It is just shy of 7:15am and the house is quiet. Elizabeth has been up and back down asleep and the boys are still out from the swim meet adventure of yesterday.
We've done the vacation thingy and are settling back in at home with my 3/4th of the way painted kitchen (just can't seem to find the time to finish that one wall!)
Vacation? It was fun but a lot of work. I enjoyed more then anything watching my boys' faces as they experienced the different things. I realize I must truly be growing up b/c I've learned not to complain so much and feel self-pity (at least out loud) during the hard times if it means my kids are enjoying themselves and learning, growing, etc. Let's just say having a 7 month old at a water park, theme park, dinner show, and hiking (which actually was the easiest since Nate carried her the whole way up and down in the snugly) is a lot of work.
I swear though Elizabeth is the easiest baby ever. She cried some when she was awoken from her attempt at the 5th nap of the day that usually lasted about 15 minutes but she never threw fits, was inconsolable, or didn't just break out in a smile when another stranger talked to her.
Excitement on the vacation? Ian promptly threw up when we entered the cabin the first night and had a high fever but put himself to bed with a little Motrin and an antibiotic on the way (thanks Dr. Collins for helping us out in the mountains) and he was better after a day. The boys loved the water slides and so did mommy - except the wave pool when I found myself alone with Eli and a friend's 6 year old who didn't want to hang onto the tube in the deep with huge waves pushing him down...
After about an hour and half of figuring out what we were going to do, getting in and out of a roller coaster line to buy a fast pass, taking 6 kids to the bathroom and changing a baby's diaper we finally almost all rode the fastest roller coaster there as our first attempt of scaring ourselves to death. Ian got on with Nate in the first seat and when he came back he looked a little on the wild side but said he loved it. Then I got in the first seat with Eli (who didn't quite realize what he was getting himself into). After the first very steep hill and twist and turn neither of us could even scream we were hanging on for dear life. When we stopped Eli was white and looked like he had seen a ghost. After snapping out of it he promptly started to cry. I've never felt so bad - as if I just willingly let my first born son be tortured and laughed all the way through it. Would you believe he got on another one (because his adventure Daddy talked him into facing his fears while I was out of listening range). After that one (and a small whimper to Nate at the top of the first flip (yes, they went upside down) "I don't think I should have gotten on this" he again promptly cried and then really did refuse to get on any more rides that weren't for babies! He's ruined in theme park terms!
Ian enjoyed everything with his sense of adventure and outdoing his big brother there is no stopping the child. His favorite thing was the Dixie Stampede because he could eat with his hands (a whole chicken, corn, soup that you could drink, a huge apple fritter) the entire show and watch people race horses, dance and sing. Ian's kind of thing! I would look over at him as he pulled chicken off a bone, grease all over his little face, dried sweat from the theme park not an hour earlier still glowing on his body, and a huge smile from ear to ear, yelling for the South!!!
(the show is the North versus the South in competitions - you gotta love the South and their idea of entertainment - of course the only black man in the show was on the north's side - Nate and I thought that was interesting!)
In usual Callender fashion another child got sick upon leaving - Eli this time. It was torture for him getting home but he made the 4/5 hour drive whining the whole time about his head and stomach and then went right to sleep once he got in his bed.
One last thing...we were packing the van to leave and started looking for Ian. We could hear his voice calling back to us but couldn't figure out where he was. When we found him he was in the unfinished basement using the potty (#2) - I laughed so hard I was crying all the way down the steps. I just knew we were going to have to scoop it out but thank goodness the plumping was working! He is a mess!
Memories...
1 comment:
Your blog is so appropriately named "Adventures with the Callendars"....cause theme parks & all that you did are huge adventures with small kids....loved the recount of it all.
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