First Mini Family Vacation

We finally went away for a couple of days with you for the first time. We got a hotel room up in the cities for a couple of nights to get away. We stopped and visited new baby Thomas on our way up. He was so tiny and cute. You just pointed and stared at him. We then got you your first happy meal at McD's before hitting up the zoo. You had fries, chicken nuggets and the apples were your fav. We then headed to Apple Valley to the MN Zoo. IT had been quite awhile since I had been there. THe place is huge.

You loved looking at the animals and wanted to get up to the glass to see everything. We managed to see pretty much everything but the bug exhibit. We were going to attempt it but it was getting hot and you hadnt had an afternoon nap. We saw a cheetah up close, monkeys, bears, fish ( you loved), farm animals.

The cutest part was when you were up on the glass and a huge grizzly bear swam up to the window and put his face right up to yours and most kids would be scared but you put your fists up and yelled "RAWR" it was sooo cute!! I wish I would have gotten it on video.

We went and checked into the hotel and dropped our stuff and then headed to Chilis for dinner. After we went and swam in the hotel pool and we tried out your blow up floaty toy. You loved it! We then gave you a bath and tried to get you to sleep..you just screamed and screamed you were overtired and didn't know where you were. I eventually got you to bed and then we hung outside our room on the patio so we wouldn't wake you. You woke up both nights screaming around 3 am or so so we let you sleep with us. I think you woke up and didnt know where you were.

The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel and then headed to a local splash pad. You loved all the water everywhere and didnt mind when it would get all over you. You would walk and then go head first into the water lol. You went down the little slide a few times, once ending up head first but you didn't care. You slipped once and got a fat lip but you were ok after a bit. You only lasted an hour or so and then you got tired and had had enough. I think you were a tad too little but you still loved it. There were some bigger slides but they wouldn't allow adults to go down them so we couldn't take you down them.

We picked up some subs and had a hotel floor picnic and then got you to take a longer nap which was much needed. We then headed to MOA and walked around and did some shopping. I did some damage at Carters..for stuff for you for the fall. We then ate at Bubba Gump Shrimp and then headed back to the hotel for more swimming. A little 5 year old girl loved you and followed you around. We got you to bed and had ice cream and wine on our patio. In the morning we packed up and searched for somewhere for breakfast.. We couldnt find anything but McDonalds which we didnt want so we just kept driving. We stopped at a Country Kitchen in Cannon Falls that was just ok. Then we made it home and you were excited to have all your toys to play with and your own bed to sleep in.