August is slipping away faster than we'd like to admit. We started off the month with some seriously hot days which Clark and Dana spent indoors or at the library. Clark is really enjoying his new (old) train set from Aunt Kristina and has finally figured out how to put on the headphones at the library.
Another mastered skill is climbing more freely at the park. We've figured out that Clark doesn't like to be watched so we basically have to turn around and pretend to be staring at the sky before he will try anything new. It's pretty cute.
But most of August was gearing up for the amazing, awe inspiring, super fun Kitchen Family Reunion. Oh how we love these. They are always loud and messy and crazy but also so much fun. We again did Destin, Florida this year but this time we added a few days stop in New Orleans with just the Gailan clan.
What can we say...we hate planes. Seriously. Hate. Planes. Not just because Clark now has to have his own ticket (honestly that was kind of nice because we had the whole row) but because Clark is just a wild child who wants to touch, lick, kick, and then lick everything again. The first hour was horrible sitting on the jetway and the stewardess seemed insistent that he sit buckled in his seat which he was NOT going to do without a fight so it was rough. Finally we got up in the air and tried to entertain him as best we could with the bag of tricks I brought. Guess how long that took - right, five minutes:( But we made it. He took a nice 30 minute nap. Ate some snacks. Got shot in the face with orange juice. Wait, what? Yup, Dana so nicely filled his water bottle up with OJ at the airport and then opened it (forgetting about that pesky pressurizing concept) and he and Clark took a full on OJ bath. It was pretty hilarious from where I sat watching this geyser of OJ shoot up in the air. I'm still laughing about it now.
Anyhoo, we got to New Orleans and checked into our muggy hotel room where they had so kindly set up a rickety 1950s baby crib which Clark did not sleep in that night but whatever. The next day we set out to explore with our first stop being the world famous beignets at Morning Call. So good. And Dana was obsessed with this hat. Seriously obsessed. Clark was like eh. This picture was taken at 9AM when it was already 1000 degrees, give or take so you can guess how sweaty we were by the end of the day.
Our next stop was Dana's pick - a trolley ride down the Garden District. It was a longer ride than we thought and Clark was not sure about the trolley but it was neat to see all the gorgeous old houses right in the middle of town.
Then we hit up a really cool kids Storyland park where Clark could finally run and jump and sweat to his heart's content. I think he was a little weirded out at first by us following behind going "play, play" but he figured it out eventually. Here are my future astronauts.
On board the pirate ship.
In a pumpkin and playing in the water (really the only thing he wanted to do once he found the water).
He did let me take him up a huuuuuuge dragon slide and go down. It was so fast I slid right off the end, which he thought was hilarious. Oh haha. Let's all laugh at Mom the uncoordinated:)
We went back for naps and lunch and then the heat was so unbearable that we broke down and found an indoor bouncy playland for the afternoon. He bounced...a little. It was so funny that the maze bounce houses terrified him even when we went in with him. He would just cry and cry. So Dana had to do this slide all by himself.
He bounced in a few but mostly wanted to play with the basketballs (big surprise). That was until he found this little lawn mower (you know- the toy they left out for the little babies who aren't big enough to play in the bounce houses). Then that was all he wanted to do. Ah child. You are so cute. And weird.
The day over, we collapsed and woke up the next morning to start our drive to Destin. Neat story - Dana's Dad, Sonny, served in the Air Force when he was younger and was stationed at the Kessler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS. We had to take a detour to snap this timeless photo for Grandpa. (No, Clark would no look at the camera...I think the armed guard two feet away was freaking him out)
What else can I say about the drive to Destin? Oh yeah - it stunk. That barney movie seriously saved our lives because we got stuck in an hour of traffic for what? An accident? No. A kitty bicycle parade? No. A pointless toll? Yes, a toll! A stinking toll that they could have just mailed to us but whatever we love waiting in lines, thanks no thanks Florida!
But it was worth it for that beach. We arrived Saturday night and helped get the chaos settled in. We had a great room on the bottom floor of the main house with a giant closet where we could stash Clark's pack n' play (yay for doors!). Sadly, the Washburns didn't get in until late Sunday night because of a broken arm from Mr. Anderson. He broke it falling off the stage at Andy's funeral. Sad week all around for them but they made it.
Wait, can we all take a moment and just scream "The BEACH!!" Oh how we love the beach. I think this photo of Clark perfectly expresses how the Gailans feel about beaches - just ahhhhhhh. Really the whole vacation was great. It was rainier than we would have liked, making for some interesting schedules (1 hour in the pool followed by torrential downpour so a movie indoors) but really it's hard to be upset on the beach. Clark, predictably, LOVED the water. He loved the beach. He loved throwing toys in the ocean and he loved Dana taking him out into the deep end.
When it did rain, we got creative. Tuesday had thunderstorms so we couldn't get in the water but that doesn't mean we couldn't play baseball. Nice swing, Dana!
When we could get in the pool, Clark was all in. We brought his shark toy but he really just wanted to wear these girly floaties and play in the baby section or be drug around by Dana. Hey what's Uncle Fred doing with my baby?
Poor Anderson was a trooper getting his arm blow-dried every night. We had another injury as well when Spencer fell down the stairs and broke his collarbone the last night. Which officially means my 2 year old wins as the safest baby! Yay...but sad for everyone else:(
Beach days were amazing waves for the surfboarders, great sand castles for the babies and one perfect afternoon where I got to read a book on the hot sand with no one else around. Paradise right?
Dave also put together a big presentation about Dad's history for the grand kids to see so they can understand how big it is for Grandpa Pat to be retiring at the end of this year. We are so proud and grateful to Grandpa Pat for all he's done for us. As a present we gave him a stand up paddle board which he loves (and the kids who got a free ride too). Grandma Tina got an apron with all the Grand kids hands painted on it because she is also retiring...from Chicago and we could not be happier! Clark's print was green and he rather enjoyed having Necia paint his hand.
Other fun events were shopping with the girls, Dana golfing with the guys and watching the Olympics every night. And a little Pride and Prejudice and Zombies thrown in as well. It was amazing to catch up and laugh with everyone. We sure miss our family when we leave.
The trip back for us was better than we planned. We had time to stop in NO again and get more beignets and run around the park. Clark slept for almost 2 hours on the plane flight (thanks to my little friend Melatonin). And Dana and I chatted the whole way home (minus a grumpy stop for some soda in North Bend...thanks for nothing Burger King!). The Texas Kitchens, however, had a terrifying 18 hour car ride from hades because of all the flooding in New Orleans. We all made it thankfully.
Thanks for the great memories. See you all in 2018!!
