Labor Day Weekend

We got up early Saturday morning and headed back to my parent's house for the weekend.  My sister has an annual friends and family Fall Party at her house on Labor Day weekend. It typically ends up being around seven families and lots of kids.  Christian has a blast playing with everyone!

The party starts around 3:00 Saturday afternoon, with lots of activities, with everyone spending the night and heading back out after breakfast.  The families come from Chicago to St. Louis and this was the 11th year in a row for the party.  After we spent time with Aunt Lisa, cousin Alaina, Grandma and Grandpa, we made it to the party about 4:00.  There were kids in the pool, kids on the trampoline and the adults were sitting outside on the patio. It was so unbearably hot, the adults kept making trips back into the air conditioning, but of course the kids were fine.  Christian was everywhere doing everything. 

We played with the new baby kitten in the garage, then off to the slide, then back to the kitten.  When the big kids abandoned the trampoline for round two in the pool, Christian and I claimed the trampoline.  He had the best time ever, couldn't stop smiling and was making me laugh so hard!!!  A potential storm looked like it was rolling in, wind came up, sky got dark and the temperature dropped, so we all headed into the house.  We had a wonderful dinner and by the time we were done, the bad weather had passed, so the kids headed back outside.

My brother-in-law Bob got out the four wheeler and gave each kid a short ride around the yard.  Then around 8:00, the tractor and hay wagon appeared from out of the barn. This sent all the kids running into the house to change their clothes. Earlier we were sweating terribly because it was so hot, and we had to put on sweatshirts for the hay ride! Christian was cautiously excited, having to sit on my lap, and held onto my hand. Off we went and part way through the ride, my nephew and one of the Dad's had gone ahead on the four wheeler, to hide and jump out and scare the crap out of us!  Christian didn't cry, but he was terrified. We made them come into the light so the kids could see who it was and then Christian was fine. Later in the ride, Bob stopped the tractor, turned off the lights and pretended it broke down.  By now Christian had gained the courage to sit on the hay bale by himself, but the "broken tractor" had him scrambling back into my lap. I whispered to him that Uncle Bob was playing a game, would fix the tractor, and it will all be fine.  He relaxed but kept hold of my hand for the rest of the ride.  Now most of these kids are from the city and we were in the country, no street lights, and let me tell you, it's pretty dark. They were a little nervous but excited at the same time. Thankfully when the nervousness started to gain ground, one of the other parents flipped on the flashlight they had brought. Smart thinking!

We made it home, safe and sound, kids put to bed so the parent's could have an "adult hayride."  It turned out to be a beautiful night and another weekend of watching Christian experience and thoroughly enjoy some of the same things that I did as a child. He makes everything new and exciting again.  So what to do tomorrow.....?
~Amy