"We're Back!!!" (Vacation Part Two - Virginia)

Summer Vacation, continued... on to Vienna, Virginia!

Sandra, Trevor, Jack Everett and I enjoyed Mexican food in Virginia Friday night before heading to see their new home for the first time. It's so cute, and as they showed me around, I remembered the bliss of newlywed life, new home ownership, and the overall sense of possibility and excitement for the future. I am so excited for both of them, and it really made me wish Jeff was with us. I just realized I didn't take any pictures of the house - except this cute one of Jack on the back balcony.

Sandra found out there was a carnival within walking distance of her house, so we decided to check it out the next morning. It turned out to be AWESOME. It was called "!Viva Vienna!" and we had a great time! Jack Everett was just tall enough to ride dozens of rides and we got him an all-day arm band for $30.00. It was the best $30 bucks I have spent in a long time!



We started off with the slow train, unsure how he would feel about riding by himself. After one unsure lap on the track, he was okay with it, and had a total blast for the rest of the day. I was proud of myself, and even surprised Sandra a little. I let go of all inhibitions about him riding alone, all fears about germs, about rickety carnival rides, and about sanitation, as Jack and I even used a porta-potty three times. Yep. I have come a long way. Jack seemed to feel such esteem by my trust in him to wait in line, ride by himself, and come out of the rides like a big boy. He really is growing up, and the truth is, in a couple of months he will have no choice but to do many things by himself. I was so proud of him, and proud of myself too.

Here are some pics from some of his favorite carnival rides:



Time for the Ferris Wheel! I was way too pregnant to ride (and needed to take pictures...) so Sandra and Trevor rode with him. It was so cute, and he was not at all afraid! We discussed it later, and Jeff definitely would NOT have let him ride this Ferris wheel.



It was quite unnerving seeing him at the top of this thing!



Sandra and Trevor decided to ride the "Cliffhanger." It was a crazy ride where you are hang gliding in circles on your belly. They said afterwards that they actually feared for their lives on this ride.



No vacation with a 3-yr-old boy is complete without a story involving pee-pee. Throughout the day at the carnival, I actually let Jack climb in and out of a "Germ Gym" as Emily calls them. It's a toddler fun house of sorts where they go through a plastic maze, into the plastic ball pit, up a cargo net, across a bridge, then down a red slide. Kid after kid after kid went through this Germ Gym and came out, covered in static flying down this red slide. So, at the end of the evening, he came down the slide, and sat at the bottom for an unusually long time. I snapped this photo before realizing that he was sitting there peeing at the bottom of the slide, thus the wet shorts and concerned look on his face. So, after I stood him up, a little boy splashed through the puddle. I could hardly look at his Dad's face when I told him why his son's back was all wet. I felt terrible.

So there I am, bent over the slide, calling out to the ride operator/ticket taker to stop the kids from coming down. The next boy comes down FACE FIRST and I stop him with my arm just before he gets wet. One, two, three kids come down, all piling up behind this poor kid who is suspended face first over the puddle. FINALLY, someone dries it all up (no clorox or soap) and the backed up channel of kids can come down. The ride continues. Kid after kid used that same slide for the rest of the weekend. So, again, it is confirmed that those play lands are absolutely disgusting.

It was such a great day! He was worn out by the end of the day, and so were we. The weather was so pleasant. That same carnival would have been miserably hot in San Antonio. That night we played UNO, did a Transformers puzzle, and Jack entertained us until bedtime.

The next morning, I cried as I walked into the airport to return home. I cried, knowing Sandra would not be there when my baby boy was born and that made me sad.



Jack loved the moving walkway at the Chicago airport during our 3-hour layover. We rode it at least ten times - each way, walking in circles. He never tried to run, and never tried to pass anyone. It was hilarious.

After 8 1/2 hours of travelling, it was great to finally be home and it was so good to see Jeff. I was thrilled when Mom offered to keep Jack Everett for me the next day (all day) while I unpacked and recovered.

When he got up that next morning, he came out of his room with his Spiderman pajamas and his crab hat on. It's sure good to be back.

To see all pics from Vacation Part Two, click here!