Dean and Lorraine Visit

My mom and dad came out from Denver for a visit last week. The last time I saw my mom was when she came to help me with Alice’s birth and I hadn’t seen my dad for a full year so this was his first time meeting Alice. I was so excited to introduce them and for my mom to see all the incredible changes that have taken place in just 8 months. My parents did not disappoint – they ooohed and awed and told me several times a day what cute kids I had. I can’t wait for them to come back! Hopefully now that they are back in Denver they will be able to visit frequently.

 

The first day they were here we paid a visit to Lucy Smolenski. Lucy was like a surrogate grandma to my sisters and me when we were kids in Maryland and now she is in her 90s and living outside of Dallas. We reminisced and then went out to lunch. I looked much better in the second picture but, out of deference to Lucy I went with the picture she looked best in.After saying goodbye to Lucy we headed to the children’s museum where I sat down and surfed the internet while Alice and Grandpa took a nap, while Grandma was hard at work playing with Norah.I hope my mom will forgive me for posting this picture I caught of her mid smile, it was just so good of everyone else I couldn’t leave it out.The next day we went to the Dallas World Aquarium – which was really more Jungle than Aquarium – and I took almost no pictures. We finished that outing with a stop for frozen yogurt and went out again in the evening for Hawaiian Shaved IceThursday my parents drove to Louisiana to spend the weekend with my sister Emily and her family. While they were gone Norah came down with some bug (the flu maybe?) and had a high fever. By Sunday afternoon Alice had come down with it and I was sick with it Monday. My mom and dad came back to Dallas late Sunday night and spent all day Monday taking care of the kids while I laid in bed. I was seriously in bed ALL day and my fever didn’t dip below 102 degrees until late that night. I’m so glad they were here to take care of us.

Here is my dad holding Alice on Monday when she was still feeling under the weather. For as bad as it was though, it sure did pass quickly. I felt good enough Tuesday to take my parents to the Arboretum before they went home. I like this picture because you can kind of tell my dad is just one step behind Norah trying to anticipate her next move – is she thinking about jumping in there and getting one of those glass balls? This is how I spend my life with Norah: In a constant state of alert. Unless of course there are visiting grandparents to give me a break:)I really enjoyed having my parents in town and I know Norah loved having the extra attention. Thanks for everything Mom and Dad and come back soon.