NC Trip - February 2011

Kendall and I flew to NC to visit "Saza's house" (which actually is now referred to as "Mag Mag's house") for a long weekend. (Nana was already in NC) This was either our 15th and 16th ... or our 17th and 18th flights together. I've lost track. But this little girl has become quite the experienced traveler! Here she is "helping" me pack.

On the flight, since she is now 2 years old, she had to have her own seat. She'd had her own seat on a previous flight but I had put her carseat in her seat that time. This time, she flew like a little champ and it was hard for me to believe that the little girl sitting next to me was the same baby who was curled up on my lap on a plane not so long ago! She did a bit of this (and by "this" I mean yelling out the window trying to find Donald Duck's lost pet, Boo Boo Chicken, who is taken to the clouds by Willy the Giant in a MMCH episode) ...
... and then she did a lot of this!

When we got there, we had a nice supper (NC barbecue - yum!) with Saza, Nana, Uncle Dan and Aunt Corinna. Kendall was quite the little kisser that evening!

And she never misses an opportunity to "decorate" anyone who is decorable with stickers!
Of course, Maggie could not be left out of this kiss-fest.
The next morning, we had a nice visit with Cindy, Kelly and Chris Copolo. Love these kids!

And after naptime, Kendall and I went to have a fun night and sleepover with my long-lost theatre friend, Laura, and her two kids Bailey and Toby. We had a blast! Toby wasn't much into getting his picture taken, but he did allow Kendall to chase him around for a while. And Kendall and Bailey had a great time playing with Bailey's Hannah Montana guitar ...
... telling girly secrets ...
... and playing dress up.
We had a lovely supper of pasta in a vodka cream sauce that Kendall loved (as did her mother)! She even sat at the table (on a blanket) like a big girl and ate better than her 7 and 9 year old counterparts!
After supper we got into jammies and danced before bedtime. Then Kendall and I shared a room together for the first time since she was 2 weeks old and kicked out of my bedroom (except for when she was sick about a year ago during a visit to NC). Of course, Laura and I stayed up waaay too late drinking wine and reminiscing just like we used to on the same porch about 11 years ago. But back then we did not have exuberant offspring who like to wake up at 5AM to sing for a while in their pack 'n plays right at the foot of the bed (mine) ... or run around screeching at 7:30AM completely unaware of their mothers' lack of sleep and headaches (all three children). I had a great time, though. Definitely worth the hangover!

We stopped and had brunch with a law school friend of mine, Erin, and her hubby, Andy. They are expecting their first child in June. Kendall ate well and didn't throw too much food. And she only rolled around on the floor a little bit. And she wasn't that loud when she announced to all of the tables around us that she was poopy and then yelled "BYE BYE POOP" as we walked to the bathroom. But if she had started to freak them out about becoming parents, I watched Andy absolutely melt when she told him she loved him when we left so I think it's all good!

I had a way too short nap when I got home and rested up for the dinner party with some friends of my folks (and mine) that evening. Kendall, once again, doled out the smooches. Here she is kissing Robin ...
... and hugging Robin's granddaughter, Maya ...
... and kissing Josie ...
... and lounging a bit on the couch with Dave ...
... and kissing Jan. It's always nice to catch up with these folks. I've known Jan and Dave Page (and their daughters) since I was 5 years old and we were next door neighbors.
The next morning, we were up and at 'em with a trip to the Museum of Life and Science. This place really does put the Dallas Children's Museum to shame. I wasn't sure we'd ever get Kendall away from the display of bones. She was 100% fascinated by them and is still talking about them. She is her Saza's granddaughter!

But we did make it outside to make some noise and enjoy the absolutely beautiful weather.
AND revisit the dinosaur trail that we had seen for the 1st time last April with the Copolo kids. I have fond memories of the dinosaur trail when I was a kid ... back when the entire museum was on the other side of the street, called the "Children's Museum," and not nearly as awesome as it is now! I love these pictures below of Kendall walking with my folks.

And I think this is my new all-time favorite picture of Kendall. She was "playing Ralphie," who enjoys poking his giant boxer head through peoples' legs.

Of course we had to spend some time digging in the dirt too.
Kendall has recently entered a "don't take my picture" phase which is regrettably coinciding with my "take pictures of her all the time with my new favorite toy" phase. Nana taught her how to turn her back to the camera to avoid having her picture taken. Not nice. But I prevailed and caught both of them in this shot!
Finally, that evening, Kendall's great Uncle Jeff and Aunt Diane came down from Virginia for a nice visit and supper. They absolutely showered her with presents!

FINALLY, I realized that I was not included in a single solitary picture with my child all weekend so my mom snapped this one just before bedtime.

We got up good and early the next morning to fly back to Dallas. Kendall, once again, sat in between me and my mom and behaved much better than I did on the return flight. She really is a little pro traveler! Hopefully she won't ever inherit my admittedly irrational, but very real and somewhat debilitating, fear of flying. The doggies and Daddy were all very happy to have us home. Visits to NC always exhaust me ... probably because so many activities are crammed into such a short time. I wish I could spend longer vacations there, but we'd probably just wind up doubling the activity level if I did that! Will definitely be back soon, though.