Sophie’s First Trip and First Thanksgiving
What a wonderful and fun weekend we had with Brandi and Mark!! I was nervous about making the 6-7 hour car ride with the kids, but couldn’t be more proud of them than I am. They were so good!! Did someone steal my kids?! I mean seriously. I would never have expected this.
DEPARTING- WEDNESDAY
We started the trip Wednesday around 12. Of course we were aiming for 8-9am, but unexpected plans the night before and, of course, the normal delays in getting out the door kept us from leaving on time. Both kids feel asleep in the first hour, slept for a couple of hours. Then Jack woke up and I spent some time with him playing Old MacDonald (which animal is which?) on the iphone and watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. We had one quick rest area stop and a stop at Wendys for a snack. Not too bad. We made it to Brandi’s around 7pm and had some pizza with them. We slept in twin beds, Jack with Tom and Sophie with Mom. We had a pack and play, but of course, the kids wake up and want to be with us. So into Tom’s bed Jack goes. I wake up in the middle of the night and Jack is on the floor crying. Great. He rolled off. How could tom possible let this happen?! I put him in bed with me, and Sophie Bear, and hang onto dear life in the 2 inches I have. Try to sleep. Next thing I know jack is not in bed. Crap. I hear him next to the bed. I reach under the bed and feel a leg. I pull him out and he is holding a hula hoop. Really?! Oh geez. Back into bed he comes. The next night we will push together the twins… J Thanksgiving
The next day Brandi showed us around Staunton, which is a beautiful town. It was sunny and almost 60, so she took us to a great little park. Jack slid down the slides, Sophie swung and Jack fed the ducks and noticed every dog in the park. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner prepared by Brandi, Mark and Josh. We snacked a little and then dinner was at 6ish. This was Sophie’s first Thanksgiving! She was moving around in her walker and snacking on baby food sweet potatoes. I let her try some real sweet potatoes too! She loved them! The kids were very good, considering all Jack wanted to do was watch Mickey. 
FRIDAY
On Friday, we got up and went to Monticello. We arrived around 11 and our tour was not until 110pm. So we walked up the trail (.8 miles upward 200 feet, nice suggestion Tom!) and it was very warm, 70 degrees. It was a beautiful day. No coats needed and sunshine. Absolutely perfect. Jack wandered around the vineyard and gardens and ran around wearing himself out. By the time the tour started, he was exhausted (and so was Sophie). Sophie nursed briefly and passed out in her sling (seriously, I love this sling) and Jack passed out in Tom’s arms. We did the whole hour tour with two sleeping babies in our arms. Good thing there were a couple of chairs to sit in. J Afterwards, we went to the café to have snacks and bought some souvenirs. We got tshirts, a magnet (which I still have yet to see since we made it home…), a Thomas Jefferson book for Jack and a picture for the wall. Jack was not allowed to have the cute bunny puppet. Come on dad, it was ONLY 22 dollars. J For the record, I said he could have it. Jack wasn’t eating much by now and seemed chilled. I knew he was starting to get a fever. We drove through Charlottesville and the University of VA. Tom would love for Jack to go there and it was a beautiful campus. When we got home Tom went out and bought a thermometer. Jack had a fever of 103.6!! Yikes! Guess dinner plans are off, leftovers it is. Good thing they were delish leftovers! J I called the pediatrician since we had never had a fever this high! Just fluids and monitor… and it started to come down. 
SATURDAY
On Saturday, Jack didn’t want to do the trolley tour (which was awesome!) and didn’t want to eat at the lunch café. Such a shame because it was the most beautiful and cute little town. He wasn’t feeling well and had a fever. Totally fair. The meds were helping, but I know he didn’t feel good. It was a nice day and some fresh air is always good for him, but he still was sick. I could have explored it all afternoon and shopped in the little shops. The kids were too young… and impossible with two. Next time. There are a million cute little restaurants that I am dying to try. Again, fun for another time. Just couldn’t do with the kids. We left around 530pm and we were home around 1130. Jack watched about 5 hours of Mickey Mouse on the iphone and Sophie Bear slept the whole time. It was actually a breeze. I can’t believe Jack stayed up the whole trip! When we got home, jack had a fever of 103 under the arm. Yikes again. Meds. Bath. Bed. He was in bed by 1am. Agh. But the fever went down… then it was in the 100s by Sunday and gone by Monday. His appetite was down Monday/Tues but came back yesterday. His schedule returned yesterday. I was so proud of the kids. I would never have thought this trip was possible. And they were so good. Makes me want to plan another one… I am getting brave and considering Orlando. J
Sophie- 5 months
Sophie is growing out of her 6 months clothes and her legs seem long. She suddenly seems big. Somehow I need to make it one more month in these 6 month clothes so that she can get 9 month clothes for xmas.. She laughs when we tickle her. She eats all kinds of baby foods and loves it! She would eat more if we would let her. Her little bird mouth opens whenever she sees food. She really wants whatever Tom and I are eating. She was trying to eat pasta and a slurpie recently. She smiles all the time. We hit a huge milestone this weekend at Grandma Reda’s 75th birthday at Red Lobster. Sophie was passed around at dinner and (gasp!!!) let other people hold her!!!!!!! Yes. Other people – like my mom, Gigi and Aunt Lisa were all allowed to hold her. Yippee Soph! Your getting so big. No teeth, but lots of drooling. Jack – 19.5 months
Jack is growing fast too. He has a few new words. Poop, which he will happily point out to us. Wow. Which the first time he said he repeated after Tom. I was changing Jack’s diaper and it was so stinky that Tom said, WOW. And then Jack repeated. It was hilarious. He also says Ooo Weee. And Go Away. Go Away is so clear and funny. He said it to Santa’s helper last night. He gave Santa a high five and waved bye bye. Jack was very interested in the trucks and bridges on the trip. He loves xmas lights and always points them out to us with a “hee hee!!!”. He also was pretty impressed with Papa’s music CD and seemed to recognize Papa. When it was on he was happy, between songs, he was mad. Try explaining tracks to a 1 year old. He is pretty caught up on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse right now. That is the next habit to break.
