Mother's Day Weekend in STL

Last Thursday we loaded up the vehicle for a trip to STL. By loaded up, I simply mean that we crammed food, snacks, luggage, and a baby into the Edge and headed north.

 We decided to make the trip a little easier on Wyatt so we split up the first day. We drove to Republic, MO about a 3.5 hour drive and had dinner with some people that Ryan does business with.

We had dinner with them and their two kids, Cash and Tinley. Cash who is nearly 3 did such a great job entertaining Wyatt at dinner. They sat across from one another and just mimicked each other the entire time. The Garner’s were quite amused with just how much our little guy can put away when it comes to food! After dinner we headed to Bass Pro Shops so that Wyatt could burn off some energy. Chasing around him and Cash was quite an adventure for the daddies. Lindsey and I just walked around talking about motherhood and I got to get some sweet baby holding in! Holding Tinley while chasing after Wyatt gave me a glimpse into life with 2 kiddos. Whew- I can definitely see I would have my work cut out for me.

Once we left Bass Pro we retreated to our hotel and finally got the baby down to sleep about 11. ELEVEN. His bedtime is anywhere from 7-9 depending on naps and to even see 11:00 was a shock. I finally got him chilled out enough to fall asleep and we didn’t hear from him until 6:30 that next morning.  Early riser on vacation he appears to be.

After we got around and back on the road for a 3 hour drive, I picked up my book again. Wait- let me backtrack for a second… Have you ever been carsick before? Well I most certainly had not. Never. I can ride through the most winding roads and not even be phased by it. I can read it a car without a care in the world. This time, however, going up towards Branson I was reading the book I had picked up, The Lucky One, and all of a sudden it hit me. I was nauseous. I immediately felt like I was about 9 weeks pregnant thinking I was dying and the mere thought of anything made me queasy. I put my book down and told Ryan I seriously didn’t feel good and that’s when he informed me I must be carsick. Me, being the know-it all that I am, insisted that was not the case and it may be something else. Unfortunately he was right because as soon as we got out of the mountains and out of the car I was 100% back to normal. It was by far the most yucky I have felt in a very, very long time. Back to the story though…I was reading my book and as I was reading a character in the book Nana, just happened to love the Atlanta Braves. I thought it was such a coincidence that we were headed to watch the Braves games because we too love the Braves.

We arrived in STL around lunch time and immediately headed to Saint Louis Galleria for none other than The Cheesecake Factory! So, so yummy! I enjoyed a 4 cheese pasta and Ryan got some tuna. We ended with a bang having a Reese Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Fudge Cake. Ohh my word. So good. So fattening. So terrible for us! So worth it!

After eating we did some shopping and then headed to the hotel to hopefully get the baby to take a nap before the game since it started at 7:15. Yes, baby’s bedtime. Eeek! After trying and trying to get him to lay down and him refusing for about an hour. I finally fed him some more, gave him some milk, and he passed smooth out. A momma knows when her baby is tired and it would be so helpful if they would just go with it, wouldn’t it?! After taking about an hour and a half nap we got him up and dressed for the game.

He did so, so good at the game. Even then people around us complimented us on how well he was behaving!

When he would get tired of our seats I would take him and let him walk around the stadium. This worked out perfectly for us!  He was such a great baby and we were so thankful. It was 10:00 when the 9^th inning rolled around and we knew we had to call it quits for the night even though the game was tied up! It wasn’t until around 11 that the game was over and the Braves had won! THANK GOODNESS we didn’t stay any longer than that! Our hotel was downtown close to the stadium, but I still get weird about being out so late especially with a baby no matter how many sports fans were walking next to us. Maybe it’s my small town ways! Ha!

Chipper got a standing O his first time at bat.

Can you tell we have a tired baby?

Saturday we got up, got around, and took Wyatt to the STL zoo. If you haven’t been to this zoo you seriously need to! It was beautiful!  Every exhibit was so clean, the animals didn’t appear depressed, and the best part was the exhibit closely resembled that of their natural habitat! I was so thankful for that. I honestly believe that Little Rock should be shut down and then animals released to a sanctuary because it is nothing more than a joke. So sad for the animals there. We said I don’t know how many times how great the zoo was and how beautiful (and HUGE) it was! We plan to go back soon when Wyatt can appreciate it more!

This little duck ate 3 french fries right out of my hand. First time for that and probably the last. 

After the zoo we came home so Wyatt could get a nap. He was getting cranky after about 5 hours of no nap. He fell asleep in the car and when we got to the hotel and I got him out he stayed asleep-something he never does. I laid him down on the bed and he snoozed for 3.5 hours before we had to wake him up and get him dressed for the game.

The second game was just as great as the first- we won! And, we had a very well behaved baby who did wonderfully again. We got more compliments on our sweet, easy-going baby and even got back by 9:30. Ryan was claiming he was dying of hunger so we called up a local pizza place and had them deliver pizza to us once Wyatt was bathed and in bed. Pizza was delicious and I felt like a 17 year old staying up late, eating pizza in bed except this time I was with my husband and it was 10:30.

Sunday, we got ready to leave after we fed the baby. We made it all the way to Branson before we ate at Fuddrucker’s for lunch. Wyatt did so awesome with the road trip. We could not have been more proud of him. We made it home right at 5:00. Since I had finished my book, I was bound and determined that I was going to the movies to see The Lucky One. Neither grandmas could watch the baby so I declared that I was going alone. Ryan was somewhat shocked and kept asking if that’s really what I was doing. I pinky promised that I was in fact going to the movies alone…something I had never done before…and he shouldn’t feel bad that I was going alone. I think I needed a mental vacation actually. 4 days straight with a baby and husband is physically and mentally exhausting and no one can deny that. The movie was just okay. I didn’t like the things that they changed and could have actually gone without watching it, but it is what it is.

It was also my 2^nd Mother’s Day! I got a sweet card and another tumbler to add to my growing collection and I also got to clean up a boo-boo that Wyatt got as soon as we got home. I wish I had a pretty posed picture of me and my little boy, but sometimes real life is what you get…scraped knees and all!

Hope all you mothers out there had a great day. My sweet momma left me a sweet card in the mailbox, so I was very thankful for that. Ryan and I have great mothers and we are so very blessed to have such good relationships with them!