The best weekend ever

Ok so that might be a bit of an overstatement but not by much. Let's just say that last weekend and the beginning of last week were pretty rough with sickness and some other things and then the week continued to get worse with the culmination of it being Tripp falling down a whole flight of stairs and landing on concrete on Thursday. He is fine, but I am really not sure yet if I am. I saw the whole thing happen (it's a story that I don't really feel like telling again) and I haven't really been able to get it out of my mind yet. Anyway, all of that to say that it was just one of those weeks that nothing seems to go right. Until Friday. While everyone in St. Louis was busy hanging out in their basement because of tornadoes, we were off in Washington, MO enjoying some amazing family time at a log cabin on a farm. It's really a bed and breakfast but you get the whole cabin to yourself. And you can go anywhere on the farm. So for an almost two year old who loves farms, this was almost too much to take it. We got up close and personal with the "cock-a-doos" (roosters) and also hung out with some cows (or as my dad, the cow expert, later told me- some white-faced black angus).

The whole reason the little get-a-way even evolved was because we wanted to take Tripp on a train ride. So on Saturday, after an awesome breakfast at the cabin (part of which included some fresh eggs from the chickens living right outside our door), we got on the train and headed to Hermann. Tripp couldn't believe that there really is a such thing as a conductor in real life who really comes by to get your ticket. So we heard a lot of this while we were riding: "Where's the conductor?" and then "Where'd the conductor go?" Then after looking around: "Here he is! I found him!" this was repeated numerous times throughout the 20 minute ride (at which point we were really thankful we were only on the train for 20 minutes). We were back in time for naps for everyone and then just spent the afternoon around the farm. .




After one more great night, we drove back on Sunday morning just in time for church! This was definitely one of our best weekends together- no other pressures, distractions, or even people to take us away from each other. We are definitely planning on going back!

In true toddler form, Tripp was imitating me the other day by carrying around a purse (he even put the strap around his neck like me since I have a messenger bag). He would say things like "Mommy has a purse, Tripp has a purse."

I was fine with it for a while until my mom told me that one day when he was at their house with the purse, he went up to the contractor working on their basement and said "Do you like Tripp's purse?" My mom said that thankfully the man didn't hear cause she was afraid of how he would answer or what the contractor might think of her grandson. So we promptly decided to order him a backpack (one with a fire truck of course) and it has barely left his back since it arrived on the front porch.

Almost 2

He's a little over a month away from turning two, and I am not so sure how I feel about!

Croup, Fire Trucks and Nana!

It has been an exciting week and a half for us! It all started with last weekend when our new fire station opened. Tripp has been asking to go to the new station ever since he was old enough to talk and understand that they were building a new station. So you can only imagine his excitement when last Sunday was finally the day that we got to go and have a tour of the inside and sit in all the fire trucks and ambulances. However, last Sunday was also the day that he woke up with a strange sounding cough and a fever. But for the sake of the fire station, we chose to ignore it and go the open house anyway (to our credit- it wasn't that bad and he seemed totally fine after he woke up from his second of three naps that day (although that should have been our first clue something was wrong)). Anyway, we walked up to the new station and this little boy was in heaven. The firemen immediately recognized him and were so excited to show him the new digs. He got in and out of every door of the fire trucks and ambulances multiple times and had an all around great time.

I think the excitement wore him out and the cough came back along with some strange breathing. So the next day, while I was at work, my mom took him to the doctor where he got the official diagnosis of croup with stridor. He got some steroids and immediately started sounding better. We were so thankful because the following day, Nelson's mom came into town to spend 5 days with us. We were worried that Tripp would be sick for the entire time, but after those magic steroids, the only thing holding him back was his crankiness (apparently that is a side effect of the medicine, and I will be the first to attest to that)! That didn't last too long and we had a great time with Nana- we went to the Museum of Transportation, the zoo, the park, the fire station again (for the second open house), the library (twice), and just hung out at home doing lots of reading and puzzles.

We were sad for her to go, but I know her other two grandsons back in Dallas were happy to have her back! Tripp was looking for her this morning when he got up and when he couldn't find her, he declared "Nana is still sleeping" which I think was his way of hoping that she was still downstairs asleep and would be coming up any time to join in the fun of the day with him. Sorry buddy, but I guess Nana will just have to come back soon!!

Friends

We have been blessed to be a part of a babysitting co-op which is basically a sweet ticket-based (instead of cash based) babysitting gig. I watch other people's kids for tickets, I pay in tickets for them to watch Tripp. So we get to go out on dates at night for free (well, except for the cost of whatever we do), and I can go run errands by myself without having to pay someone to watch Tripp. But I think the best thing about it is the friends that Tripp makes. He loves it when people come over to play, and I love it cause then he gets to learn how to share his toys, take turns, etc. I also love seeing him happy to be with other people. Today we had quite a fun day with a little friend- they colored, did stickers, played outside, played in the kitchen, and even shared the beloved Cozy Coupe (although that definitely took intervening from me to make sure everyone had their fair turn).


I have to admit, that even though I am a girl, I have not the slightest clue how to take care of one. You may think there is not that much of a difference, but today I just was totally clueless about if the tights go on first and then the onesie, or the onesie then the tights. And then her poor hair bow, well, that I gave up on about an hour after she came over. I guess if we ever have a girl, I will just have to learn these things (or just make sure that she doesn't wear hair bows or tights which is kinda the more likely scenario).


We are all thankful for free babysitting and good friends!

Fire at the Eatery!

Ok, not the real Eatery. Just the one on Tripp's play mat. It appeared to have been a five alarm fire since every fire truck in the house had to respond to the emergency. But do not worry- the fire was put out (by just one fireman!!) and only one person (Farmer Joe) had to be taken away in the ambulance (the hospital is just .02 seconds away on the mat so he was ok)!

All in a day's work though for this little firefighter!

Reading Happens Anywhere!