Oh goodness! I've been gone too long! You know that means that this is going to be a long one!
Two weeks ago L was treated to a visit by Grandma. Brad, L and Grandma spent their first day in town looking at airplanes at the museum and the second day we took the drive to Monticello. We'd been to Monticello once before and even though it's quite a drive, it's a nice tour and garden to visit. L and Grandma had never been before. We ate at our favorite restaurant out that way, the Baja Bean, and then headed out to the house to see what there was. L had napped for about 30 minutes in the car and we arrived around 2:00, so I knew that my hope of a stroller nap was blown and that L was going to be wide awake that afternoon. Such is life for a toddler.
When we arrived at the top of the mountain where Thomas Jefferson's house is actually located I put a hat on L. She refuses to wear sunglasses but hates the sun in her eyes. Luckily, she looks awfully cute in a hat, even if she doesn't think so. She immediately tried to pull it off.
She didn't have much success and gave up after a few minutes. We waited for the plantation tour outside the house and took the opportunity to let L out of her stroller and take a few photos.
I love these photos of L. I don't remember when she started doing this, but it seems to have always been a part of what she does. She runs with both arms behind her, like she's flying. We think it's awfully cute.
Sometime while L was playing, she decided to take a rest and just sat down on this step. We also think that's pretty cute.
The plantation tour concentrates on the work of the enslaved people of Monticello, who were (of course) responsible for all of the things you see there. The slaves who worked on the house and in the immediate areas lived in cabins all along this road, known as "mulberry road." This is the view looking down mulberry road.
The large group of people are actually on the tour. L and I lasted only a few minutes on the tour. She was not crazy to be back in her stroller, and was not wanting to be quiet for the tour. I had an idea that it might be tough to go on a tour with a toddler, so L and I took the opportunity to hang out and play.
Here's a photo Brad took of me down mulberry road.
Grandma and Brad planned to take the garden tour and had a few minutes to spare, so we did some playing in the large lawn in front of the house. We were surprised to see the giant tulip poplar which had been a highlight of our visit before, was gone. It had been lost during 2008, but the giant stump is still there.
Brad and L enjoyed chasing one another and playing.
Brad and Grandma took the garden tour and the house tour and L and I stayed on the lawn. L seemed to be getting tired, but simply wanted to play instead of sleeping, so that's what we did. She had so much fun just running and running and running. That child is too cute sometimes.
L really loved going up and down these stairs.
L did get the camera at one point. I'm not sure how, or what I must have been doing but I turned around to see L with the camera saying, "cheese" and pointing straight up and snapping photos. This is one of the photos she took.
After all that fun L was hungry and asked for some "sish" or goldfish. We sat in the grass and had a snack.
Brad and Grandma had a wonderful time on their tours and when they were done with the house tour it was time to go home. We stopped to take a couple of photos with the statue of Thomas Jefferson on our way out. I did not expect L to have quite the reaction that she had.
I was holding L standing close to the statue when L practically climbed out of my arms to give the statue a hug.
After she'd given him a love she honked his nose for good measure.
It was just really funny. I think she just was having a great time with this thing that looked like a person but wasn't a person. It was just too funny.
The next day we spent a good day at home. L was understandably worn out from missing a real nap two days in a row. We made the decision to stay at home and just have a day in. I had purchased some sidewalk paint for L a week or so earlier, and we thought we'd give her a chance to play with it after her nap. The weather was fantastic, warm and sunny, so it was the perfect afternoon to play outside.
When L was done painting she took a minute to swing.
The last two days that Grandma was in town it rained. The rain makes everything beautiful, so I can hardly complain, but we were mostly stuck in the house. We did do some shopping though and Grandma found a bubble mower for L just like one I had when I was a kid (well not just like, but you know what I mean.). L wasn't able to really play with it while Grandma was here, since it rained those last two days, but she is sort of obsessed with it now. It's sitting on the front porch and everytime we try to leave or come home past the mower there is a lot of discussion about it. L points to it and says, "BUBBLE!" So last night we had a nice evening for playing outside and were able to take some photos of L and her bubble mower.
L got tired from all of that running and came and sat down next to me for awhile. We were able to take a photo of the two of us!
Then it was back to playing of course.
Then finally she was done. We had the best dinner last night that was lovingly prepared by Brad (thanks again honey!) and a wonderful morning at the park today. I've got photos, but you'll have to wait until next week for those! I'm hoping to get to the pool too, sometime between now and then. See you next week!
