Blast from the Past!

Okay, so this post is only from a few weeks ago, but it feels like ages!  I started it and never finished it.  Maybe I need Brain Balance :)  There has just been so much going on to write about, that this one took the back burner, but here it is! 

On Memorial Day weekend my husband AND Paige's husband came to play!  It was so much fun having them both here.   Although it was a bit of a drive, we decided to go to Stone Mountain for a fun outdoor adventure.  Overall the day went very well.  The kids stayed with us better than ever before, they had fun and got a lot of exercise.  In fact, we had to walk a lot during the day and Wyatt got pretty tired.  He kept asking us to hold him, or give him a piggy back ride.  We did help him out a bit eventually, but we pushed him pretty hard.  We realized that when we went places like this he usually ended up in a stroller, etc.  His endurance was really low and I never really realized that.  It has gotten SO much better which is why we made him stick it out longer than usual.  At one point he actually said "sit down" and had me sit on the sidewalk with him for a few minutes to take a break.  It was cute. 

There were a few not so happy times though.  As soon as we got there, Wyatt saw the giant sky hike course.  It looks like this: (But WAY bigger). 

It is a ropes course that is three stories high and you are hooked on with a cable and a harness.  Wyatt wanted to "climb" so so bad.  He was freaking out and crying, etc.  Problem:  the line was an hour long.  We knew he couldn't wait in that and there we so many other things to do so we finally got him away and on to something else. 

We went to the smaller rope course with no line and no harness and thought he would love it.  He was not too thrilled and went through it like he was doing me a favor.  Stinker.  He didn't even want to do the zipline at the end because he wanted to go back to the bigger structure.  At least he knows what he wants.

Hazel with her Papa on the rope course.  The kids were so stinking excited to be with their Papa.  They miss him so much.

Brody tearing it up.  He loved this rope course and pretty much loved everything about the day.  He is always such a good, sweet, positive boy. 

The brothers :)

We went to the big barn where they had "fruit" (foam balls) that you could pick up and throw or shoot out of little cannons. They had slides that went through all three floors.  Wyatt was in heaven with the slides....  Brody had fun collecting the fruit and hitting us with the cannons. 

I LOVE this picture.  Hazel looks so cute and grown up with my very handsome husband.  Sorry to embarrass you honey, I had to say it.  :)

Hazel with her big brother.  She was tickling him so he is making a funny face, but they were having fun sitting by each other.  I love that they are playing more and interacting more.  Hazel says things like "Wyatt loves me now!"

Hazel and her boyfriend (I mean... Paige's husband) Drayton.  She loves him!   We were on our way to the pedal boats which was the longest walk ever!

Hazel would bum a ride from anyone that would give her one.  Paige seems to be the lucky one a lot. 

The Pedal boats!  This was really fun although the splashing wars were not my favorite.  (Bad Bo and Brody!)  We got to pedal around and relax a little after our long walk.  Thankfully we took the shuttle back to the other side of the park (which is how normal people get there...) 

The cute brothers again.  Brody is always looking out for Wyatt.

Waiting for the shuttle having a little snack.  Wyatt loves Drayton too!  In fact, I think the whole world does.

Having lunch.  This is always a task because the kids can't eat anything.  I came prepared with their food in the insulated cooler and the rest of us ordered off the menu.

When we rode the train, I tried to have Paige and Drayton pose for a picture and this is what I got - three times. They are punks! Thanks a lot guys!

The whole family!  We never get a picture with everyone looking, so I don't even try.  Someday though....

Bubbles!  There was this nice guy walking around the park making HUGE bubbles.  Wyatt immediately ran over to him.  Paige followed him and got some great pics and video.  Thanks Paige!  He did really well and didn't run away and was trying to catch and pop the bubbles. 

What a nice guy!  He could tell Wyatt was so interested and he let him help do bubbles!  It made me so happy because so many times, kids like him get left in the background because they don't talk or express their needs or interests.  This man knew what Wyatt wanted and that means a lot.  I wish I had his name to send him a thank you!

Great bubbles Wyatt!

This video is SO cute!  I love the huge bubble he made and he was so happy!!

We were all sitting on the grass and Wyatt just took off and started climbing around.  I of course followed him, but not as closely as usual.  He saw his brother climbing and wanted to climb too.  He was running off just to run, he actually had something he wanted to do.

The fastest boat on the water! (Thanks to Paige!) 

Two troublemakers

Hazel rode the gondola all the way to the top of the mountain with Papa while the rest of us were in line at the sky hike (story to follow below).  Look at that view!

So here we go with the not so much fun part.  Brody really wanted to go on the sky hike so Paige and Drayton said they would take him.  Bo and Hazel left for the gondola and me and Wyatt were trying to decide what to do.  I didn't really want to do either because I had had a terrible headache all day that kept getting worse.  I knew Wyatt wanted to go on the sky hike and the others were already almost to the front of the line so I decided to try it.  It still took forever in the line and then even longer to go on the first rope.  Before we even go on it Wyatt was already trying to go back down but we were harnessed in!  I kept thinking he was just not wanting to wait so I kept him occupied as much as I could.  When we finally got to go across the first course it took about 10 seconds and then you had to wait on the platform for almost 5 minutes or more before you could go on the next one!  This was NOT good.  You had to do that all the way around and then up three levels.  He was freaking out and I had the worst headache.  I kept asking him which way he wanted to go and he would point that he wanted to go on the ropes, but then he kept trying to walk back the other way.  I was so afraid we were going to get stuck half way around and not be able to get back!  He was starting to freak out and so was I. I really don't think I have ever had that bad of a headache and this was only the beginning.  I finally decided to go back down the first course and unhook.  It took forever to get through all of the people and I got yelled at by a few a long the way because Wyatt bumped into them, etc.

We finally got unhooked and I realized that the car keys were in the locker and Drayton had the key on his wrist.  I looked all over for them in the sky hike but couldn't find them.  I finally found Paige and by this time I was crying.  Yes crying.  Wyatt had been screaming and upset for an hour now and my headache had taken control of me completely.  Paige got the key for me and actually left the course to come help me which she didn't have to do (Thanks Paige). We took Wyatt to the car and got him a snack and I tried to relax but it didn't work. By the time everyone else got to the car I was dying.  We had a long drive home and it only got worse.  Bo kept trying to get me to take some medicine but I refused.  He finally stopped anyways to get me some medicine and an ice pack.  At first nothing helped because the pain was so bad.  I really can't believe that I was crying and sobbing in the car in front of everyone.  Anyone that knows me could tell you that I am not a baby when it comes to pain.  I got my tonsils out and was making lunch a few hours later.  I have a baby and am at the store the next day, as well as cleaning, cooking, etc.  I just don't have time to slow down :)  So, that may give you an idea of how bad it really was. 

Anyways, we got home and they put me to bed and thankfully the drugs kicked in and I fell asleep.  (Thanks for getting them honey!) I dare say that was the worst pain I have ever been in and I hope I never experience it again.   So, if any of you were following the blog then and you saw Paige do the blog post that night, then now you know why.  I was completely incapacitated.  Thankfully the headache was mostly gone when I woke up. 

On Sunday we thought it would be a good idea to head to the tennis courts and play a little and let the kids ride their scooters.  Wow - we must have forgotten the pool and tennis courts are hooked together.  Wyatt kept running over to the pool and we kept having to bring him back.  He finally seemed to give up... (yea right, he was just waiting for the right opportunity!)  We were getting ready to leave when he just took off.  We were all standing there and Bo took off first so we let him.  Wyatt got all the way to the pool and jumped right in!  He always swims with a life jacket so he obviously thought he could swim.  We are working on getting him out of that, but for now it is a safety thing.  Bo being the good father that he is, jumped right in the pool in his clothes to save him.  This is not the first time he has done this. :)

Drayton's first day here we ran to Walmart because Brody had earned a Lego set.  The three of them played in the aisle like they were  5 years old :)

Well, that was our crazy weekend!  I'm so glad that we got to have a "family" vacation!  We haven't been able to do a lot of things like that in the past because they were just too hard.  In fact, a few years back Brody took off at SeaWorld and we lost him for about 10 minutes.  We were freaking out because we knew that he did not understand, was probably not looking for us and would probably go home with a stranger.  I didn't know if I would ever find him in that sea of people. Thankfully we did and he WAS sitting on a strange man's lap!   When we used to go to the park, Wyatt would be in the middle of the road within 2 minutes.   Because of Brain Balance a family vacation, or even outing to the store or the park is not only possible, but enjoyable.  Minus the headaches of course.

Goodnight!