Train {302}

Dear Miss Dinah,

I guess it's time to tell you another fun thing about this trip: our sleeping accommodations.

We have been sleeping in the band bus! That's right, we are the lucky ones who got this prime spot. Since the cousins house would be a little tight with us all in it, and many friends who live close by are having family come in, Mr. Skylar (who is in the band and in charge of the bus) drove it over and parked it in the cousins driveway.

And there we sleep.

It's actually pretty fancy. Daddy and I each get our own sleeping pods with curtains, and your pack n' play is set up in the aisle.  

 

 

We raked leaves this morning, and you and Emma vied for the three-wheeler.

 This afternoon we took the train to downtown Nashville with the cousins and their neighbors to walk around and get ice-cream to celebrate the neighbors' 4-yr old's birthday. Your favorite 'view' out the windows was the cars on the highway underpass. You love cars.

Daddy, Uncle Jeremiah, Aunt Julie

By the river...see you and Daddy all the way down there?

Back at the train depot. 6 children waiting for a train.

Sometimes, when you are getting tired, you 'fall and can't get up.'

Tonight we babysat for your cousins while their Daddy and Mamma went to a meeting. Miss Emma woke up right after they left and started bawling. You stood up in your crib (you were in here too then) and stared at her. Finally you started crying too, so we brought her out to the living room and cuddled her till she fell asleep. You have long since retired to the bus with Daddy, but she is still crashed out on the couch, though her parents are home now ;-)

I love you,

Mamma <3

Car(t)s {301}

Dear Miss Dinah,

This morning we went to the grocery store. At home, they have shopping carts where the place you sit had steering wheels, and the there is a cart attached to the front. Well, here in Tennessee, they have full sized shopping carts, and then a whole little child-sized car attached to the front! Now, as fun as this is -- and it is soooo much fun -- it is incredibly hard to steer. In the stuffing isle for instance, we knocked over a few cans.

So, the second time we went today, I decided to get a regular cart, which later I realized was probably a bad idea. Every time you saw another little child driving their car(t), you pointed and got very, very sad. I was explaining this to the check-out lady just as a car(t) pulled up behind us :-)

Aunt Julie had day-care duty today, so we went and played with the group for a little while. All the babies were about 1 yr. old and seem to get along well. Aunt Julie and Uncle Jeremiah go to a school where all of the students (about 120) are preparing to live overseas, and many of the students have young children. Needless to say, they get to know each other very well, almost like family, as they live, work, and study together day in and day out.

Most of the time, you just smile your little smile, and take it all in stride :-)

I love you,

Mamma <3

Arrival in Tennessee {300}

Dear Miss Dinah,

Traveled into 3 new states today in a matter of only about 6 hours...

Stopped for a fun lunch at Steak n' Shake.

 

You had a nice car ride. The first half you slept, the second half you read and played with your hands and feet. Good thing you always have those toys "handy..."  :-)

This afternoon we arrived at your cousins who were happy to see us.

A Sweet Daddy with 2 sweet girls.

Aunt Julie made her delicious green chile enchiladas for dinner which you gobbled up. Your cousin Micah read your Smitten book while you played with a few toys before crashing in your travel crib.

 

I love you, 

Mamma <3

3 Girls {299}

Dear Miss Dinah,

We stayed last night and tonight with some friends. Miss Zoe and Miss Eden -- or "Zo" and "Eeee" as you call them :-) Eden was born last September, so she is 3 months younger than you. We put your pack n' play in little Eden's room and you two had your first "slumber party." This morning we came in and you were in your beds, standing up (both of you) looking at each other, quietly, happily chattering.

Here are you and Zoe last year at a Thanksgiving parade...

And here are you and Eden last year with your daddies...

And here are the three of you this morning, running around in your jammies...

3 girls all ready for church...

And... 3 little monkeys jumping on the bed...

It has been so sweet to have the three of you little ones running about. Today, Zoe would say, "C'mon babies!" And the two of you would toddle along being her. Or if one of you brings me a book to read, soon the others are gathered around, and then the one who got the book out in the first place usually moves on to a new activity ;-)  It's sort of, a rotation...  Oh, and we have lots of shared snacks :)

I love you,

Mamma <3

Visiting Mimi and V {298}

Dear Miss Dinah,

We woke up at Sisi's this morning. Bright and early, Sisi was cooking eggs and you were having a relaxing time with Daddy.

Exploring the house ... here's something fun ...

Out in the backyard ...

4 hours down the road, visiting with Mimi and V -- your great grandparents! This will be the first time in many, many years that we won't be spending Thanksgiving with them, but we got to spend some precious time with them this afternoon. They were so glad to see you, it's been since last year.

I love you,

Mamma <3