4th of July in Washington!

Long overdue, but here is the blog on our outing in July.

Sydney and I travelled down to Yelm, Washington to visit Gretchen and her family over the holiday weekend.  I was looking forward to the trip, but not to the flight down and back as this was the first attempt after our disastrous experience 1+ year prior.  BUT, Sydney was a rockstar and did fabulously!  It was actually one of the best flights I had ever had.  She wasn't phased at all by take-off or landing...or having to stay confined to our two seats.  She was happy to socialize with all who would pay attention to her.  At one point we headed to the bathroom to change her diaper and it was a long walk as everyone had to receive a proper HI from Sydney...and some indulged her with a small conversation.  On the way back to our seats it was the same thing except it was an exuberant BYE.  She was cute and it did kill some time, so no complaints from me.

Once we landed we were met by Nanna and Papa.  It was then another couple-hour drive to Gretchen's...no thanks to rush-hour traffic!  We had stopped at a Subway to get something to eat and there was a police officer sitting at the back table.  My mom commented that Sydney didn't seem to notice anything familiar about him.  When Michael, my brother, was her age and saw a police officer, he would automatically assume it was Papa.  I mentioned that Sydney doesn't really ever see Brian in his uniform as he gets into his gear in the garage...or she is at school...or whatever.  Well, coincidentally once we got back in the car and on the highway, a sheriff's car drove by and Sydney perked up and said "Daddy!"  It was so funny.  Brian's car is in our driveway when he is off duty, so for her to recognize that, just as my brother recognized a man in uniform, after my mom just reminisced about it, was priceless.  She made her daddy proud to say the least.  :)

Meeting Auntie Gretchen, Cousin Dulce and Baby Sean for the first time.

Scheming already...

Best friends forever!

Listen up, Sean.  You can't talk, therefore you can't tattle on me, so I'm going to go ahead and take some of your snack.  Don't cry.

Teaching the girls young.

4th of July...outside of an Olive Garden.

Dulce is almost 6 months older than Sydney...not that you would know that from their size!

Unsuccessfully trying to get the kids together for a nice photo.

Papa, Dulce, Nanna, Sydney.  Awwww...

It was so nice to see Dulce again and meet Sean for the first time.  Oh, and it was also nice to catch up with David and Gretchen.  We all had a lot of fun watching the kids play together.  Wish we were closer...