Makenna Meets New England: The Final Chapter!

Yes, folks.  It's that time.  Time for me to catch up on my Makenna blogging, since I am officially about two months behind, and SO much has happened.  Without further ado...we have finally reached the exciting (Yes?) conclusion to Makenna's first visit to New England.


Saturday morning was beautiful, and we got up and at 'em pretty quickly.  Great Grampy was taking us apple picking!  We knew that it was a little late in the season for that, but it was still exciting, and the orchard wasn't far from the house at all.  When we arrived at Currier Orchards, those little red Radio Flyer wagons were calling Makenna's name!

 
We got our apple bags, then plopped her in the wagon and were off to the trees.  Unfortunately, it wasn't long before she lost her balance and toppled out onto the ground.  After some quick hugs and kisses from Mommy and Daddy, all was well again!


The trees looked gorgeous, even though my favorites, the honey crisp, were stripped pretty bare.  We were still able to make quite a haul, and Makenna enjoyed herself immensely!  
        
We even found a giant pumpkin - the size of Makenna! - so we couldn't resist a photo.

After our apple-picking, we ran by the grocery store quickly before going back to Great Grammy and Great Grampy's to get ready for the family cookout.  Makenna had some lunch, and we all sampled some of our apples.  Then, it was theoretically time for Toots to take a nap.  Right.  THIS was the point where Makenna hit her wall.  Just before the whole family was to arrive to meet her, she started to get very fussy.  And I mean VERY fussy - as in screaming at the top of her lungs and crying her little eyes out.  It was so sad!  She was so exhausted but just didn't want to sleep.  We finally got her to go down.  And of course, shortly after, the family began to arrive.


Makenna slept for about an hour while we greeted and hugged and visited.  We were all just standing around in the backyard when Chad's cousin, Ben, came out to let me know that Makenna was crying inside.  Sure enough, we went in, and she was bawling her little eyes out again.  We gave her part of another bottle and rocked and rocked her until she calmed down and fell asleep again.  It was beginning to look like she didn't want to make her grand appearance at all!


We all ate and hung out while Makenna finished her nap, and she woke up our usual cheerful, happy little girl again.  Once she was up, the passing of the baby started!  Everyone got their turn holding her, and she smiled and enjoyed every second of it.  You'll notice that this part is pictureless.  Yes, her brilliant Mommy and Daddy neglected to take pictures of her visiting with most of the family!  I just want to smack myself every time I think about it, but we were just so wrapped up in seeing everyone that we apparently just...forgot!!  SUCH a bummer, but we did get a couple of shots that are pretty darned adorable.

Smiling with Aunt Annie

Mugging for Aunt Peggy and Great Grampy

Sadly, the visit had to come to an end, and we packed ourselves into Aunt Annie's car so she could drive us to Uncle Paul and Aunt Katherine's for the night.  Katherine was driving us to the airport the next morning, so we were spending our last night there.  We arrived fairly late, but Makenna was a trooper and stayed up for a good amount of time to visit with her Great Aunt.  Once she was down for the count, Chad, Katherine and I chatted late into the night, snacking on some delicious fruit, cheese, and, of course, WINE.  But we knew we couldn't stay up ALL night and finally had to turn in.


Makenna had a somewhat restless night, but she was bright eyed and bushy tailed once she did wake up.

Cuddles for Aunt Katherine!

We said our final goodbyes to our family and New England at the airport, then hopped our plane home.  Again, Makenna slept most of both flights and was an absolute dream.  Such a happy, sweet little girl!

We came home exhausted, but feeling so wonderfully loved and blessed.  Can't wait until next time!

Makenna Meets New England: Part Four

Our Friday in New England was a VERY busy day!  We started off with a good breakfast with Great Grammy and Great Grampy, after someone had a bit of a fussy and fidgety night trying to sleep in her playpen.  Not that you would know it, judging by her beautiful, albeit sleepy, morning smile.

We quickly got ourselves all ready, then jumped in the van to make our drive to the Massachusetts coast.  I think the adults were all looking forward to some delicious seafood, while Makenna was probably just looking forward to some good naptime in the car!

We wound our way through Essex first and took in some of the sights, then made our way into Gloucester and parked to walk around.  The weather was pretty chilly and windy, so we bundled Toots up as best we could to keep her nice and warm.

The only problem with that was that she absolutely did NOT want to wear her socks!  Under no circumstances!  Every chance she got, she was pulling them off of her feet and either chewing on them or dropping them to the ground.  That whole day, we got The Look from so many people, who were clearly thinking, "They need to put some SOCKS on that poor baby!"  

Oh, believe me.  WE TRIED.  She is about as stubborn as they come!

After Gloucester, we drove in to Rockport and were ready to stop for some lunch.  Ellen's Harborside was the perfect spot, with THE BEST (and I mean BEST) clam chowder I have ever tasted.  There, Makenna got her first introduction to fish.   Great Grampy kept sneaking her small pieces of his haddock, and she was practically climbing onto the table to get more.  She LOVED it!

We walked down Bearskin Neck and looked out onto the water for a little while, watching the waves crash onto the rocks.  It was a beautiful setting, and we could have stayed all day!

Quick stop for some saltwater taffy and fudge, then back in the car, and we were off to Salem!

I have to admit - we visited Salem pretty much just for me.  I was dying to see the city all decked out for Halloween, and it did not disappoint!  There was a great little street fair, with lots of...ahem...interesting people, all dressed up for the holiday. 

We picked up a cute little button for Makenna,

checked out some "witches," (with which she CLEARLY was not impressed),

and got some sweet little shots of her in her Halloween finest.

When it was time to head home, she was wiped out!

Luckily, not so wiped out that she couldn't squeeze in a quick visit with cousin Julie and Uncle Mark before heading off to Sleepy Town.  

We had just one more full day left, and she would be meeting the whole rest of the family, so she needed her beauty rest!  

Up next: The Final Chapter!

Makenna Meets New England: Part Three

I know, I know.  I am WAY behind on this!  Here's hoping I can catch up in the next week or so!


Our second full day in New England, we hopped in the cars and headed up to New Hampshire for some great foliage viewing.  It was quite the drive, and Makenna did great!  Of course, she had Daddy and cousin Meaghan to play with along the way, so she was plenty entertained.  It was a little bit of a drive, but we finally made it to the mountains and Franconia Notch.  I'm told that the foliage wasn't as good as it usually is, because of all the rain they have had, but to this Texas girl, it looked beautiful!

The first stop was near the Roaring River Memorial Nature Trail, where it was time to hop out and take a few photos.

Next, we headed to The Basin, where Makenna was QUITE interested in the rushing water of the river, and we posed for another family pic.
                                                                                                         




We checked out the area where the Old Man In the Mountain used to be, and Makenna got some quality photo time with Daddy and Auntie.

Then, it was back in the car, stop for a quick bite to eat, and off to Great Grampy and Great Grammy's!  On the way, Makenna snacked on some Goldfish and took a little nap.

We actually ended up being stopped on the highway for a little while because Vice President Biden was in town, and his motorcade was going through.  They had stopped traffic on both sides of the highway to let them pass over.  Tootie was just the perfect little angel, of course!  I don't remember hardly any fussing at all.  


Once we reached Great Grampy and Great Grammy's, we unloaded all of Makenna's gear, and there were hugs and kisses all around.  After a delicious dinner of pasta, salad and bread - some of which Makenna enjoyed as well! - we spent the evening in the basement visiting with Chad's grandparents and Aunt Christine.  Makenna was tuckered out, and the next day would be a busy one, so we only kept her up a LITTLE past her bedtime before it was off to dreamland for us all.   


Up next: Gloucester, Rockport and Salem! 

Makenna Meets New England: Part Two

Once in Boston, we patiently waited for the Morrissey Taxi Service (that being Chad's Uncle Paul) to pick us up.  We got Makenna strapped into what would be her carseat for the week, and off we went to downtown Boston.

The weather was GORGEOUS, and we took a nice little walk down by the harbor.  It could not have been a nicer day, and it was great visiting with Uncle Paul.  Item #1 on the To Do List was to get a picture of Chad, Makenna and me at a particular spot near the harbor.  We have two older pictures from that same place - one of Chad and his mom when he is probably around a year or so old, and one of Chad and I when we went up to Boston the first time.  So of course, that picture was a MUST.

We hit up Legal Sea Foods for some Clam Chowder (YES!) and then headed over to Quincy Market.  Chad  picked up his cannoli, but I held out for the fried dough.  Seriously could not be any more delicious, and I know Makenna was looking at us in envy.  

This was about the point where we discovered that Makenna did NOT intend to keep her socks on at any time during this trip.  She was pulling them off constantly...and then putting them into her mouth!  Silly toots.


After our walk, Paul drove us over to Chad's Aunt Annie and Uncle Norman's, in Dracut, MA.  We said our goodbyes with Paul, since we wouldn't get to spend more time with him, then visited with Annie briefly and introduced Makenna to their chickens.  She wasn't quite sure what to think of them!  We took off to pick up Chad's Grammy, then dinner at Cappellini's.  DELISH.  Even Makenna enjoyed some bread!

After dinner, Makenna hung out with her Great Uncle Norman and her cousins, Meaghan and Matthew, until it was time to turn in.

For our first FULL day in New England, we did....NOTHING.  And it was GLORIOUS.  It was gloomy and raining, so we hung around the house, played in the floor with Makenna, watched a little TV, and just relaxed.  Let me tell you, it felt great to be able to do that!  Makenna read us some books

chomped on some Uno cards

and was just generally adorable when hanging out with her cousins.  

It was a totally spectacular day, rain or no rain!

Makenna Meets New England: Part One

From day one, there was little doubt that when it came time for Makenna's first big trip on an airplane, we would be going to New England.  Not only is it an absolutely beautiful place, with amazing history, wonderful sights and delicious food, but Chad's extended family lives in the Massachusetts/New Hampshire area.  We have been there twice together, and I love it.  We wanted to take Makenna up to meet the family as soon as we could, and Grammy came through with some badly-needed frequent flyer miles.  We had family to stay with, and Great Aunt Annie came through with a carseat, high chair and pack and play, so we wouldn't have to pack those.  SO awesome!  


I was pleasantly surprised when packing for the trip that we didn't have to bring a million suitcases.  

With two checked bags, a carry-on each, the diaper bag and the umbrella stroller, we were good to go!  The night before the trip, we were able to finish up at a decent time, so we weren't up ridiculously late.  A plus when you are getting up at 4:00 a.m. to get to that 7:00 a.m. flight!


4:00 a.m. came VERY quickly, but we were so excited about finally going on the trip that we woke up without any issues.  Got ourselves ready, packed up the last-minute toiletries, did some picking up around the house.  Around 4:30, Chad went to wake up Makenna, and she woke up in a good mood, as usual.   He didn't turn on the light in her room, and as he brought her out, he commented that she smelled like throw up.  He got her into the light...and we realized she had thrown up in her crib during the night.  It was ALL in her hair, on her pjs, on her sheets.  Poor little baby.  :-(  We stripped her and the crib, then plopped her into the sink to wash her hair.  Somehow, she still had a little smile on her face, and I was just PRAYING that she wasn't sick.  Not an auspicious start to the trip at all.


Granddad came to pick us up around 5:00, and we headed out in the dark, chilly morning to the airport.  We thought Makenna might sleep in the car, but no luck.  We quickly got our bags into the airport and got our boarding passes, then got in the somewhat long security line.  

We managed to get through pretty quickly, and Makenna was very patient and sweet, which was great.  After a few minutes to relax, it was time to board.  The first leg of our flight, to Washington, DC, was VERY empty, so it was great.  Makenna got a little fussy just before it was time to take off, but once she had her bottle, it was lights out.  She slept almost the whole flight!  SUCH a great baby.  


After lunch (Gerber spaghetti and some banana for Makenna, and Five Guys burgers for Mommy and Daddy) at the DC airport and a quick walk around to check things out, it was time to board the plane for Boston.  The woman sitting at the window seat on our row was CLEARLY unhappy when she discovered we were sitting next to her.  What a grump!  Again, Makenna was amazing.  A snack and a bottle, and she was out again.  She even slept through the landing at Logan, which is something!  Finally, there we were in Boston!

Up Next: Makenna Meets New England: Part Two - Boston, Baby!

Stop Growing, Please

Recently, I have really started to realize just how quickly Makenna is growing up.  Some days, it seems like it was AGES ago that she was a tiny little 7 pound, 11 ounce newborn.  And other days, it seems like it was just yesterday.  I can't believe she has been here for more than eight months already!  When she was born, I felt like it would be FOREVER until her first tooth came in, or she started standing, or we celebrated her first Christmas.  Now she has TWO teeth and two more on the way, is constantly pulling herself up, and Christmas is right around the corner.  (Don't laugh...it is!)


I think about how many "firsts" have passed us by already, and honestly, it kind of makes me sad!  I sometimes wish that I could just stop her from growing, just as she is, for just a little while longer.  Some of the "milestones" we've already passed are:


4/21 - First time laughing out loud
5/16 - First time rolling over
5/20 - First solid foods
6/18 - First road trip with Mommy and Daddy
8/1 - First time swimming
9/4 - First tooth came in
9/10 - Started crawling
9/17 - Started clapping
9/26 - Started pulling up in her crib


That's a LOT for one little girl!  


I really think this eight-month-old, smiley, drooly, extremely curious, cuddly, lovable little girl needs to stick around!  In bed this morning, she snuggled up next to me, laying on her back like I was, and I just wanted to freeze that moment and hold onto it forever.  Then she rolled over, grabbed my face and gave me a slobbery smooch on the cheek...and yanked out a chunk of my hair.  I'll admit, the hair pulling is kind of a pain.  :-)


Every time I get sad about her growing so quickly, I try to focus on all of the great "firsts" that we still have ahead of us - first Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, first steps, first word, first birthday, first time she says, "I love you!", first dance class, first day of kindergarten, etc.  I have to keep reminding myself that yes, she is growing up, but that doesn't mean she will be any less amazing and beautiful than she is right now.  

I love you, my sweet little Tootie!!

Drooly Face

I'm suffering from writer's block over here, so this is all I could muster today.  But OH. MY. GOSH.  I LOVE THIS ADORABLE LITTLE FACE!