We spent the week of July 4th in Virginia with Matthew's family. This was our first time joining the family for what they dubbed "BabyFest" 10 years ago when the first grandbabies spent a week at Nanny and Pop's house during the summer. This year our girls were the only babies!
It was over an eight hour drive for us so we split the drive into two days. We made it a little over five hours the first day. The girls were great travelers but were definitely ready to stop. Here's Leonie exploring the car during one of our many breaks. The girls also both enjoyed their first real dining out experience where they sat in high chairs and ate a cheese quesadilla (also a first) at Moe's Southwestern Grill.
Their first stay in a hotel. It was lots of fun exploring a new room! We brought one pack and play and used one from the hotel. We all went to bed by 7:30 and the girls actually slept pretty well despite the different location.
Once we arrived at Nanny and Pop's there were many new things to explore, including stairs! It didn't take Leonie long to master climbing up them.
Leonie also enjoyed a few rides in the swing. Elsie had a fever before we left on the trip and still seemed a little off for the first half of the week. She was extra clingy to mommy and was scared of the swing.
Both girls did enjoy the kiddie pool during a couple of the hot days. Here are all seven grandkids around the pool!
We also spent time in the bay window watching squirrels and birds at the feeder. Here we're watching Nanny water the flowers and spray the window!
My girls.
Elsie did enjoy swinging with either Matthew or I. Here she is on my lap while we swing with Nanny.
Aunt Leonie brought the girls their first birthday gift. Here's Leonie trying to help daddy open the present.
Elsie playing with the shape sorter. Thanks Aunt Lee!
Matthew resurrected the old Park and Shop game that his grandmother use to play with the kids and everyone enjoyed playing it with the next generation. (Photo by Margaret)
One morning we left the babies with Nanny, Maggie, and Aunt Emily and went to visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. We had a great tour by one of the employees and were all impressed by the advances in car safety.
Here's Matthew with the display that talks about recent improvements to the rear impact guard of tractor trailers. Notice which company was listed first on the list of those meeting the new standards! Matthew actually came to the institute a year or so ago to watch one of these crashes and make sure their new design worked as planned. The car on the right crashed into an old guard and the car on the left crashed into a new one. It is hard to see since I cut off a bit of the right car, but in that one the driver's head was basically taken off by the trailer. You can see that the car on the left has more damage to the hood but the windshield isn't even broken and the passenger compartment is still whole.
The last activity for the week was a craft one for the kids. They made handprint t-shirts with all of the cousin's prints. Leonie was not impressed by the activity.
Elsie was a little more curious.
The finished shirts!
Finally, a short clip of Leonie in the swing.
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