Family Saturday

I have been traveling both the last two weeks and hit the road again on Monday so Carrie has been a single parent for the majority of 2011 while juggling a new job and going back to work full time.  Yes, she is super mom.  Thus, we dubbed Saturday Family Day.  We would do it all as a fam.  Her younger brother turned 18 this week so we needed to shower him with our best birthday wishes and headed up to the 'Loo on Saturday.  Becoming an adult is not always easy and Uncle Andrew found out some of the cons of adulthood yesterday.  He was running some errands around town and something sounded funny in the engine.  Do you remember the Beast of Bellingham oaks?  It turns out it was living under the hood of Andrew's car.  Fortuitously the car came to a squealing halt (I do mean squealing) in a Dairy Queen parking lot.  It's the middle of winter, but still, if you're going to get stranded I suppose a DQ is as good of a place as any to get stranded.  After taking a peek under the hood and seeing a paw with sizable claws it was ultimately determined that this wasn't the horse power looking back at him.  A tow truck was summoned. 

Q putting his shoes on Gavin

Calling for a tow truck is like calling the cable guy.  Sure they provide you a four hour window that they'll be at your house, but we both know they won't actually make that window. They will be at a minimum 90 minutes outside that arbitrary time slot. (Seriously, how is that the only "customer service" business that doesn't have any service yet still manages to have a thriving business)?  Brett, the eldest brother, went to help our newly minted adult.  Three dilly bars, two peanut buster parfaits and one strawberry shake later, the patriarch heads out to see where our now three companions are stranded in that DQ desert seemingly with no way out.  What's that you say?  The tow truck just called and said they'll be there within 30 minutes.  Ha!  Good one!  One of the errands our just turned 18 brother-in-law was running was picking up the grub for his own party.  One wouldn't want to sound selfish in the moment of another's birthday party, but we're turning ravenous for the food at this point.  It's nearly 3pm.  Alas someone, our beloved Poppa, finds his way out of the DQ parking lot without indulging in all the blizzard treats, although, he did return with an ice cream cake, with dinner in hand.  The rest of the search party was still patiently waiting for the two truck.  Within the hour all had returned in good spirits, all things considering.  And with that I wish Andrew a welcome to adulthood and a Happy Birthday!  Your present will be coming in the form of the bill on Monday.  You just can't catch a break and no time to find that out than the minute one turns 18.  In all seriousness, that's covered by insurance right?  Take your beast to the taxidermist and place it above the mantle as human revenge.

That was the beginning of family day.  After indulging in tons of food, cake and the first half of the Steelers game it was time to venture, as a family, to a restaurant to join some companions to watch the Packers explode onto the playoff scene.  We are off the bah and Quinny has done an amazing job.  It hasn't been easy per se but it's been easier than I expected.  He has the toughest time in the twilight hours when he's in between dinner but not quite ready for bed yet.  He was a little crabby in the car ride home, but Carrie calmed him down into a short nap before arriving back in the CR.  I think we surprised our friends when we walked in with the brood but it was family day. They had just forgotten to read the memo.  We got through dinner pretty admirably and were nearly through the first half of the Packer game when Quinny started to lose it.  To be fair we were there for about two hours and it was a good hour past his bed time.  He showed off is unbelievable eating skills, which impressed our friends. To put things in perspective let me give you his breakfast yesterday; 4 pancakes, bowl of cereal with raisins, applesauce, banana and blueberries.  At dinner he polished of mac n' cheese, another soup cup of applesauce and started going after our plates including our friends'.  Professional eater within our mix?

Q breaking into to Daddy's toolbox

Gavin, well that kid has been great.  He slept all the way home, through the whole dinner and didn't wake up until after we got Q tucked into bed.  We've been sleeping pretty well around here.  Q, I think is officially over the hump.  He no longer cries in the morning when he wants up.  He tosses and turns and just sort of hangs out in his crib until someone gets him.  Get this - it's not until 7:30. 7:30 am!  Upon waking up at 7:30 Saturday morning Carrie and I looked at each other and remarked it had been years, roughly 2 1/2 years since we had slept in that late.  It was a great feeling.  Gavin has been hitting the sack around 10pm and has been sleeping until about 5 for a feeding and then back down until after we get up so it hasn't been too bad for Care either. 

By 9pm family day had come to a close.  It was the first time we all went out in public together.  We survived and had a really good day.  Here are a few pics on some of the adventures I've been missing out on with my recent travels.  

Update on the Bowl for Kid's Sake.  I'm making some progress.  Thanks for those that have generously donated thus far.  You can see my updated thermometer progress here.  Only a few weeks left!