Arizona in a Flash - Part I

Hey Guys,

I am pleased to report that we made it back from Arizona in one piece. Our 4-day weekend really was over in the blink of an eye, and while we didn't get to spend as much time with everyone as we would have liked, the time we did get in was great.

We started out early on Thursday morning, not quite sure what we were going to get from Landon on the airplane this time around. He'd only been on a plane once before when he was only about a year old, so he was far less mobile than he is now days. Traveling with a toddler is fairly terrifying for several reasons...first, they like to explore, so Landon did his best Indiana Jones impersonation all over the airport terminals....which meant that Michaela and I were running around after him as the place was packed. Second, they aren't the best at correcting the sinus pressure that builds up during takeoff and landing, so we had to come up with inventive ways to help him before he lost his mind (showing him to how to yawn, chewing up fruit snacks, drinking something, and sucking on a pacifier all work to some extent). On the initial descent of our trip, Landon had his only meltdown when he couldn't get his ears to pop and screamed for all of about 25 minutes (ok, it was probably more like 2 minutes, but in a quiet plane with a screaming toddler it felt like an eternity). And last but not least, once they hit the magical second birthday, they are required to have their own seat (whereas before they turn two you don't have to buy them a seat and you can hold them the entire flight), so that is a fun extra expense to plan on going forward. All things considered, my advice to those of you that care to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight....bring toys, a portable DVD player, snacks, drinks, and a parachute (you can decide if you use it or you strap it on the kid and pop the hatch).

In all seriousness, Landon was quite the trooper for both flights and we were very relieved and proud of him...it could have been a hell of a lot worse.

After arriving in Yuma, we spent the rest of Thursday hanging out with Steve and Rachael and watching Landon go nuts in the teeny tiny little pool that they got for him. As you can see, it wasn't very roomy, but that didn't stop our boy from jumping in and out of it about a hundred times. You can also see that Landon is quite fond of playing with the hose. Papa Steve found this out the hard way when he went to take a swig of his beer.

Friday morning Michaela and I braved the desert for a quick 5 mile run, which I then completely ruined by demolishing a fantastic breakfast burrito. If you're ever in Yuma, go to Stan's market for the best one you're likely to taste...MMM... After that we headed over to Michaela's Aunt Laura and Uncle Tim's house for some swim time in a real pool. Landon was a total swim-junkie...we put the floaties on him but still had to watch him closely as he didn't hesitate to jump in whether we were in there or not. It was a great first swim for the year, and we're looking forward to spending alot of time in the water with him this summer.

Friday evening was really great, as Michaela's Dad Skip arrived into town to spend some time with us and attend Sharon's wedding, and we also got to spend the evening with Becca's family and Ramsey's family. Landon, Grayson, and Molly were thick as thieves in no time at all. I have way too many pictures to post here, so I'm just going to put up a couple of favorites and I'll continue with another post (and possibly a third) to finish up our trip. In the meantime, enjoy the pics:

Here's Landon telling Molly "I got the good stuff right here"...










And here's one of Grayon making a play for Molly's affection while Landon simmers and watches...















Ok, it has occurred to me that I'm getting way too much into the "soap opera for tots" realm, so let's lighten the mood with this one titled "I don't want it Mom! Ok, I want it! I don't want it! Ok, give it to me!"













And last but not least....Boys being Boys...





Like I said, that's it for now. I've got a ton of pictures to post and stories to tell, but I'm tired...check back later this week...I'll have something up by Thursday, I promise.