Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Missouri

Currently Eleanor and I are hanging out in Columbia with my brother.  Can you believe he has lived here three whole years and this is the first time I have been up to visit him?  When I visit Missouri I always feel pulled in so many different directions and have never made this a priority.  Finally on this trip I had the opportunity and I absolutely jumped at it. 
Yesterday he gave Stephanie, Eleanor and me a tour of Mizzou campus and downtown Columbia.  We hit up all the major hot spots including Shakespeare's Pizza where we met my high school friend Jami for dinner. 
Our daughters are just about a month apart so it was fun to get together.  Brynn is a chunky monkey like Eleanor and so, so cute!  I wish Jami and I lived close.  We have so much in common and I just love her adorable little family.  Her son Kolby was so into Eleanor.  He could not get enough of her.  He is a great big brother!
Before Columbia we stayed at Montauk State Park with my dad, aunt, cousin and sisters and brother.  And of course my adorable little niece. 
We had so much fun watching Eleanor and Kolbie play and get to know one another.  I even got to witness Kolbie learning how to sit on her very own.  It is so amazing to me these girls are just about a month apart.  I can't wait to watch them grow up!
We enjoyed tent camping our first night where I successfully slept with Eleanor in my arms.  The second night we had an amazing cabin at the State Park.  I stayed back to watch babies while the whole crew went canoeing on Sunday.  We knew rain was expected but it looked like it might snake around us.  Once the group was gone I noticed the sky turn dark and sure enough their entire float trip was met with crazy, torrential downpours.  They came back soaked and freezing after paddling a five hour float in just two and a half hours.  It is surely a float they won't soon forget.
Babies and sisters!  Love these ladies!
Eleanor chilling out with her Uncle Will
Kolbie is cheesing! 
Eleanor bonded with her Aunt Stephie this week.  We have spent so much quality time together!

Before the float trip Eleanor and I stayed several days in Perryville soaking up time with my mom, Eleanor's Oma. 
My mom is the best when it comes to babies.  She is a natural.  (Clearly she raised four kiddos of her own.)  Eleanor loved swimming with Oma while I enjoyed some "me time" swimming laps. 

I love the town of Perryville for many reasons, but one for Hoeckele's Bakery which we enjoyed two mornings in a row...one on National Donut Day of course.
Eleanor loved seeing Opa, aka G-dude at Hoeckele's for the first time on this trip.  I think his beard reminded her of her daddy.  

Another reason I love Perryville is because of its walkability.  Eleanor and I covered six miles one day just walking from the bakery to the park and all around town.  There are sidewalks on nearly every street.  Beyond walking, I also enjoyed a run with my friend Candice while in town. 
One of the best parts of our trip was watching my nephew play baseball on Thursday.  He is quite the hitter and Eleanor and Kolbie had fun playing in the grass together while we cheered Taylor on.
These two may just be the sweetest little babies ever.  I am sad that we won't see Kolbie for a while.  But Diana and I have both vowed to be together for each of their birthdays this year.  We've already set the dates so we can plan ahead. 
So now Eleanor and I are off.  Our trip has been so wonderful.  We have spent so much wonderful time with all the people we love.  But we are missing our #1.  We both cannot wait to see Alex tonight!  I feel pretty awesome that I survived having Eleanor by myself this week.  Of course I had a ton of help.  But I am so ready to have Alex back in our lives! 

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