Back To The Midwest!

This was our longest trip to Michigan yet. We spent 12 days soaking up the sun with Bubie, Grandpa, Uncle Nate, Aunt Marcie, and cousin Phoebe. This was Jake's first trip (out of utero that is) to Michigan. Like Wilken, he absolutely loved it and was in great spirits. For an outdoors kind of kid, what could be better than 2 trips to the beach each day, hiking, playing in the sand, and swimming? He even didn't mind getting into the chilly lake on occasion. Wilken swam multiple times each day and had his most active time yet at the Lake.He played with his older cousins Marian and Pearl, swam out to the first swim line by himself with them (which is shallow enough for standing), and participated in swimming lessons, tennis lessons, and arts and crafts throughout the time we were there.He also helped with building sandcastles with his daddy each day. It can be a bit cold entering the lake at first, but that never deterred him. He would even swim with his mommy and daddy's help to the first raft and jump off to his parents or Grandpa.

While in the cottage, he spent most of his time playing with cars, drawing, or reading books. Jake was a bit more adventurous with attempting to run into the water than his brother was at his age. He especially was interested in trying to get into the waves of Lake Michigan. By far, his favorite activity was pushing a little table around the cottage's slippery wooden floor with his cousin Phoebe. The kids all played very nicely with one another. While in Michigan, he took 5 steps!

Both boys loved the children's dance night at the Assembly house. Here is Jake clapping along with the music. With so many adults to share in the supervision of the kids, play time, and to have adult conversation with, it was another incredibly relaxing and wonderful trip for the entire family. Thanks so much again for everything Bubie and Grandpa!

Just a quick note for our own memory. Our trip home was quite the adventure. With 2 stop-overs (one in Chicago and one in San Francisco) it was already going to be a long night. We weren't due in until 11 p.m. San Diego time. Due to a long delay in Chicago, we missed our connecting flight in San Francisco. The airline would have provided a room in a hotel for us, but all of the hotels were booked in the city due to a convention. There wasn't one room to be had. Since we had arrived so late (after 10 pm), there were no other flights into San Diego until the morning. Our family of 4 spent the night in the airport. We were given some vouchers for food, several blankets, a couple of toiletry kits, and some extra diapers the airport services scrounged up for us. As well lay huddled together on top of blankets of the filthy carpet in a dark corner by an unused gate, the lights flipped on, airline staff opened the nearby door, and passengers from a delayed flight were unloaded right next to our heads. We felt like homeless people! Jake would only sleep if mommy was upright so she ended up holding him in the sling all night while trying to sleep in a chair. Every time the automated voice came on the loudspeaker to inform us of the terror level, he woke up and had to be walked around to be put back to sleep. It was also, absolutely freezing in that airport. What a night. Wilken and daddy got a bit of sleep. Overall the boys were fantastic. It was like a huge playground for them. We were finally able to get back to San Diego on a 9 a.m. flight the following morning.