Midwest and Back

Well, vacation came and went without so much as a peep from me on here.  Henry and I had such a great time in Iowa.  A busy, exhausting, but happy time with family and friends.  I surely meant to post frequently while I was gone, but, well, you can see how well that went.  Now that we've been back for a week and there are other things I want to write about before I burst, I guess it will just be a quick recap of our trip.  Get ready for a lot of photos and catch up... I apologize there are so many, if I could just be more timely and such, I would have had these up in multiple posts over our vacation but as I admit often enough, I'm not particularly timely or organized in that way.  I hope to change that someday, or perhaps I'll never learn!  Time will tell.
On vacation...
-I started by forgetting to take my camera out, except for one day. ONE. Quite ridiculous after I made a big fuss to Eric while packing, insisting that I  needed to pack the big camera when he suggested I take a smaller one. Woops! So that explains all of these iphone shots.

-We spent time outside.  Henry on the ground, feeling the grass beneath him and scooting through the dirt, loving every minute of it just as he should.  I've never been so happy to see the kid filthy.  This was undoubtedly one of the very biggest highlights of the trip for me, just seeing him play outside.  It was the first time he's seen warm dry ground since he was able to sit up so many months ago.  I was reminded how long Alaskan winters are. Sheesh. 

-Henry got his first haircut!  I have trimmed his bangs twice before, once successfully, and once very very badly. I was attached to those long shaggy baby curls of his, but it was time to rid him of the accidental mullet that seemed to be forming. I took him in for the real deal, not his Mama with craft scissors, and I told the stylist that I didn't care about saving hair or the whole picture certificate that they do but she did it anyway and boy am I glad.  I was absolutely giddy the whole time, watching him, and I've loved having his little curls to save and I giggle often at his first haircut "certificate".  My reaction to the whole thing surprised me. He got a spunky spike for extra pizzaz. 

-Oh yes, and Mama followed a few days later.  I got 10 or so inches cut off and donated them to Locks of Love.  I just needed the hair gone for a while, and I feel SO REFRESHED.

-We went to the zoo, and Henry loved it. 

-My sister took Henry's 1 year photos at the Botanical Center, another great day that Henry loved!  I was sweating as I'm not exactly used to tropical temps.  I also spent most of the time jumping about like a wildwoman to get smiles like this:

I mean, the boy is extremely easily entertained, but I still put forth a good bit of effort!

-We ate our way through Iowa, doing our best to go to my favorite spots.  I think we did pretty well!  This spaghetti looks like it may have been one of Henry's favorites. He was into it.  But you can see that. 

We learned that Henry loves the playground.

Most importantly, we spent time with family.  It was so great to see all the cousins together having fun. 

And I was so thankful for having great flights on the way home. It's a long trip to make, but it was the best!

And yes, I did a rotten job documenting it, but only because we were so busy living it. :)
I was happy to get back to Alaska to find that all of the streets are dry and snowless. About time!  I love the snow, but it's time for sunshine and warmth, and that's exactly what we are heading towards up here!  I am back from about a week long computer hiatus now.  In the airport I bought a copy of 50 shades of Grey, the first book of the trilogy that everyone is talking about.  I started it when I got home Wednesday and finished the last one today.  To say I obsessed over them would be a tad bit of an understatement, I suppose.  It was strange.  I read it in every single moment of spare time that I had.  I didn't watch any tv, I didn't get on the computer, I just read, and read, and read.  And then I got sad when it was over, I will miss my little bubble that I was in.  Pathetic, I know.  I just rarely make the time I should to read books, and when I do I don't usually get so wrapped up in the stories or the characters, and it's a good feeling when it does happen.  Ah well, I suppose it's back to Is Your Mama A Llama and Moo Baa La La La tomorrow.
Anyway, I have big news to share this week, so see you back here friends.  In much better time than this last time.