Counts Family Get-together June 11 - 16

After much research, debating, contemplating, comparing, etc, the 2009 Counts Family get-together was held in Savannah, GA. Art's parents paid for us to fly since it would be something like 16-18 hours for us to drive down there.

Thursday morning started very early. We were attempting to go to the airport w/ no stroller and as little stuff as possible. Of course it's raining. And we're late. We are huffing it the best we can, me carrying Wy in the sling and pulling the suitcase and Art carrying a backpack, a diaper bag, and Zach. Uggh. Only one train change in the loop (thank goodness for the Purple Line Express) and we're at Midway, about an hour after we left. No problem with the flight, both boys were great. Wyatt cried for just a bit, but quickly calmed down. Arrived in ATL with MeMa's happy face to greet us. Baggage collected, carseats installed (thanks MeMa for letting us borrow the Leisure Dr. carseats - and getting a new swanky toddler one for Zach), and off we go to meet up w/ Janneke and Karl E., our rides down to Savannah. We split the kids up, but had to switch after 2 hours or so b/c Zach was crying for his mommy (after his shortish afternoon nap). A bit of chocolate milk helped calm the boys down. Made it to Savannah in time for dinner. PCounts family already there, which thrilled Zach. He loved loved loved having his cousins around. Zachary and Andrew were sharing a room, and we thought we would let them share a bed in case someone else needed the other bed. So here they are sharing the trundle bed



They both woke up crying at various points in the evening, so the remaining nights Zach slept on the bed and Andrew slept on the pull-out trundle...mostly. Two nights, Zachary asked if he could sleep in the crib (in the same room). Odd, but ok.

The next few days are a jumbled haze of dealing with Wyatt's awful awful awful temperment. He had gotten shots the day before we left and was dealing with a fever. Compound that with him being a bit stranger-shy made for lots and lots of screaming. He was just never happy. Two days he ended up taking 3-4 naps instead of his usual 2. He was out of it. Uggh. He calmed down and was feeling better our last night there - the night we went over to Patrick and Laura's. He was an angel, totally happy and charming. Perhaps all those people in one house was fairly overwhelming. Sigh.

Fun things we did: swimming at the neighbor's pool! We got just about everyone out at the pool and had a grand time...even Wyatt for about 20 seconds.

On Saturday, the whole kit and caboodle, minus Shayna, Wyatt, and Oma Sweet, took off for the farm, about an hour's drive away. Zach was thrilled to be invited to ride in the minivan with the PCounts family! Love love loves being around his couzez. I had to cancel a lunch date with Stephanie & Brian Hampton (who were vacationing in Hilton Head) b/c Wyatt was unbearable. Here are a slew of pics that Art took at the farm. Zach thoroughly enjoyed himself.

SAND!

.. Corn growing
..

After everyone got back, it was time for a little rest, a little swim, and getting ready for the BIG NIGHT. We were celebrating Poppa's 70th birthday. This meant a catered meal (the kids ate early with pizza and a mini celebration for Andrew and Zachary who's birthdays are just under 3 months apart), dressing up, then later, a Pictionary-type game where the clues were favorite memories from all the kids. Very nicely done. Then it was suddenly late and time for bed.

Sunday, church, naps, visiting with the Taylors, then swimming some more!

Monday night we went, after Art's special dinner, to Patrick & Laura's house for dessert and catching up. Unfortunately for everyone, chatting lasted until the wee hour of midnight b/f I insisted we leave. The kids had gone to be just great - no problems, well, a little crying from Zach who was afraid we would forget to take him back with us. He has no idea how far from the truth that could be! Wyatt went to bed like a champ with no sounds from him at all. Unfortunately they were not so great at being awakened. They both cried a bit in the car on the way back to Oma & Opa's. THEN the night of misery really began. Zach went to bed just fine, but Wyatt had other ideas. He was up for the next 2 hours, in our bed, in his bed, back and forth, tossing and turning. Uggh. He went to sleep around 2am, and woke up at 6am (trying to kill me!). So Art and I effectively got 4 hours of sleep b/f our long day getting back to CHI.

Tuesday morning after a nice breakfast, we got packed up and headed out the door. The kids were calm and pretty easy the ride back. We were in Oom Karl's car, and he was in Laura's, dropping it off at the ATL airport for her (she flew out of Savannah on Sun on a business trip). We were a little late, so we ended up eating our packed lunch in the car. I'm very sorry for Karl E., who will surely find bits of food in his back seat for months. No problems at the airport, and the flight was easy. Wyatt cried a bit during the beginning and take off but then promptly fell asleep on Art who also fell asleep. I tried to sleep but Zach kept interrupting me to ask things, or show me things, etc. He did great entertaining himself on the flight. I kept trying to get him to lie down on me and take a nap, but no game. Today ended up being the first day in his whole life that he did not take a nap at some point. Crazy. We got back to the airport and decided that we had to take a cab. We were so exhausted, barely upright, and the thought of braving the El was just too much (for me at least - Art thought it would be ok). Luckily there was relatively no traffic and we got home quickly. Doubt we'll cab it again though, b/c there were no car seats. I put Z in a regular seatbelt, but Wyatt was all over the place.

Got home, cooked pizza, ate. Boys in bed at 6pm, parents in bed at 7pm. All exhausted!

It was a fun trip though, and great to see everyone. It would have been better if Wyatt had been himself...maybe next year!