Whew.

Dear Laney,

Just the thought of blogging about this vacation is making me exhausted. You know why? Because SO MUCH STUFF was packed into each day. Take, for example, Sunday. On Sunday alone:

We woke up at our bed and breakfast and said good morning to the llamas.

The whole family went up on the Mesa for a hike. Sometimes, you enjoy being carried, but on this particular day you did not. I know it’s not always easy to pick up on your subtle signals, but this time, you were coming through loud and clear.

I got eaten alive by mosquitoes, even though I was covered in insect repellant.

Your cousin Jake caught the smallest frog I’ve ever seen.

On our way home, Grandma Sue saw this Dora the Explorer bathing suit in a the window of the local store and insisted on buying it, thus bringing together two of your five greatest loves – swimming and Dora. [The other three? Cheese, bread, and shouting “MOMMOMMOMMOMMOM!” ignoring that I’m already yelling back “YESYESYESWHATWHATWHAT?”]

After dinner, you invented a game that was simultaneously the cutest, oddest, hardest, wackiest thing I’d seen all week. All of the other, older kids were playing catch in a big circle around the cul-de-sac, with baseball gloves and a baseball. Instead of getting with the program, you invented a separate game where you would hand someone a golf ball, and they’d roll it across the cul-de-sac while you chased it, squealing and laughing.

You always returned it to the person who originally rolled it, and asked them to do “More!” I guess you could call this game, “Fetch.” Mentally, I downgraded your future career choices to include Golden Retriever.

Finally, your Uncle Nate arrived from his long road trip, just in time to steal some quality time with your best friend, The Baby.

You spent 18 solid hours dirty and happy. Who could ask for more from a vacation?

Love,

Mom