Back home again from Indiana, August '07 edition

We are back from another glorious stay with the grandmas and grandpas around Indianapolis, this time without a Dada accompaniment. Poppop, because he is a freak in how much he loves us, flew out for a day, then drove us to Indy; drove us back through crazy Sunday traffic a week later, and then flew home the next day. We certainly cannot thank our Poppop enough, especially because I was really not sure how to make that gigantic drive all by myself.

I'll try to recap our fun, but it certainly won't capture the all the great times. If pictures are your preference, as they are mine, click here for a slideshow of everything I took.

*Dadaw fixing our car; after a whirlwind radiator replacement before we left Delaware resulted in some important things left unattached

*We went to the Children's Museum, UH-gain. That place never, never gets old. This time we came equipped with our brand new membership, which among other things allows us to ride the carousel for free. So we did. Three times. They didn't even make us get off and get back in line.

*Mamaw used her exceptional hairstyling skillz to give both boys a haircut. She among all human beings is uniquely qualified to do so, having a lifetime of experience with her son's crazy spiral hairgrowth pattern, which both of his sons have inherited.

*Meemaw and Poppop indulged my city park addiction and helped me and the boys explore three different parks, two of which were new to us, all planned and built by people in their town who have far too much money to throw around.

*Mamaw and Dadaw hosting two movie nights for our rabid movie consumers; first came classic Tom & Jerry, and then came our faves, Wallace and Grommit.

*Shapiro's for lunch, courtesy of Meemaw and Poppop. Mmmmmmmmm.

*Aunt Jean! She loves us a bunch.

*New Crocs for Isaac! His old ones got some hard-core lovin' from Mamaw's puppy when Isaac's dumb Mommy left them out next to the sandbox. Courtesy of a shopping trip with Mamaw and Dadaw in a mall with a vegetable-themed playland, Isaac now sports some stylish orange ones. His father's favorite color.

*A new and exciting bladder infection for me, which required medical attention and antibiotics! Awesome!

The best part was watching Jacob add everyone's names to his vocabulary. Everybody enjoyed how communicative he is rapidly becoming, even if he is suddenly a little shy. By the end of the week, he could even distinguish the finer points between "Meemaw" and "Mamaw". And how, if he saw one grandparent, he would usually inquire as to where his or her partner was. The whole ride home, Jacob saw Poppop in the driver's seat and was confused. "Meemaw?" he would ask. Where was that lady, anyway?

Also, I think Jacob will be the easiest kid ever to potty-train, because the potty is his LIFE. While we were home, he picked up the following habit: everytime we pass by a bathroom, he instructs me that there is a "POTTY!" in there. Perhaps it's because we accompany big brother to the potty several times a day that the potty holds such fascination for him. In that same vein, he has taken to calling his wee-wee "POOP!". Well, duh, Mommy, it's because I get to stare at Isaac's wee-wee for minutes at a time when Isaac sits down to drop his multi-colored kids off at the pool.

Oh, and the other best part were the additions to Isaac's vocabulary:
*His new favorite phrase: "You've GOT to be kidding me!"
*His other new favorite phrase: "It's not there!", accompanied by elaborate and theatrical arm-throwing and/or foot-stomping to indicate that "there" actually means "fair"
*A new question that is going to get Mommy and Poppop into SO much trouble: "Why doesn't that lady want to go to rehab?"