Entry 16: Our First Adventure

I am sitting in bed after just getting home from an amazing adventure with Harper. The adventure was great for so many reasons.

1.  Ollie!

Uncle CeeCee and Aunt The Meaghan got a dog! It is the cutest thing ever. While training the puppy not to bite, Harper was not happy with how we spoke to him. She constantly told us to say, "Please don't bite."  At one point she even suggested we say, "Minnie Mouse, Minnie Mouse". You never know. It may work with the tiny bear cub that my brother and Meaghan now own.  Seriously though, the dog was the cutest thing!  He zoomed through snow and loved all the prizes we brought him, including a handsome Easter bow tie. 



2.  My good girl. Although the idea of an adventure with just the two of us is sad, it was also incredible. I learned so much about Harper.  After my rough parenting night the Friday before we left, this trip just showed me what a good girl Harper is and how solid our relationship is.  She is polite, a good listener and a rule follower (for the most part).  We reviewed the rules for on the plane. One, you can't get up.  She
added that Lucy for Despicable Me 2 was naughty cause she got up and flew out.  Two, you have to be quiet.  Three, you can't kick the seat in front of you.  Harper knew the rules and was quick to point out when the little girl in front of us was not following them.  Harper may have said SHHHHH rather loudly several times. (Ooops but also ha ha funny)  Although at times she isn't always the friendliest and needs warm up time, she adapted to change. She went to bed without an issue even though it was in a big girl bed.  When I would come to bed hours after she was asleep, I would tell her I loved her. She would sweetly whisper it back and move over to make room for me.  She followed and helped push the suitcase when my hands were too full carrying a carseat, a 50 pound suitcase, and a backpack and purse through the airport, onto the shuttle and back to the car. She stayed right with me. Of course, she complained about the cold and needed to be carried uphill several times while in Boston.  But overall. she was a fantastic travel companion. She is a good listener and follows rules.

3. The experiences. We had so many fun experiences. This was her second time flying but she didn't remember the first time. She fell asleep on our flight there so didn't act so great when she saw her beautiful welcome.  However, once she got to the house she got a second wind.  We took her on the T for the first time. She saw a real snowstorm for the first time.  She got to see seals eat ice and trainers try to feed penguins.  She got to advocate for the "hungry" chinchillas everyday, who probably ate more raisins in three days that they have in the last month.  She got to sprint around a children's museum and climb rope ladders and launch golf balls.  She watched He-Man.  She made a snowman. We had a snow picnic where we literally ate snow with a spoon out of a bowl (we may have started something new at my brother's house that will continue the next snowstorm). We met the awesome people at CeeCee's work and made an art gallery for behind his desk.  Harper rode in an Uber with a man with a lightning bolt shirt who barely spoke English.  She may have also told him to shhh as well. We will work on that new rule.

 

4. Daddy. Harper brought up Daddy all on her own.  She asked my me if Daddy saw Uncle CeeCee and Aunt The Meaghan.  So we got to talk about him some more with her.  She asked me if Daddy was ever on a plane.  I told her how often Daddy and I flew to NYC.   She talked about what part of the vacation she thought Daddy would love most.  She wore the Beastie Boys shirt he got her on the way home and she danced like a crazo (similar to how Brian would dance) in the airport randomly when we got back to Jacksonville. I wore Daddy's favorite Love Your Melon hat.


5. Nothing to do.  There was no to-do list hanging over my head. This vacation was actually RELAXING.  We had nothing that had to be done. Even if I had stayed home, it is hard for me to truly relax for days on end because I feel there is always something I NEED to do or I feel guilty for not being productive. At Stephen and Meaghan's it was so laid back.  I actually relaxed for the first time in a really long time. I even got to take a nap! I got to cook while they entertained Harper. Someone else was making the plans/schedule.  I even got to sneak in a workout which was a mini-adventure for me.

6. Family time.  It was nice to just be with Uncle CeeCee and Aunt the Meaghan. I didn't feel sad once. I was with family and that was fun. It was fun to talk about the puppy and just be. We watched TV and they even suffered through the season finale of the Bachelor for me. (Stephen couldn't stop moving which would make the antenna go out at very crucial times!)  We ate family dinners and I cooked for more than just one person.  My "broke-didas" otherwise known as cheese quesadillas made my brother very happy. He is easy to please.  We all made memories together.

7. Tori.  This trip wouldn't have been possible without Tori. She stayed with my puppies so we could adventure without worry. Also we would have been in trouble because the doggy daycare was totally booked. Not only does she love on our dogs, she did our laundry!!! Seriously, she is amazing!

On the way home we listened to songs that remind us of Daddy. There may have been a few tears.  It is sad Brian isn't here for these adventures, but it is also awesome to know that as a duo, Harper and I are solid.  We will always love and miss Daddy, but we can do new things and make more memories. It was nice that our adventure wasn't clouded with sadness. I am so thankful for the memories we have with Brian to build on. I am also thankful for an incredible Boston Adventure and more days left in Spring Break.

P.S. Did I mention OLLIE?!?!