Visit to North Carolina

We had a really fantastic vacation to North Carolina!  Chris' dad and stepmom opened their home to us and made us feel very welcomed and very comfortable.  They made space for us to spread over 2 rooms and allowed us to leave all our baby gear everywhere.  They even seemed to enjoy the chaos we brought!  We can't thank them enough for their generosity and for making our visit feel like a true vacation!

The travel day out was really tough, but we made it.  Cooper slept on the first flight and Charlotte had a melt down, while Charlotte slept on the second flight and Cooper had a melt down.  Then during the 3.5 hour drive to Newport from Raleigh, Cooper had another 20 min meltdown so we had to pull over.  Both were exhausted when we arrived.

The next morning the kids got up late at 9 pm (actually early on CA time) so it was nice to sleep in.  They did okay with the time change overall, but we only let them slide it about 1.5 hours instead of the full 3 hours.  Charlotte warmed up to Grandpa almost immediately, but it took a couple days for Grandma.  Cooper tolerated everyone initially and finally warmed up, but he was too busy discovering everything in the non-child proofed house to worry much about the people in the house.

Grandpa built the kids each a booster seat and Auntie Lee painted them.  They were really amazing and a big hit with the kids!  They used them as chairs to watch TV as well as booster seats to eat their meals or to play with play-doh at the kitchen table.  Grandma and Grandpa looked up the schedule for Handy Manny so here are the kids enjoying their afternoon TV and snacks right before nap time.    

Cooper and I got sick during vacation, but only a slight cold with coughing, runny noses and sneezing.  Charlotte got sick right as we got home.  Chris still hasn't gotten sick.  I hate the germy airplanes!

We did lots of things while we were visiting.  We took the kids to the a couple different parks a few times.  I was too busy chasing them around to take pictures and Chris forgot the camera, so you'll have to take my word for it!  The kids loved the parks and Cooper especially loved climbing on everything.  Charlotte pretty much sat in the swing the entire time.

We went to breakfast one morning and Charlotte ate a TON of food, while Cooper pretended to be a bird and pick at his food.  Charlotte made me look like a liar on the blog because she suddenly started talking during vacation (and Cooper too!).  She now says yes, yeah, I do, shoes, cracker, thank you, night night, and probably several more that I'm forgetting.  None of them are clear words, but they are clear enough for you to understand what she is saying.  Cooper says night night, cracker, dog, cat, daddy, diaper, Scout, and a few other words.  His words are not quite the full word though (dah for dog, cah for cat, daaaa for daddy, cacka for cracker).

We also took the kids to the duck pond with Auntie Lee and cousin Ginnie.  Cooper loved chasing the ducks all over and Charlotte enjoyed eating the bread herself.  It was cute to watch them, but it was tough managing both of them near the street, near water, and attempting to take pictures.  Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Auntie Lee brought over Ginnie's old toy cars.  The kids LOVED them, especially since one was a motorized car.  They didn't quite understand the gas pedal so one of the adults would use a broom and stand behind them to push on the gas pedal. 

Cooper attempted to sweep Grandma and Grandpa's lawn

Cooper was enthralled with Ginnie's bicycle and kept wanting to sit on it and ride it.  He even wanted to put the helmet on.  I think it's time to get him a bike or a tricycle (although he might outgrow a tricycle really fast).  I love how appropriate his shirt is for this picture:  "Gas is over rated" and it has a tricycle on it.

Ginnie had tons of play doh at the house so we got it out to play with it.  The kids haven't done play doh yet but them seemed to love it.  Charlotte just wanted to take it and put it back in the containers, while Cooper just wanted to eat it.

Notice her feet propped on the table.  This is how she wanted to eat dinner too!

Cooper trying play-doh and me telling him not to eat it.

I think my face is hilarious in this picture   Charlotte also loves to whisper now.  She says 'shh', pa-pa, while we whisper in her ear.  So cute!

Chris requested a pig pickin' while we were visiting and the grandparents made it happen!  We had a really great time hanging out and the food was so, so good!  Enjoy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Grandma and Grandpa took the kids shopping for a few hours while Chris and I enjoyed some time alone.  It was great to get out and feel like we were on a true vacation without the kids, even if it was only for a few hours.  We went to Fort Macon and arrived just in time for a fashion show and a re-enactment.  It was a fun hour.  Then we went to lunch and had a really great piece of very large pizza.  Then we went to a bookstore since I finished the book I brought with me.  We had a really great time.  Enjoy the pics!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We really had a wonderful time.  Here are some pictures of everyone, the kids with the grandparents (all pictures were overexposed so I turned them to black and white), and 3 generations of Derichsweiler's.

We left on Tuesday before nap time to drive back to Raleigh so we could split up the driving and flying days.  We stayed at a very nice hotel in a 2 bedroom suite and I think we all had the best night's sleep the entire vacation.  Probably because we had our own quiet space and black out shades!  We went to Chapel Hill to have dinner.  Chris was in heaven with all the Tarheels stuff around--even the fire trucks are Carolina blue!  We were going to go to Carolina Brewery for dinner because we love those types of places but when we got there and realized it was very much a college town and local hang out place, we opted for a more family friendly Noodles 'n Company.

The kids loved the closet doors at the hotel but it made us worry about smashed fingers.

Cooper ordering room service (we unplugged all the phones).

Charlotte giving Cooper's lovey some loves.

Phones are lots of fun!

How do you turn this thing on.

That one, that one, we want to watch that one!

This picture cracks me up because the Adults Only choice is on the TV.

Cooper enjoying the king size bed (see the Handy Manny blankets the grandparents bought the kids!)

Smart girl Charlotte--our little reader!

Cooper being silly with the glasses and Charlotte super upset because it's not her turn.

We are working on  getting the kids back to their normal routine and to the local time, but it feels great to be home.  I'll be off work for another week and half before going back to work and it's so nice to have a vacation from vacation!