Sunday we all hung together as a family. My sister, mom and I laid out together during naptime... when I said that we just needed an ocean and a nice margarita, Laura asked Drew to make us some margaritas, and he made them and brought them out to us! So nice! The weather was awesome so after the boys woke up from their naps we headed to the pool. I remembered my camera this time :)
He's always a little timid before he goes, and then asks to go again when he finishes.
{LOVE}
Sunday night we played Apples to Apples... always a good family game to bring lots of laughs.
The fam left town today. I felt like this was the first time Brayden really understood they were leaving. Today he's been asking about everyone, and when we got to the pool today (yes, we went 3 days in a row... pretty sure that will be our life for the next 3 months!) Brayden exclaimed "yay! Poppa and Gigi!" I guess he thought they'd be there to meet us, like they had the day before. It's so sad that my family lives so far away, yet it makes the time we do get to spend with them that much sweeter.
Tomorrow is Brayden's first visit to the dentist. I'm really nervous about the appointment, but not for Brayden's behavior, which always (knock on wood) has been rather stellar at the doc's office). Rather, it's because his top teeth have become increasingly black/grayish since the grill fell and smacked him in the face several weeks ago, and I am afraid that they are either already dead, or dying and that we'll have to get them pulled.
And with that, I'm off to bed. Hope you all have a great week!
