Trains, and Spoiling, and Nana... Oh My!

"Is she here yet?"

I can't remember how many times my boys asked me that on Thursday. They knew Nana was on her way to visit, and even though I told them she would drive all day and get here around dinner time, they still asked over and over if she was "almost to our house yet?"

Nana made the long drive to spend time with us over a quick weekend visit. Thankfully she avoided the snow coming down and was able to enjoy sunny skies and warmer temps while here.

The boys got busy playing games with Nana as soon as she arrived, and Annalyse got busy being held and rocked and kissed as soon as Nana arrived.

Nana came with belated birthday gifts for Micah, which he was more than anxious to tear into. I told him he needed to wait until Dad got home from work and I'm sure that hour wait seemed infinitely long to him. He held his gifts. He shook his gifts. He tried to pry open a corner of the paper on his gifts. Sigh... so hard to be patient when there are packages just for you!

Annalyse was comfy-cozy and took a short snooze... while Micah waited oh-so-patiently with his gifts in hand for Daddy to come home.

Finally! The sound of the garage door opening sent Micah hightailing it to the back door to yell, "Hurry Dad! It's time for me to open my presents!"

Lots of Thomas the Train track and accessories and a new Mack Truck from Cars. What more could a little boy ask for?

And, sweet Aunt Sarah could not let an opportunity pass when she came across a Baby Belle costume. She bought and wrapped it and sent it down with Nana. Annalyse has her first princess gown and, judging by the look on her face, isn't quite sure what to think about all the fluff and lace and tule.

Grady Lee's cousin, Alaina, didn't want him to feel left out when Micah opened his gifts so she decorated a card and included a whopping two dollars! I think my kid has more cash on hand than I do right now.

Ooooo, guess what? Nana also had belated Christmas gifts! Both boys were able to rip open more gifts and litter the living room all over again!

Next to impossible to get a picture of their faces... simply too fast and furious to open each gift.

When gifts were opened it was time to start playing with everything - no time to waste! So, even though Nana had driven all day, she got down on the floor and helped make the biggest and baddest Thomas the Train track you ever did see.

Although I didn't get any pictures (I think I was occupied with Annalyse... gotta blame it on someone), there was train track going every way possible all throughout the dining room. Stations, tunnels, bridges - you name it.

And, speaking of trains, Nana, the kids, and I took the train to Uptown to visit Grady for lunch and to spend some time at Imagine On. The boys didn't disappoint in their ecstatic enthusiasm when they found out we were going "to ride the train to the tall buildings and see Daddy!"

Although this sweet girl didn't make a peep the entire ride there, I'm sure she was just as excited about riding the train, too.

We met up with Grady and he led the way to a fun choose-your-own-toppings-for-a-personal-pizza place to eat. Even though the walk from the train to lunch place was just a few blocks, there was still some adventure and drama.

Yes, it was my child that intentionally kicked a cane collection a sweet homeless man had on the bus stop bench. Yes, it was my child that went ballistic when his mitten fell off and landed in the street. Yes, it was my child that insisted on stomping in every snow pile or or ice patch he discovered. Yes, it was my child that made deafening siren noises when he spotted an ambulance down the street.

Lunch was delicious and my boys were, of course, oblivious to the professionals around us and used only their best outdoor voices and silly faces and messy eating habits. Ah, life with toddler boys.

After lunch, we said good-bye to Daddy (lucky guy got to return to a quiet office), and we headed to Imagine On, a children's library. I think we may have read a book (or at least half of one), but mostly the boys just played on the computers and explored the hands-on displays.

 

Annalyse got 100% attention from a doting Nana, and I sure hope she remembers that it's not like that when it's just me caring for her!

Besides just playing with trains and actually riding a train, Nana did lots of puzzles and read lots of books and played lots of games - all things that good Nana's do! 

And, because Nana is heading home to cold temps and snow, we were sure to enjoy a long walk and bike ride. The boys thought it was "pwetty cool, but a little bit dangewous" to ride their bikes through the few remaining snow piles and Annalyse was rocked to sleep by the stroller jostling over the bits of snow and ice on the sidewalks.

What's a fun afternoon outside without a little Stomp Rocket action? 

All good things must come to an end. And tomorrow morning the good weekend with Nana will be over. She'll load up her car for a long drive North and we'll load up our car for a full day at church.