Maddy, Mylee, and Mckynzee: Before the Storm

So what were we up to prior to the flu and the bed rest??? We were having weekend get-a-ways with our friends enjoying each other and the kids.

Trip to Indy

First was our trip to Indiana to visit with the Spindlers. Maddy was so excited to see Rylee, Jason was excited to help Brad with the basement, and I couldn't wait to see Brooke and spend a prego weekend together. We always have such a good time together and this trip was no exception. In fact, this time was better then the past few because Maddy and Rylee played so well together. We really just had to be around to make sure they weren't getting into anything they weren't supposed to. Other than that, they played really well together running around the house pushing the stroller and grocery cart, reading books together, and nurturing their baby dolls. In the past, we always had to be right there with them because Maddy would smother Rylee. Rylee was just too little to get away or defend herself, now she is getting old enough where she really only needs us to intervene 20% of the time. The other giant leap we made this weekend was Maddy's recognition of Brooke and Brad. She remembered them right away and just couldn't get enough of them. This is acutally pretty remarkable because Maddy is not lovey with too many people like that. She usually plays the shy or hard to get card. It took her no time to warm up to them. In fact, the first night she started out going to bed with Brooke rather than me and then at church on Sunday she sat with Brooke and Brad rather than Jason and I (we were a bit late and so we weren't able to sit together). Gotta say...she loves her godparents!

So what did we do? Well, Saturday the guys wanted to work on the electrical for the basement so Brooke and I decided to take the girls to the Children's Musuem in downtown Indianapolis. It was a blast. The girls could have stayed all day but with Brooke and I both being pregnant we were hungry and tired after chasing them around for about 3 hours. We actually kinda felt bad because we were rushing them through it a little bit. Funny story from lunch that day...Maddy was digging through her diaper bag looking for fruit snacks and I told her to just let me get them because I didn't want her making a mess. She said, "Momma, RELAX!" in a tone that was right in context. It was hilarious! Oh, anyway...here are some pictures from the museum.

Going down the slide

Riding in the indy car

Holding hands

Splashing in the water table

Digging in the sand

Rylee on the carousel

Maddy terrified on the carousel

Don't look so thrilled girls! Actually they both loved it and didn't want to leave. We had to stay and dance for a little while afterwards and then wave bye-bye to the horsees

Cleaning up

Washing their hair

The girls both fell asleep on the way home of course and transferred pretty good when we got back. So we called the guys up from the basement to play some euchre. (Girls 3 - Guys 2...yeah!) That night we had a great fajita dinner and a nice birthday surprise for me...ice cream cake. Yum! Thanks guys!

As I mentioned, Sunday we went to church and then came home for some yummy left overs...cake again too of course...I did mention two pregos didn't I. We then got on the road so that we could make it home in time for the Super Bowl. What a great weekend! We just love spending time with the Spindlers. Can't wait to see them again soon.

Trip to Chicago

The very next weekend we packed up and headed to Chicago to meet my high school friend Casey and her family at a hotel with a water park to spend some time together. We hadn't seen the VanCamps since Labor Day so it was long over due. They live by Green Bay, WI so Chicago seems to be a good meeting spot. Since it was the middle of winter we thought we would try out a hotel with a water park so that we had some good entertainment for the girls. It worked out perfect and the girls loved it. We unfortunately didn't get much cribbage in as sharing a hotel room left us with no other options then to nap while the girls were napping. Casey and I got a few games in while the dads were running around with the girls in the water. It was a great trip. Maddy and Ava got along great right from the start...great friends no doubt. We sure wish we lived closer to them because those two would love seeing more of each other. They are so similar its adorable! The girls got along so good they had no problem sleeping on the floor together in sleeping bags, which made it nice for us parents to not have to share our small double beds with them. We stuck around Sunday until after lunch so the girls could get a full day of the water park in before we had to leave. Plus we wanted as much time together as we could because it could be awhile before we get to see them again. I sure wish we lived closer. Thanks VanCamps for a great weekend.

Getting ready to get wet

Maddy going down the slide

Maddy and Ava take on the slide together

Maddy's landing on the bigger slide

Daddy and Maddy

My little girl looking so grown up to me here

Ava loved the hot tub

The girls holding hands while warming up in the hot tub

Waiting for their daddies to come down the big slides
(This was quite a highlight)

Can't get enough of these cute bottoms

Just as cute from the front

We don't want to go! You are going to have to pull us off of this pole...we aren't going anywhere!

Before we left, we shared some valentine and birthday cupcakes. It was the weekend after my birthday and the weekend before Casey's so it was a perfect excuse for dessert. (Like being pregnant isn't enough of an excuse.)