The beginning of our Virginia Visit: Week 1

About three days after returning from Girls Camp we headed out to visit our East Coast family!

The four boys and I traveled together...with coloring stuff, treats {mini marshmellows, dum dums, honey comb, fruit snacks, raisins, etc}, books, mini photo albums {random photos from boxes that I put into dollar store albums on the plane...totally random and not planned out...but fun to flip through - and helped to put Cade to sleep on the second airplane!}, workbooks, stickers, mini toys {a cheap mini slinky kept Cade occupied for a while...sorry he messed it up Sean}, etc...and it went great!  We made it many a bathroom trip later:)  Our boys love the drinks on the airplane ... but then they always have to go number 1 like crazy!  Multiple times...even when it's just apple juice.  Cade on the other hand went through 5 dirty diapers between one airport and when we landed in Baltimore.  Yes...two on one airplane alone.  I record just for humor sake...it really went well and all were happy!  Ryan loved sitting across from us all by himself  - big boy...he called it the stranger danger seat.

One of the best parts about our trip to Virginia this year was getting to meet my sister's baby Emma!

She is so cute!  She was such a bitty little thing at birth...5 lbs 5 oz!  By the time we met her about two weeks later we think she was around 6 lbs 6 oz or so.  A little less than Ryan was when he was born.

I love the little bundle of joy picture!  Look at those cute lips!  Bity little thing!

In memoriam of the funny Kyle at birth photo sprawled across me...here is a bity little Emma cuddled up...and two weeks old already! 

The boys just love their new cousin.  Each of my boys really love holding babies and are so good at it too!

Aunt Sydney was impressed by how well Ryan could handle a newborn.

And one of my favorite comparison photos...Cade was sleeping.

Another day we went to the Maryland side of Great Falls.  It was really neat - quite a trail and bridges before the Falls overlook.  We parked next to a girl who was about to Kayak the falls...and then we saw her    on the falls!  It was so fun to cheer for her.

And we also went to the Smithsonian National Zoo.  The Lion and Tiger were in rare form!  The lion was having so much fun playing with a big ball...and the tiger was roaring like crazy!

And we got to visit with my two awesome friends...and arrange a potential marriage....this little Lena is the cutest!  I want to nibble her.  She is the daughter of my friend Julie, but the spitting image of her Auntie Mary!  Love them all!

 Here Cade is admiring her already!

Another exciting part of our trip back east was getting to see our Watson and Motley cousins!  Scott's sister Nikki and brother Chris and their families moved to Baltimore and Arlington respectively over the last year!  Lucky for us!  We had such a hard time visiting them when they were in Arizona and Las Vegas respectively.
The first time we got to visit with the Watsons Jake was at Scout camp but we had fun!

This owl Halloween mask made a funny noise and Kyle's made up dance to it was hilarious...which all of the other boys insisted to duplicate.  One of those had to be there moments I'm sure, but it was so funny!

After an afternoon of cuddling Emma, playing baseball and dress ups we headed to the pool!

Awww...nigh nigh baby Emma.

So much fun already!