Hank does Florida

It’s so funny how much things can change in just one year. This time in 2014, Stephanie & I were comparing our swollen pregnant cankles and resting our ice cream bowls on our bellies at what we deemed “Pregnancy Camp.”

On Sunday, June 7th, DW & I picked up Steph & Hank from the airport in Orlando. Steph has always flown in for a visit in the summer, but this was the first time she’d have extra cargo with her! ;) I held up a little sign I’d scribbled while waiting that said, “Welcome Hank!” Sure, we were super excited to see Steph, we always are, but HANK was coming to Florida for his FIRST visit!!!!

When we made it home, our three littles were all napping and Hank was a little out of sorts. He laid over on my mom and snuggled up with his great-aunt… we’re pretty sure this was because she looked like his MiMi or maybe he could just tell she was good people. Either way, mom enjoyed it! :) Like most, it takes him a minute to warm up to new surroundings and new people, but as soon as Tucker woke up he was good to go. It was precious.

With a lot of ground to cover and only four nights to do it in, we hit the ground running.

Monday, we lunched at Piesanos. It’s a fave, and since this was round 2 of Pregnancy camp (I’m predicting it’s a GIRL!) for Steph, she needed some of their rolls.

It’s Florida in June, so if you aren’t swimming, you’d better find something inside to do, so we hit the Florida Museum of Natural History.

That evening, after dinner, we took Hank on a little ride around the farm. We saw some cows, got up close and personal with the horses,

and let the wind blow through our hair…

Tractors, dumptrucks and all the big equipment in between…

It really is a little boy’s paradise…

We got Hank’s hands dirty and grease under his fingernails, so he had his first experience with GoJo hand cleaner.

Just another check mark on his man-list. ;)

The next day we headed to the beach for our last two nights together.

These two lived it up and I even went crazy and let Steph talk me into letting them ride in the germ-mobile at Publix. They loved it.

The boys turn 1 in August, just four days apart. Since we won’t get to be together for their first birthdays, we let them have a little pre-birthday practice on the beach with a smash cake.

They were wearing their matching monogrammed boxers. Too much.

We learned Tucker loves cake as much as he loves sand. Almost.

We had a great time on the beach, in the pool, and just being together…

 

 

Sadly, the fun came to an end on Thursday morning. We woke up bright and early, to head to the airport. We stopped halfway and had breakfast and dropped them off at 9:00. We hated to see them go. Tucker looked at the empty car seat beside him all the way home and I know wondered where his buddy had gone.

It was a lot of work and effort on both parts (especially poor Steph & Hank who had 7 hours of delays on their flight home!) for us to get together and have such a fun visit (not to mention our overly understanding husbands, who “get” that we need to see each other at least once a year) – but I wouldn’t trade our times together for anything. Steph is closer than a sister to me and I want my children to know and love her and I want her children to know and love me. I want them to all grow up knowing and loving each other. That closeness doesn’t just happen overnight and just because we want it to. It comes from putting in the work. I’m glad that we’ve always both seen it as worth it. We’ve already said though, that next visit our moms (Grammy & MiMi) might have to come, too, to help with all these kids (especially since we’ll have another one to add to the mix next summer!) Ha…

I’m so thankful for their visit and the memories we made.

~amw~