4th of July Weekend

This year, we had a fantastically long weekend for the 4th. My company gives us the day before big holidays as a half day, so I got Thursday - Friday and I took Monday - Tuesday off because K&M were visiting. We had an amazingly full and fun weekend! *I preface that with M is also working on at least 10 teeth (that I can see) right now and we are using a lot of Hylands baby teething tablets and occasional Ibuprofen. Naps are funky, schedules are off, and M just in general isn't herself. 

Thursday - My director came over and dropped off an old play house for M! His kids have outgrown it (he took it down when they started attempting to fly off the roof) and M is the perfect age for a pretend house. We cleared out what used to be the man-land and created an almost baby friendly zone.  

Fuzzy - almost baby friendly zone

Friday (the 4th) was BEAUTIFUL. Since the weather was cooperating, we decided to go to the zoo in the early morning. M wasn't too interested in the animals (they were really too far away for her to see) except the prairie dogs, which came right up to the glass. She instead found a little play area and we spent an hour in it.

Playhouse at the Zoo

Tunnel at the Zoo

Checking out Turtles with Dad

Friday night we went over to a friends house to cookout, let kids play and watch their amazing neighborhood fireworks display. M conked out around 7 but woke up at 9:30 just in time! Most kids are scared of the fireworks, but not this little monkey. She waved and clapped and was running down the street toward them!

M & Mom watching fireworks

Saturday was pretty low key, K&M got in around 4 so we went to my parents for dinner. Then M went to bed and we played a game called "everyone makes a round of shots" and the only rule was... wait there were no rules. We finished 17 ROUNDS of shots (not all completely full of alcohol mind you). The grossest included pickle juice, and a close runner up included coffee creamer. 

Making drinks

Sunday we hit up a  local splash pad for M to play in. It wore her out. 

Monday we left M with my mom and the 4 of us hit up Dollywood - which I haven't done in 10 years. Amusement parks are NOT my thing. Not because of the rides, no I love those. Because of the fake atmosphere. The pretending. I don't like it. However, D-wood has some pretty great coasters so we spent 6 hours getting flipped upside down and around and whatever else they did to our insides. We came home exhausted but happy. And I got to spend a whole day with two people whom I love and don't get to see often enough! I'll cry when they leave. (Not until I get home though.. in my house. N will hug me and tell me its okay, cause he's awesome like that)

Dollywood!

Tuesday - we hung out at home, M played in her newly cleaned and baby-friendly play room, and we watched Ze Germans slaughter the Brazilians in the World Cup. M got some quality play time in with her Uncle K and we just spent some time together.  

Confession - something that always makes me cry is thinking about how M will grow up and not know K&M as well as I would like. That happens when you live so far away, but we're going to do the best we can. So, I treasure these visits so very very much. Hopefully M will grow up with fantastic memories of all the trips and events we get to do together, and appreciate them as much as I do :) 

And just because it's cute:

Peek-a-boo!

All in all this was a pretty fantastic holiday weekend :)