great trip

We had a really great trip in Houston. Lots of family time. We actually decided to stay at Matt's parents house with my mom, 2 brothers, and sister in law on the 4th just to hang out and play games and ditch fireworks since we don't all get to hang out much.

Both girls LOVED all the attention and really loved getting to play with so many people. Saturday morning after we got back Matt woke me up and said, "both girls are awake." I seriously sat there for a minute trying to think what I was supposed to do or say. I'd had so many helping hands for the 9 days that I forgot that it was now my turn to do it myself again....and it was 9:45! (they had totally slept in and then it was an hour later here thanks girls)

We also got to have a fun birthday party for Grace. She got some great toys, shoes, and clothes. Pretty funny to see her once again meticulously open each present making sure all paper and tape were removed first.

Grace picked up a few new words, "up" and "Amy". When we got into town Grace was pretty exhausted since she only napped in the car from the airport, so I layed her down to rest. After about 30 minutes of crying I realized that she wasn't going to fall asleep and Nana couldn't bare to hear her cry any longer :) So I went in and asked her if she wanted out and she said, "up". Then as I got closer and said I'll get you out she said, "up, up,up,up...please" She desperately wanted out of taking a nap and knew that this was her first get out of jail free card and she wasn't going to mess this up by not using the right word.

Then a few days before we were leaving were driving in the car some where and I was ignoring her when she was calling "mommy" over and over, so she did what a resourceful little person might do. She started saying, "A-my, A-my, Amy." I was so shocked and tickled by it that I couldn't help but laugh and look back at her, which I am now regretting because I can't quite get her to stop.

So by Thursday and Friday last week we're all pretty tired and I was wiped out from being a mommy on a multi family visiting trip in a very hot place. So by the time we packed up Thursday night and get ready to head out Friday, we were pretty spent. Matt gets a work call just before we're ready to leave for the airport so he takes it in the back of the house while his mom and I put all the bags by the front door and then decide to get the suitcases in the car. So Matt gets off the phone and asked if we're packed and I yell back as I'm walking Grace out, "we just packed the suitcases". He then checks an email on his phone and then grabs Avery in her carseat and the diaper bag and heads out the door. We get in the 2 cars and head to the airport.

Then about 30minutes down the road I get a phone call from Matt in the other car saying that Grace wants her baby where is it. No worries it's in the purple bag.....Matt then says, "what purple bag I don't see it." I'm like check in the back of the Escape it should be back there....NOPE!! So did u get the red bag next to it?....NOPE!!!

At this point, I'm ticked cause the purple bag had Grace's diapers, wipes, toys, baby, and snacks were in the red bag......WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR TWO HOURS ON THE PLANE!!! Ok, no big deal we can spend like $20 trying to buy a toy and some cheerios and then we've got diapers in the suitcase I can grab. We check our bags and get in the security line all frazzled....notice I said checked our bags and didn't mention GRABBING DIAPERS FOR GRACE!!!!!!

Then Matt looks at the stroller and is like..."whoa, where's my laptop bag?" Completely frustrated at this point, I say, "WITH THE PURPLE AND RED BAGS ON THE DINING ROOM TABLE!!!!! And oh yeah, we left our camera too!" Good thing we remembered both children :)

So now we're really frustrated but luckily it was a Friday so Matt's parents could overnight us the necessities from the bags....$90 later. My camera was not one of the things we asked them to mail to us for whatever reason and so therefore this long drawn out post has no pictures, but what we do have is great memories, but a little less cash on hand....however a lesson well learned.

DON'T assume your spouse heard you clearly of what was or wasn't packed and always TOGETHER take one last swoop of the place you're staying at just to make sure you don't leave important bags behind.....there I said it as nice as possible without shifting any blame or ranting or nagging...only took me a few days to cool down :)

Luckily Nana and Max are visiting us in three weeks with the rest of our left behind items. So until I get my camera or files in hand, just stay on the edge of your seat waiting their arrival!