We had SO much fun! Braxten, Kane and I went to Cleveland to visit Jason, Sarah, Rylan and CJ! We had the best time ever!!! We were able to watch Rylan do an FMU class (just like Ninja warrior) and play in a basketball game, we danced constantly and jumped around with CJ all weekend long, watched a terrible football game with OSU and MSU, had amazing home cooked meals and snacks, allowed B full roaming of the house with stairs included (he did great), CJ fed Kane almost every bottle and set up all diaper changes (she thought the smelly ones were so gross!), saw the first snow fall of the year (and Kane's first time ever), built forts, shot some hoops outside, watched the AMAs and my favorite movie, Elf and even had a sister trip to Target! We were there from Thursday afternoon until Monday morning and loved every second. Sarah took on both Kane and B as I went to watch Rylan at both his sporting events - hats off to her as one truly magnificent aunt :) She fed B and Kane bottles, put Kane down for several naps or bed, changed diapers, played one on one with both of them, fed them snacks and gave me supportive encouraging words regarding raising these crazy babies. I can only pray to be half the mother she is to Rylan and CJ. The kids played amazingly together and Kane just loved to watch everyone as she would smile, laugh and eat. Braxten had not slept in a pack and play for about a year and struggled the first night a little but did well. It only got better as we stayed longer. Kane had no issues at all, she slept in a pack and play in a closet. They were so well behaved with a few minor breakdowns (although when you are at someone else's house they feel major). They did really well in the car too - it was Kane's first road trip and she only cried for 14 minutes on the way up and about 5 on the way home. Braxten did well also - he stayed up the whole time on the way there as I handed him food with every noise he made and took 1.5 hour nap on the way back home. We had an Elmo movie on for part of the trip and he watched intermittently as he is not a huge TV watcher. It was truly a needed trip for the kids to get to a new environment and have new entertainment for a few days. There is nothing like a short trip away to see family that you miss so much! I cannot say enough about the welcoming we felt as we took over the house with diaper stations, toys, thrown and dropped food on the floor, a chaotic 20 month old sprinting everywhere and having every door shut and still we felt no added stress throughout the visit (we may have caused some though). My only regret is that we don't live closer although we will be visiting more often!
