Wisconsin 2010

Last Wednesday, at about 8pm, I decided the kids and I

needed to get our mom/grandma fix before the summer

was over, so early the next morning,

our 8 hour trek across the Midwest began.

There's nothing better than an unplanned roadtrip.

Pure excitement all around.

We didn't get our annual camping trip with grandma this year,

due to a roadtrip to Texas by my mom to support a very

good friend's husband's unexpected passing,

but even in our short unexpected trip,

Aiden still experienced a lot of new firsts.

He played in the rain,

went to his first amusement park, Bay Beach,

which is very old school,

(so were there .25 cents-a-ride prices)

and

saw his first Ferris Wheel.

He rode many fun rides like the boats, airplanes, trains,

and BUGS, which he requested each by name,

and of course, we couldn't pass by

the race cars, which he asked for the "pahle ar".

He rode a carousel, all.by.himself (such a big boy)

where we saw another little boy with bilateral CIs,

but weren't quick enough off the ride to stop them

to say hello.

He got to sing Happy Birthday to his 81 year "young"

great-grandma, whom I am VERY close to and LOVE

the fact that her and Aiden's great-grandpa get to see the miracle CIs

provide him, whom they were very

concerned about, but now can't get over just how

well he HEARS and TALKS.

Something they never dreamed of.

Not necessarily a first, but still too cute -

getting into mischief with his second-cousin as they

scoped out the glass bowl of m&m's, pulled them

off the counter and munched up handfuls

before an adult stepped in and stopped the sugar fest.

Always fun at Uncle Mike's and Aunt Jane's house!

(where he had his first ride on a riding lawn mower,

and at the end would yell, "YAYYY")

He even had some firsts with language.

"gampa" and something I couldn't even try to spell out

for grandma, but he definitely tried.

"tan tu" (thank you) out of nowhere and all.the.time.

Before this trip it was all sort of a humming.

Another summer, another trip to my stomping grounds.

A place where I feel at home, and my kids do too.

Full of laughter, love, and new experiences.

Full of GRANDMA, for all of us.

and I just love every.single.bit.of.it.