We stopped by Grandpa Bill's on the way into town. He made the kids a snack and they played while I got the pack-n-play and toddler bed we left there last time. Olivia remembered the music room and led us all that way. Leo ran about and kept saying to Bill, "Play with me, Grandpa!" I wish we had been able to play longer and see Tamara, too, but we were off to Steph's so that the kids could settle down before bed.
And they did sort of. After we got in, Abby showed Olivia the bottle calf that she fed by herself each morning and evening. Olivia was stoked! We also went and gathered eggs and saw a new baby calf in the field that was just five minutes old. Leo and Olivia loved this!
Olivia slept in her toddler bed, Leo slept in his pack-n-play, and I slept in Craig's double bed. (Craig is always very generous to give up his room for us.) Leo went straight to bed each night after the three of us reading two books on the bed, and then me reading one book as each of them laid in their beds. The first night, despite no nap, Olivia stayed up for another hour and a half complaining of not being able to go to sleep. I was shocked and tried everything, as I was tired, too. She eventually stopped talking about the exciting day and went to sleep!
The next day after playing in the basement lots and lots--did I mention how well the kids play together?--we headed in to the Y to the indoor pool. Despite the chilly air temperature, the pool was warm and the kids had a great time! So did I! Luke looked cute in Leo's old swim trunks!
And the following day we hit the zoo, even though it was rainy and chilly at first. We checked out the reptiles since they live indoors first!
Check out that snake!! Remind anyone of Harry Potter?
We actually saw a lot outside, too--kangaroos, elephants, birds, sea lions--but I caught pictures mainly indoors. We stopped and ate lunch while looking into the grizzly bear pond.
The petting zoo was a hit with Leo. And there was lots of cousin love all the time we were in! It mostly went Olivia hugging Craig and Leo hugging Abby.
And on the final morning, the girls went to feed the bottle calf on their own. Abby does this all the time, but it was a big deal for Olivia!
On our way out of town, we stopped at Mutti's and played for a while. The kids always know where her toy chest is, and dug everything out from bowling to golfing to play dough to puzzles to Cooties. Then they went outside and made up a new game of balancing on the curb. I'm so thankful for wonderful grandmas and grandpas who make us feel welcome and love the kids so easily!
The trip back to AL was comically bad. Seriously we hit every traffic jam you could imagine. We stopped every hour because Olivia had to go. Then we had to change restrooms because the toilets had automatic flushers and she is afraid of those. The kids again refused naps, but by 9:30 EST, Olivia told Leo she was tired and going to sleep. She did. Leo followed suit. Thankfully. We were home shortly thereafter. The bright spot of the trip home was that the kids, for the most part, go along. Here they are more hours into our journey than I care to admit, getting along at a rest area:
Whew!
