THE LONG WEEK-END VISIT!

Well it's Monday morning and the house is SOO quiet.  No babies cooing or crying for their meal or saying, "read book Grandma?" or giggling and running from toy to toy.  How I enjoyed them all is so hard to express sometimes.  It just bursts my heart is all I can say.  Everything went SOO well.  The kids slept really well both at nap time and bed time, and made everything easier for everyone.  We hadn't been sure just what we were going to do with little Luke as he has just recently transitioned from his crib to a big boy bed, but he has it pushed up against the wall on one side, and a bed rail on the other to keep him from rolling out.  Well, we only have two bedrooms here.  With a queen sized bed in it pushed up against no wall.  And in the past what we have done is we have a blow up single mattress on the floor in the room for Sam, and then Luke slept in the pack and play at the other end. Well now of course we needed the pack and play for Claire, and there wasn't really room for another blow up single mattress.  I thought maybe we would just borrow another pack and play and put Luke in that.  Melody was afraid he'd be soo unhappy about going back into a "crib" per say it might make bedtime difficult, but hey it is what it is.  But grandma figured it out!  We often go by the second hand children's store by us to purchase things we need before a visit.  Booster seats to eat on, a high chair, and even a tricycle and a baby's bath tub.  Things you can't really take on an airplane of course. Well I had gone to see about a second booster seat [as Luke is no longer using a high chair either, lol] when I saw a little toddler bed.  Perfect!  I thought.  Small enough to fit in the area available, and yet NOT a crib, and yet WITH side rails.  It was the perfect solution I thought.  And it came with a crib mattress, seemed to be in perfect condition, and ALL for 25 bucks.  So we purchased it, and they delivered it for free [still not sure how we lucked into that!] and we got it set up. Luke was thrilled with it, and slept and napped there perfectly.  YAY!  Sam has always called his blow up bed "his California bed" lol, and Claire moved into the pack and play and slept through the night just wonderously.

KIND OF BLURRY BUT YOU GET THE IDEA....SAM'S BED WAS THE ONE RIGHT NEXT TO IT

THIS WAS SAM'S FACE AND FEEL [ELECTRIC!] AS THEY LEFT THEIR HOUSE AT 5 am ON THE WAY TO THE AIRPORT.  HE WAS JUST SOO EXCITED HE WAS POSITIVELY GIDDY, LOL

AND AFTER THE AIRPLANE FLIGHTS AND LAYOVERS ETC., THEY STOPPED FOR A BURGER ON THE DRIVE TO OUR HOUSE, AND HE FELL ASLEEP EATING.  HE JUST COULDN'T KEEP AWAKE ANYMORE, LOL.  I GUESS HE KEPT EVERYONE ON THE PLANE AMUSED AND ENTERTAINED WITH HIS QUESTIONS AND ENTHUSIASM.  

WE BOUGHT THIS NEW WHEN SAM WAS BORN AND IT HAS GOTTEN SOO MUCH USE.  IT COMES WITH A CHANGING TABLE AND LITTLE GEAR HOLDING STAND AS WELL AND WE HAD IT ALL SET UP AND READY FOR CLAIRE....WE TAKE THOSE PARTS ALL OFF OF COURSE AS THE BABIES GET BIGGER

The rest of the visit went well. My niece [my hairdresser and one of Mel's best friends] and her little family came over on Thursday afternoon to meet Claire and have dinner and spend the evening.  It was nice and she did Melody's hair while she was here too.  Friday hubby worked and they all spent the entire day with Mike's family.  I rested and cleaned things up a bit and sewed the buttons on Claire's rompers.  Sat. we hung out in the morning for a while and Melody and I did a little shopping as well. She does not have a babies r us by us so we went there so she could get a shower gift for Brooke. After the babies naps we left for my oldest son's house to swim, play, and have lots of quality cousin time.  We kept things simple and had pizza for dinner.  We staying there until the little ones were started to melt down a bit from being tired and headed home where the babies went straight to bed and we sat up talking with Mike and Mel till well into the night.  Yesterday was the shower.  It was VERY nice and she seemed truly very appreciative of all I made her.  I spent most of my time talking and holding a sleeping Claire.  She pretty much slept the whole time we were there.  After that Mike and Melody and the kids went over to see Mike's sister's new house to swim and have dinner and I went home to relax.  They got back here around 7 and bathed the kids and put them to bed by eight and then packed up the car ready to roll as they had to leave here by 4 AM!  Pretty early, but they only have 1 half hour lay over by choosing that early flight and should be home by 2 Texas time. Not bad at all.  So another visit is in the books and the memories will hopefully linger for a while.  I got in LOTS of snuggling, LOTS of kisses, and plenty of long chats with my girl.  Even though it is stressful being away from home of course with 3 such little ones, I know she appreciated all the extra resting she got in while we occupied the kids, lol.

OUR WHOLE GANG!  CAN'T BELIEVE THE LORD HAS BLESSED US WITH SOO MANY

MY YOUNGEST SON JAMES AND CLAIRE

ALL DRESSED FOR HER PARTY....THE ROMPERS FIT HER SOO WELL!

MY OLDEST SON JOE AND CLAIRE

MY OLDEST AND MY YOUNGEST

MY MIDDLE SON JOHN AND CLAIRE.....WITH NO CHILDREN OF HIS OWN [yet!] HE ISN'T AS COMFORTABLE WITH BABIES, BUT HE DID REALLY WELL, LOL

SAM, TELLA AND CODY ENJOYED SOME SIDEWALK PAINTING, LOL, WHILE THE DADDIES WERE PLAYING BASKETBALL

SAM WAS EXCITED TO JOIN IN WITH THE OLDER COUSINS AND THEIR GAME OF KNIGHTS

TELLA AND SAM ENJOYING THE TREE SWING

I did not feel 100 percent by any means, and yet felt good enough to enjoy everything and I was soo grateful!  I can honestly say the medication did NOTHING to improve my situation and may have caused a whole new problem...sigh....so I have discontinued that.  I intend to spend the next couple of days taking it pretty easy.  Hope you all had a wonderful week-end.  I am anxious to get around catching up.  Blessings to you all!  Debbie