Macys 2011

Every year it's tradition to go to Macys (or Marshall Field's as I will always know it to be) and have lunch under the big tree.  This year was fun (and a bit tricky having two new babies with us.  Thank goodness for an expansive furniture floor where two nursing mothers can find some privacy!)

The "big" cousins had a ball running around and chasing each other.

And the "little" cousins had a ball talking baby talk and being dressed alike (thanks to my mother-in-law).

I usually love to take lots of pictures and get all artsy, but with two kids in tow it wasn't happening this year. I'm not sure I even got a proper picture of the tree!

This is Nathan and his cousin Jake.  Nate just adores him (as you can plainly see!)

At least I got some cute pictures of all the cousins together.  We don't see them often enough.

One of the best photos of the day-the Queen Bee with her grandchildren.

The day went by too quickly and we were out of time before we knew it and had to head home so Ryan could go to work.  However, we were happy to have carried on a tradition, spent time with family and made some memories!

Last week

Last week I registered Nate for preschool.

Last week I bought him his first backpack and school supplies.

Last week I started trying to make arrangements for when I go back to work.

And last week we were busy trying to cram it all in before the school year starts.

On Tuesday night we went to our County Fair.

My big boy rode the carousel-and he actually liked it this time!

Yes, my husband is wearing a Wonder Pets shirt.

On Thursday we went to pick up his brace at Children's downtown.  We were never able to get him up to the roof of the parking garage after his surgery (which has a-mazing views of the city) so we made it a point to take him up this time. The kid is obsessed with "big buildings".

 

Then it was off to Millennium Park.

The Bean!

He looks like such a big boy, doesn't he?

Family shot.

Preggo shot. :)

Nate was smitten with the Bean.  Had a ball making faces at himself.

Can you spy me?

Friday, we headed to the zoo.  It was a gorgeous day.  Sunny, but not too hot with a nice breeze.

Daddy did the heavy lifting and most of the pointing and explaining.  Mommy took the pictures.

I love these, especially the polar bear one with his hands up!

Does anyone else remember these things?  I remember them from when I was a kid.  They're still around and still exactly the same.  Nate was fascinated and appropriately named his dolphin "Zoo".

My happy little wheeler. :)

Family photo (rare, I know!) Also a very unflattering picture of me pregnant.

We rounded out the week on Saturday with a neighborhood barbecue, at which I did not take one single picture.  But we had a great time with great friends.  This week it's been cleaning, organizing and getting prepared for the school year.  I'm both nervous and excited about him starting.  Lots of big things happening around here!

Indianapolis

For spring break we took a mini vacation to Indianapolis.  Just the three of us.  Hard to think that our days of being "just the three of us" are numbered! We stayed just outside of the city and checked out the Children's Museum and the zoo.  We also did a little bit of hanging around the hotel, swimming and relaxing. It was a great little trip.

Nate being silly after getting out of the pool

This is pretty much where we realized he loves dinosaurs.  Of all the things to do and see in the Children's Museum, he could have stayed at this dino table all day.  

He actually cried when we moved on! 

   The museum was huge.  He enjoyed the train table, making a boat and watching it sail, and this hall of mirrors.  The sand...not so much.  Still having some tactile issues with the stuff.

 I thought this was funny.  His face when he wheeled up to Bumble Bee from Transformers.  Look at how little he is compared to the 12 ft robot!

   This was the first time we took his chair to the zoo.  It was great except for I was paranoid that he was going to get his hands caught in the spokes while we pushed.  It allowed him some freedom though, and at one point we just let him go wild in an empty court yard.  I also found out how dirty zoos are. His hands, arms and elbows were covered in dirt.  Time to invest in some gloves and possibly some elbow pads.

 

It was such a fun trip!  Hoping to have one more family vacation to Michigan this summer.  Then it will be "just the 4 of us" :)

Pure Michigan

We decided to turn a wedding weekend into a family vacation. We are suckers for Michigan, including the radio commercials where Tim Allen's soothing voice never ceases to make us want to load up the car with whatever we can manage to fit and leave our home here in boring Indiana to start a new life in the ever appealing state of Michigan.

Our first stop landed us at Red Robin. Yes, I know they have those in other places, including Indiana, but we were meeting some friends there (I can call them that now that we have actually met in real life!) I came up with the bright idea of trying to meet up with another family that I have been following online (gosh, that sounds so stalker-ish) and who live in Grand Rapids, only about a half hour from where we were staying. We had a great time and talked as only parents of kids with sb can, which was so reassuring and...nice. I don't get to do that very often! The boys sat together and checked each other out while we talked and I learned that Nate and Greyson are a lot alike (and not just in the blonde-haired, blue-eyed way). Leigh and Andy are just awesome, down-to-earth people (not to mention amazing parents) and Greyson is one amazing kid (even if he really likes his personal space). We were so happy to have that time together and are looking forward to getting together with them again.



Next, it was off to Holland where we walked around downtown and checked out the cute shops,







and checked out this little red lighthouse on the lake.





The wind and the water were too much for our little guy, who promptly fell asleep. Did I mention we brought the Governess (her words-not ours) with us? Yes, we selfishly had my mother-in-law act as nanny during our trip. Although, she didn't mind one bit.



And I must say, it worked out fabulously! Ryan and I got to enjoy some time alone together (out for a late drink at an Irish pub while on family vacation-yes, it is possible!) as well as the reception of the wedding we attended kid-free. And our dear Governess got a little vacation out of the deal, too!

Friday afternoon was spent at the beach, where Ryan and I got to frolic in the choppy water like we were kids again. Seriously, I don't think I've laughed like that in a loooong time. We all just loved soaking up the sun and listening to the waves.



Friday night we attended the beautiful wedding of Deanne and Dan and enjoyed time with family. (Can you believe I actually forgot my camera at the hotel during the ceremony?!)





Saturday we spent the day at Sandy Pines. I have lots of fond memories of visiting while growing up. It seems that someone in our family has always had property there and growing up we'd visit and go tubing or skiing. Great, great memories. And this momma tried her luck at skiing for the first time in probably 10 years (with a LOT of coaxing from my cousins) and I'm proud to say...



that I



got up



on the



FIRST TRY!!!

(That's my rock star face I'm making in the last picture!):)

I love that place! So glad Nate had some time there-hopefully he'll get to have some of the same memories that I did growing up. It was a much needed get-away filled with fun, family and friends. I'm pretty sure we've booked Michigan for next years family vacation, too!