Ohio

Way back in August, Evan, Kyle, Aiden and I took a week long vacation (*sigh*). Although anyone with children know that it is not really a vacation, but ours sure felt like one. Our best friends, Chris, Teresa, Halle (& as of the 6th baby Miles) were our fabulous hosts. We came to see them and to see THE Ohio State University where Chris is getting his ph.d. and Evan is thinking of going next year after finishing his associates.

I'm totally going to skip over the flying. My friend Ami said that it is never as bad as you imagined----WRONG! We weren't allowed to sit in the same row because we both had lap children and that put us over the limit on oxygen masks. Kyle never wanted the parent he was with or any of the things that we brought to keep him busy. A four week old baby does fit on the tray table when trying to change a blowout poopy diaper minutes before taxing to the runway. And never fear, you can traumatize a young teenage girl when you have to breastfeed your baby with your boob inches from her. Or how about, I only got two hours of sleep the night we left because we had to BE at the airport at 5:30 am--good morning 3:30 alarm.

The first few days we were there, Chris was off at a conference in Montreal. So the rest of us went to the Columbus Zoo. Awesome. This is the petting zoo--a little lame, only goats. But Kyle liked it.


The aquarium where you can touch all sorts of things.


See I was there, and so was Aiden. Kyle and Halle are such good friends. Kyle can actually look at this picture and tell you everyone in it. He loves to point out Teresa.


Halle got to ride on the carousel. Because Kyle spilled his apple juice all over himself and his stroller (sippy cup malfunction) and was without clothes so he was not allowed to go.


On Tuesday, we went bowling. A first for Kyle (he also played with play dough for the first time in Ohio. I'm such a bad mother). They make you pay the full $8 something for a child at this bowling alley. Very lame.



This was Aiden's experience of bowling.


We got to play with bumpers because of the kids. I got the high score of my life and Teresa did too. Evan did a lot of trash talking, but I beat him. Hahaha. Teresa quietly beat us all.


Wednesday, after Chris was back, we all went to a nearby lake. It was so warm and lovely. Kyle had never been to a zero entry body of water. He loved it. Mostly he stayed and played in the sand and his new word that day was "bucket." There were little fishes that kept bumping in to me and swimming around my legs. It was cut short before I could put Aiden's feet in the water by a lighting and rain storm.


This was Aiden's experience of the lake.


Thursday was our on-campus day. We saw the campus with Chris as a tour guide on Wednesday night, but we did all the advisor and such on Thursday. This is Evan with THE Ohio State University mascot. He told me I was horrible when I forced him to get this picture just like the other teenagers viewing the campus with their parents. I then promptly refused to do the same.


Friday we came home. It was really sad to leave. I love vacation. I love flying--not with lap kids though. But at least coming home was better, we had Chris and Teresa's help, a little more experience, and we sat across the aisle from each other (thanks Mom for that advice). It was such a lovely trip. Thanks for having us, Chris & Teresa. Sorry, Halle, about Kyle biting you twice on the last day, I swear that was a fluke.

P.S. When Chris and Teresa were here, Teresa told Halle she was coming to see Kyle. She said, "My friend, Kyle. Bite me." So much for kids forgetting. :)