So we went on our first real vacation as a family of 4, and I must say that it was AMAZING. Sure Aaron might have been extra cranky and clung to me like glue, and Mudgie is still in his whiny toddler phase (which I really don't see ending anytime soon), but we still managed to have a ton of fun.
We drove our very full car (really, we couldn't fit anything else in there if we wanted to) up to Sanbornton, NH to spend a week at the Steele Hill Resort. We got a 1-bedroom "condo" on the first floor that allowed us to look out onto Lake Winnisquam and the NH mountains, and walk out our door right onto the lawn with a sand volleyball court, outdoor pool (and kiddie pool) and patio, and a playground. It had everything we could want or need. Mudgie was so excited to be staying at the "Mountain Place."
Saturday was our first full day there, and we headed out early to hit up the Flume Gorge in Lincoln, NH. I hadn't been there since I was a kid, and I clearly didn't appreciate just how cool a place it was when I was there. For those who are unfamiliar, "the Flume is a natural gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty. The walls of Conway granite rise to a height of 70 to 90 feet and are 12 to 20 feet apart." Aaron was pretty content to enjoy the scenery in the backpack, but Mudgie hiked much of it himself. He loved the water and the bridges, and just running around outside in general. That afternoon we went swimming in the kiddie pool (again). We popped in for a quick dip on Friday afternoon, and Aaron loved it, and Mudgie did too until he slipped, panicked, and swallowed a little water before I could yank him up. I had to really work to get him back in the pool, but by the end of day, he was officially enjoying it again.
On Sunday we spent the morning looking for a breakfast place (unsuccessfully) and at a craft fair (that was kind of lame), but in the afternoon we hit up the indoor pool located in a different building of the resort. It had kiddie pool and big pool, both with water slides. Once again, Mudgie was scared of it all, but once we got him going, he loved it. He wouldn't brave the big slide, but had a lot of fun in the kiddie area. Aaron really enjoyed it too, and went down the slide all by himself (with someone catching him at the bottom, of course). After our swim, it was time to enjoy the 4th of July celebrations (a day early). There was a bouncy house, an ice cream truck, and fireworks. Aaron conked out around 8, but Mudgie stayed up until almost 10 to watch the fireworks. It was his first time seeing them, and after initially being scared of the sound, I covered his ears and he really got into them. At the end he was even pointing out the ones he liked! It was such an awesome and magical night.
On Monday, we headed north again for a hike up Rattlesnake Mountain. It was a short hike to a great view of Squam Lake, and Mudgie loved "rock hopping" at the top. Unfortunately, he's still a bit of a klutz, and he fell and scraped his knee up there. It didn't seem to hold him back, though, as he hiked himself down almost the entire trail. He probably could have even made it the whole way if we'd known how close we were when he got back into the backpack.
On Tuesday we went to Wier's Beach on Lake Winnipesaukee. Aaron loved the water, the boats, and the sand. Mudgie enjoyed all those things too, but what he loved more than anything else was the train station that was just next to the beach. We saw several trains come and go while we were there, and he was both fascinated by and terrified of them. We went back to the condo for naps and then headed back to the "boardwalk" to play in the arcades and eat ice cream. We ate a lot of ice cream all week, and Aaron became very demanding about getting his fair share. I guess both these boys got their parents sweet tooth!
On Wednesday we drove way up north to go to Santa's Village. I think it's fair to say that all 4 of us had SO much fun! Mudgie must have gone on the train ride about a dozen times. We also rode the antique cars, the carousel, the sleigh monorail, the flying sleighs, and this "Bah Humbug" ride that was like a funhouse that you ride through in carts and try to shoot hanging bugs with a laser gun. Mudgie also went on a few things that Aaron couldn't, like the fire truck ride where he got to shoot water onto a burning building, and the roller coaster. This was the first year he was tall enough to go on, and I was so excited to take him. We sat at the very front of the train, and before we got started Mudgie was excited to ride. However, once we got going, that excitement turned into sheer terror as he screamed loud enough to be heard 2 blocks away! Needless to say, he only rode that ride once. Mudgie and I also had a lot of fun playing in the water park while Aaron napped in the stroller, and we all visited Santa before the end of the day. We got there just after 10am, and left just after 5pm, about an hour after it started raining. It was a full, busy day, but it was jam packed with fun.
Thursday morning we went to a breakfast place up the road from where we stayed. It was a on a farm, and the whole experience was very rural. It was a mom and pop place, and while we were sitting on the porch waiting for our food, a 4-year-old little boy named David came over to our table and started playing with Mudgie's trains. Fortunately, Mudgie did an amazing job sharing (probably the best I've ever seen from him), even if he (and really Dave and I too) were a bit taken back by a random little boy joining our table! After breakfast, the boys played on the playground at the farm and visited the petting zoo there. And even though Aaron really wanted to see all the animals, we kept it to just a "looking" zoo after his last petting zoo experience! After naps we went back to the big pool with the water slides. Mudgie got brave and decided he wanted to go down the big slide. He must have gone down that thing about 2 dozen times (with Dave holding him), and Aaron just loved the kiddie pool.
Friday we had to leave the resort, but the fun was not over yet. We drove up to North Conway where Thomas the Tank Engine was visiting. We got to ride on a train pulled by a life-sized Thomas train. Mudgie was in heaven! We also got to go on a real diesel engine, and Mudgie got to sit in the driver's seat. We even got a ride in a little mini car. Words cannot describe how "in" to this even Mudgie was, but his eyes light up when he talks about it.
Saturday was another big day, even though we were back home. In the morning, Dave, Mudgie and I went to see Cars 2 in the movie theater (Aaron stayed at home with a sitter). We met Talia and her parents there, and the 2 kids were so cute together. They hadn't seen each other in more than a week, and listening to them "catch up" with each other was adorable. Then they sat next to each other in the theater, shared popcorn, and kept a little conversation going. Adorable. But the biggest event of the movies was when Mudgie told me he had to go pee pee. I asked him if he wanted to go the bathroom, and when he said yes, I assumed he was just getting antsy and wanted a change of scenery. However, when we got to the bathroom and sat him on the potty, he actually peed! His first time ever going pee on the potty, and it was at the public restroom in the movie theater...go figure. Unfortunately, he didn't repeat that performance for the rest of the weekend, but it was still a very encouraging sign.
Saturday afternoon was a first for Aaron...his first haircut. It became clear on vacation that his crazy long hair was just getting a little too crazy, and it was definitely time for a trim. We brought him in and sat him in the airplane, and while I wouldn't say he enjoyed it, he tolerated it pretty well until the end. It was a very hard experience for me, and I think I shed a tear too, watching his "babyness" disappear before my eyes. He looks so much older with his trimmed hair, and while I know he's getting older and becoming more boy and less baby every day, this is a big milestone in my eyes.
Aaron reached another big milestone on vacation...walking. While I still wouldn't say he's walking, he is definitely taking steps (sometimes as many as 5-7 before falling), and he thinks he can walk, which usually results in a minor booboo. His balance is still not great, but his desire to walk is overpowering his lack of balance, and I think he'll be walking by his birthday due to pure will power!
In closing, it was a fun, busy, exciting week. I think we all had a really good time, and Monday it's back to work, and back to the normal routine, which isn't such a terrible thing.
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