Pure Michigan

Whew, where to begin?!!  What a week we had!  Patrick and I took a vacay up to Michigan to visit our buddies Ryan, Tiff, and Huck--Tiff and I played softball together in college, and we ended up having little boys about 6 weeks apart from each other!  She's a cloth diaper lovin' mama too and a blogger over at tlovesr.com.  We talked a while ago about us coming up there this summer, and we decided to pull the trigger and actually go!  Mike unfortunately couldn't make it--since he got a new position with the police department, he had training and couldn't get off...so Patrick and I ventured the 8 hours by ourselves up to visit our buddies!

Oh boy, what a fun week it was!  I should first preface that I was a wittle bit worried about how Patrick would do on the 8 hour drive...with just me.  Patrick hasn't ever ridden in a car for more than 2 hours, so I was just a tad concerned how he'd do for EIGHT.  Well, after successfully getting up to Michigan and back (it took us about 8 hours each way), I can say he is an amazingly awesome ROCK STAR ROAD TRIPPER!  This kid is amazing: he literally had Walter (his Muppet toy), his cloth diaper, and his Aden and Anais blanket and THAT'S IT--for the entire trip.  He was awesome.  Both ways he took about an hour nap after we left, then another hour and a half nap after lunch.  Dude is a trooper!  It made for a much easier and pleasant ride up there and back...and makes me definitely confident to take him on a road trip anywhere--by myself or with Mike!

Anyways, whew, what a week!  I took a TON--I mean A TON--of pictures.  I'm going to really try and not completely overwhelm this post with pics...a lot of them you can view on my photography blog.

I should add that Huck lives on a farm...and it was GORGEOUS.  I mean, LOOK AT THIS VIEW!!  It was incredible.

When we got there Monday night we had an awesome steak dinner, the boys had some intense playtime (I love the "hugs" Huck likes to give--Patrick wasn't as sure about them.  Whatever, I thought they were adorable how he ran up to give his new little friend a squeeze!! So cute!), and then headed to bed.  Now, I'll admit, along with the 8 hour car ride, I was a tad worried about how Patrick would do sleeping in a new place.  He's spent the night away before, but only at his grandparents, who he's use to.  He's never slept anywhere else!  Well, of course, I worried for no reason: he did AWESOME!  A good 11-12 hours a sleep each night!  Way to go buddy!

On Tuesday, after the boys got up and had breakfast, we headed to Toledo to go to the Imagination Station.  This place was great!  The boys had a great time running around and playing with all of the toys and equipment, and then ended our visit playing in the water table, where they both got soaked.  And yes, we totally matched our kids.  We're those moms.

I love his face here--totally, "leave me alone mom and let me play!"

We then headed back to the farm for a nap (for Huck, and just rest time for Patrick since he was boycotting his nap that day), and then we had a little impromptu photo shoot with the boys.  OMG.  These pics.  I cannot pick a favorite--I love them so much!!  I'm definitely going to get some of them framed!  Here's a few...the rest you can see HERE. 

After our little photo shoot, we then headed up to Squishy Tushy (eeeeekkk! the local cloth diaper store!  I actually needed something--a new Snappi for Patrick's dipes cause I broke the one I brought, but of course, I left with a cute new (and apparently a hard to find! score!) Alice in Wonderland themed dipe too :) and then to the park to play.  By the time we got home I think both boys (and their mamas!) were tuckered out!

On Wednesday, we first picked out matching outfits for our kiddos--favorite baseball team day!  I think it turned out pretty well.

We then headed to Greenfield Village--kinda like a Colonial Williamsburg, but set more in the industrial revolution (1850s) era.  It was awesome!  It was a gorgeous day, and Tiff and I loved walking around and seeing all of the history that the Village had to offer.  Yes, we probably would have seen a ton more had we not had two 1-year-olds (and strollers, and a ton of baby gear!) in tow, but with our "baggage" we had, I think we saw a good amount!  Plus, we wouldn't have gotten these adorable pics of the boys now, would we?!!

The boys had a really great time--we knew this because they 1. didn't fall asleep AT the Village--too much to look at!  2. they fell asleep before we even made it to to the interstate!  They got to both ride the carousel, which they both loved.

I was way more excited for his first carousel ride than he was.

Wednesday night, I was TIREDDDDD.  I don't know if it was because we were outside all day or what, but I was pooped!  So we just hung out at the farm on Wednesday evening, which was great, because I was able to have a little photo shoot with the Terrys!  Wow, I would love to bottle their farm and keep it for future photo shoot locations!  How gorgeous is it?!!  Here's a few pics from their shoot...you can see the rest HERE.

On our last full day with the Terrys, we decided to go to the Splash Pad (pool) in their town and have a chill day.  Oh boy, this was fun!  I wish we had a splash pad here in STL (heck, maybe we do and I just don't know about it! hah!).  The boys LOVED playing in the water and running around the huge pad area.  I'm glad I remembered to bring my underwater camera so I could capture some of these pics--side note: if you don't have an underwater camera, get one!  I love having it and have captured some awesome water/pool pics with it!  (Yeah, I know I could get a lifeproof case for my iPhone, but I won't--it makes me too nervous and I just don't trust it...)

I want to make note that for the first time ever, Patrick pooped (AHHHHH!!!) at the pool.  Luckily he was wearing his awesome Applecheeks swim diaper and it caught it all!  Yes, totally disgusting, but I'm sooooo glad his swim diaper did EXACTLY what it was suppose to do!  And, after a quick dunk and soak and then wash, it's as good as new and you can't even tell it had ickiness in it!  WIN!  

After naps on Thursday (Patrick slept THREE hours! woo hoo!), we headed up to the festival in town for dinner and to look around.  Without going into too much detail, it definitely had some excellent people watching :)  There were some colorful characters there to say the least--especially those who were operating the fair rides!

Patrick and Huck had a great time playing on the playground before we headed back home.  These kids could slide and swing forever I think.

When we got back, the boys each got a bath, and then turned in for the night.  My goal, since we were planning on leaving around 6am STL time, was to go to bed early so I wouldn't be tired on the drive on Friday.  WRONGGGGG.  I tried to go to bed BEFORE Patrick was asleep (we were sleeping in the same room--he was in the Pack and Play and I was in a bed) and this was a major fail.  The other nights he was asleep when I came in, but not Thursday.  He would NOT go to sleep knowing I was there!  After an hour and a half of letting him "talk it out", I caved, and put him in bed with me...something I vowed I'd NEVER do!  But, I needed to get some sleep (and so did he!), so I let him snuggle with me just until he fell asleep (which was about 5 minutes after I grabbed him) and then put him back in the Pack and Play.  As my mom told me, we were on vacay, so rules don't apply!  Haha!

A couple random notes from this week as well...so I don't leave them out (cause I can't remember chronologically where they fall...mommy brain!).  Tiff got Patrick and Huck matching jammies!  OMG.  I die.  So cute.  He will be wearing these ALL THE TIME!!  Thanks Tiff!

Since Tiff puts Huck's bum in cloth, we naturally had A LOT to talk about all week.  I can't tell you how many of our conversations revolved around cloth diapers!  HAHA!  I loved it though.  I love talking cloth, and it was great to spend a week with another mama and friend who loves cloth as much as I do--heck, she might love it even more!  With that said, we got to wash our dipes AND hang them to dry ON A REAL CLOTHESLINE!  This made me super happy :)

No real story behind this pic, other than cuteness.  We moved Patrick's carseat into Tiff's car for the week and the boys had a grand ol' time chatting together in the backseat while us mamas chatted away in the front.

Patrick cheated on Scooter.  The Terrys have a little white Westie named Wrigley and Patrick LOVED him.  It was so darn cute.  I think Scooter could tell when we got back that Patrick had "cheated".  Hehehehe!

And finally, Patrick discovered my hair.  He now loves to yank on it.  Oyyyyy.  Maybe it's time for a big chop again soon.  Less to pull.

All in all we had a fantastic trip to see the Terrys--I know Patrick had a blast and LOVED getting some playtime in with another kiddo his age!  I hope Tiff, Ryan, and Huck all had a good time with us visiting...cause we'd love to come back!  And we hope they come to STL to visit sometime too!  I hope Huck and Patrick will be lifelong friends, even if they are a few states away.