I really think it's time for me to hire someone to update my blog for me! With all of our trips, computer problems, and summer activities I am having trouble finding time to update. Maybe I'm just full of excuses though, so I think I will stop and give you guys what you are waiting for! Unfortunately, I can't add pictures right now, but I can at least fill you in on what's been going on in our world and hopefully I can add pictures later this weekend!
So, where do I begin? On May 16th we loaded up the car and began the long trek to Dallas, TX. Geoff had to go for a business trip so Arden and I decided to tag along :) This was Arden's first real roadtrip and we were anxious to see how well she would do. We split the trip into two days so our pit stop for the night was Little Rock, AR (about 5.5 hrs from home). She did pretty well during the car ride, but she definitely had a hard time sleeping in the hotel pack-n-play. On Sunday morning we started the 5-6hr. drive to Dallas and Arden did so well until the last hour of the trip. By that time, she was so tired of being strapped in her carseat that it didn't matter what toy I pulled out of the bag or what song I sung, she was DONE! Needless to say, that last little bit of the ride was just a tad bit rough for mommy and daddy! At one point, I was so close to taking her out of the carseat and just holding her, but I quickly snapped back into reality and realized I could deal with her crying as long as she was safe :)
Once we arrived at the hotel, Arden was so thankful to be out of the carseat, but she was NOT looking forward to sleeping in the hotel crib. She made that very evident to us by screaming at the top of her lungs and refusing to go to sleep unless she was right by mommy and daddy in their bed. I knew sleeping in a hotel wasn't going to be fun, but I guess I didn't realize it would be this bad! The first few nights, she even woke up in the middle of the night screaming--our guess is because she had no idea where she was! Luckily, that lasted for just the first 2 or 3 nights, but she refused to fall asleep in the crib the whole time we were there.
Besides the sleep issues, we really had a great time in Dallas. While Geoff was in meetings, Arden and I went to The Galleria (they even had a clothing store named Arden B.!), the Dallas Zoo, and spend some time walking through downtown Dallas. On our last day, we all went to The Sixth Floor Museum, which we really enjoyed.
Besides enjoying the sights and sounds of Dallas, I was also able to catch up with some old friends. We had dinner with my college friends
Scott and Cheryl and their little boy, Caleb. We hadn't seen them in almost 3 years so it was wonderful to spend some time with them. We were also able to have dinner with my friend
Leiann and her family--I hadn't seen her since 2nd grade! It was awesome to spend time with her and get to know her husband and kiddos. I have to admit, I was a little nervous about meeting up with someone that I hadn't seen in almost 20 years, but we had such a wonderful time and can't wait to see them again! Hopefully next time we won't wait twenty years to get together :)
Our trip home went a lot smoother than our trip to Dallas. We split it up into two days again, but this time we didn't hit the road until late afternoon so Arden slept most of both trips. In Little Rock, we went to the Clinton Library (which was great!) and then we made a small detour to Searcy so I could stop by Harding. It's been over 5 years since I'd been there and it had really changed alot! After that, we were on our way home. When we got home Saturday night, Arden looked around her room as if she was making sure everything was still there, and then fell right to sleep :)
We've been very busy since we've been home--2nd annual Tucker Family Birthday Celebration, tutoring at The Linc, working at Sylvan, Arden's swim lessons, and spending time with friends and family! Geoff has also started his MBA program (YAY!!) so he's been spending some time in the evenings studying. This weekend, we are having a celebration dinner for our friends Cani and Justin as they get ready to welcome baby Truett into their lives! Please keep them in your prayers as they prepare for his arrival! Next weekend is our 5 year anniversary--I can't believe it's already been 5 years! Oh and in less than 2 weeks, we leave for a 12 day trip to Boston/Cape Cod!
If you have ANY suggestions for plane trips and/or sleeping in a hotel with a baby, PLEASE let me know! As you can see, we've been very busy and we aren't slowing down any time soon!
Oh, I almost forgot! Amid our very busy schedule, Arden turned 7 months old! Where is the time going? In just a few short months, our baby girl will be 1--I really can't believe it! She is growing and changing every day. Hopefully I will get a chance this weekend to post pictures and give you a 7 month update!
Well, if you are still reading this, I hope you enjoyed the update! Hopefully life will slow down just a bit so I can find time to post some pictures. If I wait too long, you might not even recognize Arden!
We have swim lessons once a week. Arden practices kicking, blowing bubbles, and floating on her back. I also dunk her each session and surprisingly she doesn't cry at all! I also have her sit on the side of the pool and she "jumps" in to me...this might be her favorite part!
"But mommy, I don't want to relax!"
"I guess I can give it a try..."
"Maybe if I splash mommy, I can stop floating!"
Yay for swim lessons!
Geoff and I are thankful that Arden likes the water. We took her to the pool here at our hotel in Boston and she was in heaven(of course I forgot to take my camera)! She laughed and splashed the whole time. She even cried when it was time to leave :) This makes me even more excited for our beach trip in August!
