- Tue, Dec 29, 2009 /
- Add your comment
We're on our way back to Tennessee, in fact, we've just passed the big rocket ship at the Alabama welcome center/rest area, not too far from home now! I'm playing with the guitar that Granny and Pop gave me for Christmas, Momma is sitting back here with me trying to keep me happy and eating some Starburst candy, Daddy is drinking lots of caffeine and eating lots of sugar and being a champ driving us all the way home, and Cassie and Ferris are just hanging out in the back. Ferris is napping, but Cassie (who is always nervous) is just panting and having a hard time relaxing (as usual). Oh, we just crossed the state line! Welcome to Tennessee! We're SO close now!
So, I had a great time at Nana V and Grandfather's house in Alabama! I sure have a lot of family. There was never a dull moment and I was always happy about bedtime. We arrived Tuesday night, and since I had slept for the last half of the way, I was awake and playing with Nana V and Grandfather for a good two hours after we arrived. The next day, Momma and Daddy and I went up to the hospital where Nana V works and I got to see her office and play with Megan and Gina. Then, we went to lunch at one of Momma's favorite places, Mama Rosa's (Daddy likes it too, but Momma grew up on this stuff!). Grandfather also met us for lunch. It was a treat to see both of them in the middle of a work day! One of Momma's favorite moments of the trip happened while we were at lunch. The waitress (who has worked there for as long as Momma can remember- at least 11 or 12 years) was ooohing and aaahing over me and how cute I am. Then she went one table over to wait on them. While she was over there, Nana V said that she liked my ponytail (it IS cute!) and as the waitress was walking back past our table she said “I like her face”. Hmm.. maybe it was funnier in person? Haha. Anyway, after lunch Nana V and Grandfather had to go back to work and Momma and Daddy and I ran a couple of errands and headed back to the house. We hung around the house for the rest of the day. My Uncle Adam came over with my cousins Whit and Kessler. I got to play with my cousins a lot on this trip! They were really sweet to me. Whit would pat me on the head and call me “baby Etta” and Kessie kissed me a few times.
The next day was Christmas Eve. Daddy woke up with my cold that morning. Ick! He made sure to nap when I napped! Whit and Kess came over in the late morning and played with us and helped Grandfather cook food for our big dinner that night. Whit was “Jello Boy” and Kessie was “Vegetable Girl”. They were big helpers and I had fun watching them stir the bowls and pots. In the afternoon, Momma and Nana V went out to the mall to wrap gifts for charity (like they do every year) and Aunt Kimi met them out there when she got into town. While they were out wrapping presents, Aunt Deanne and Uncle Todd arrived. They were So excited to see me! There was a lot of activity as everyone arrived that day. I was in bed a few minutes before 7:00 that night (!!!). So, I missed the arrival of my Nana May and my Great Aunts Tammie and Jeanne and my cousin Nick. That night, while I was sleeping, the grown-ups had their big Christmas dinner and then they did the first annual Dirty Santa gift exchange. The rules stated that the items must be wrapped in a brown paper grocery sac in honor of the way my Great-Grandfather (“Papa”) use to wrap gifts. They had a lot of fun with this game and Momma was surprised that all of the roaring laughter didn't wake me up!
The next day was Christmas! Daddy got up with me that morning and since I was the only kid in the house and I'm still pretty little, there wasn't a rush to wake everyone up at 6:00am to unwrap presents. Momma even slept in until about 10:00! In fact, we ate brunch and I took a nap before we even did the gifts! This explains why I'm not in my cute Christmas pj's and I'm dressed for the day in all of the photos! When we finally did get to open presents I had a good time tearing paper! I got A LOT of stuff! I LOVED the big red wagon that Nana V & Grandfather gave me and I loved Peppy the Penguin and I loved the Winnie the Pooh telephone that Lito and Lita sent me. I wasn't too sure about that whinnying/flipping horse they sent.... but Kessie really liked playing with it! I have lots of other toys that I can't wait to get into one we get back home!
................
We're home now! We pulled in our driveway just after 4:00. I'm happy to be in my house with my stuff! Daddy's giving me my bath now......
So, back to my (long) story!
Christmas day and Saturday and Sunday were really great, easy, laid-back days! I loved going for rides in my new wagon and I loved visiting with everyone! About half of the people there were in some stage of a cold, including me. So, there was a lot of nap taking going on!
Aunt Deanne taught me to stick my tongue out when she stuck hers out. It got to a point where I would stick my tongue out at her as soon as I saw her, I also started making a new Donald Duck sound while we were there. “swqaa swqaaa swqaa”. Momma will try to get video....
I was sad to leave today, but I'm glad I'm home. Looking forward to this weekend when Nana V will come stay with us for a couple of weeks!