Back in the U.S.S.A!

We're back from our trip to the states and had a ball as always, hanging out with my mom and the rest of my family. It's always fun being back in Peoria and driving around to check out my old haunts and see what's new. The weather was a little chilly when we arrived but warmed up nicely during the trip. Everything was so lush and green, with tulips and flowering trees in full bloom.

Unfortunately, Wyatt was feeling a little under the weather for the first part of our trip. Why does that always happen to kids when they travel? He's usually such a happy kid and easy to please. It's frustrating because you're hoping that your relatives who don't see your child often will find them as charming and fun as you do. Instead, I found myself explaining more than once, "He's not usually this crabby..." Luckily, it seemed to pass without turning into something major and he rallied a bit. He had a ball playing with cousins Holden and Catalina, or "Hol-dee" and "Cada-WEEna" as he calls them.

We had plenty of family get togethers over dinner - my cousin Erin treated us all to her specialty - homemade pizzas, Uncle Don made ribs on the grill and we enjoyed a relaxing meal on my Aunt Julie's porch on a beautiful spring evening. My mom, aunts and cousins thew me a little impromptu baby shower luncheon and got me some darling things for the baby. My aunt owns a children's clothing boutique, Britches n' Bloomers and I could hardly resist buying the entire baby section. Between the new baby clothes, and a few purchases for me and Wyatt, my suitcase was bursting at the seams. I had to borrow an extra bag just to get it all home. My aunt and uncle bought a new house so we had fun getting the grand tour, hearing about all their renovation projects and looking at paint and fabric swatches. We took a trip to the zoo one day - it's small, but just perfect for Wyatt's age. I even had a couple of dinner dates with my friend Nancy. A girl's night out is always a treat. 

We had such a fabulous time with everyone and were a bit sad to leave, even though we missed Dayven. We won't see my mom again until the baby is born. Wyatt began asking about her shortly after we took her to the airport. Our trip home was fairly uneventful. It's good to be home with Dayven and getting back into our routine. The weather is even warming up here a bit so I'm optimistic that the cold days are behind us...for now.