When Grandma comes to visit.....

Before Shane and I got married, we decided that we wanted to spend (at least) the first 10 years of marriage living away from family. We thought that this would be a good way to build a foundation as a couple, to maintain our independence and to learn to work through difficult situations on our own. - Can you tell that we are both the oldest children of our family? :) As such, we have never lived closer than a 9 hour drive to any family.

This was all fine and good for the first 5 years of marriage. And then Lydia arrived. I have mentioned it before, but the first 18 months of Lydia's life were hell. I was a walking Zombie. I never slept. I never left the house. I never saw friends. Had I had a blog at that time, I wouldn't have been able to see through the tears to write, nevertheless string together a coherent sentence.

All I lived for at that time were visits from my mom. Or visits to see my parents (though that necessitated a plane trip with a baby who screamed CONSTANTLY for 12 hours, so that part wasn't so much of a delight). I don't think I have wanted my "mommy" that badly since I was a toddler.

Life isn't so dire anymore, but visits from my mom are just as wonderful. Now she isn't saving me from the mental institution, she is helping me out and getting to enjoy Lydia at this sweet age. And of course - spoiling Lydia. One of her first days in town we had a Lydia Day that only a Grandma could provide. We hit Build-a-Bear for the first time and I watched as Lydia and my mom carefully choose every accessories down to the red panties. (Lydia named her new friend "Kasey". I have no idea how she even knows that is a name.) Next we went out to lunch and got malts!!!!! - Why the excitement? We just got a Red Robin and found out it is peanut free! This is the first time we have ever been able to take Lydia out for a real ice cream treat.

After all three of us took naps - we strolled the park. We searched for squirrels and snapping turtles and the prettiest fall leaves we could find. - Did you know that you can preserve leaves by microwaving them? Works pretty well. After Lydia went to bed for the night, my mom and I made Ina Garten's Apple Crisp as a little fall treat. It may be my new fall favorite. The entire house was filled with its scent. It was so good we were actually giggling while we ate it.

Well, my mom had to go home, but I am still amazingly refreshed from her visit. Which is good, because Lydia has thrown about 19 insane temper tantrums today and I think that Shane is going to have to work late again. Whatever. I am going to go snack on some leftover apple crisp.

Love you mom!

P.S. I forgot to mention that Shane and I took advantage of our visiting babysitter to venture on a little 24 hour vacation. We stayed the night at the downtown Hilton, ate room service in bed, slept in late, got up to eat at the fantastic breakfast buffet - then back to our room to take a nap. (Always request a late check out when on a romantic night away.) Pretty perfect by my accord.