Alpena Trip

We had a whirlwind of a trip up to Alpena this past week. We went up there on Wednesday and got back late Friday afternoon. It was our first family road trip and it went really well! On our trip up Gabi didn't even make a peep. We drove for a couple hours or so and then stopped in Gaylord at a park and had a picnic lunch and let Gabi crawl around. That turned out great - it was a beautiful day and we just got to enjoy some quiet time outdoors.

We finally got into Alpena and checked into our hotel room....boy did that seem small. When my mom and I traveled with Gabi a few months ago our room was huge and great. This room we could hardly even find a place to set up her pack 'n play. It worked out though, and we weren't even in our room other than when we were sleeping. We had dinner at Jim and Joelyn's that night (Jim is my Dad's cousin) and we had a really great time there. We had salmon on the grill [yumm!], they have an English Setter dog so Nick was totally intrigued, and Gabi fell in love with this little cement cat statue they had in their dining room.

The next day was our only full day there so it was very busy. Gabi just kept right up with us. She was up from 7:30am to past 9:30pm with ONE 1 hour nap. Crazy baby. She was quite cranky with us in the hotel room for the first hour or two after we got up, but once she was out and about she was very charming, playful, and full of energy! That girl knows how to put on a show.
Nick, Gabrielle, and I walked around downtown in the morning, then met up with the family after that. We all went to the Brown Trout Festival and then out to my Uncle Dick's for a family dinner.

And the new thing Gabi learned on our trip is to mimic! She mimics coughing, spitting, and saying "bababa". She can also wave on command now too! We went to my brother's mass on Friday and of course there were lots of old people coughing throughout the service and we just kept hoping Gabi didn't cough after them :) Gabi did pretty well in church. It was the first time Nick and I have taken her to church, but we had to give it a try. Of course we had to entertain her the whole time with toys that didn't jingle, talk, sing, or make noise (or hurt someone!) when she throws them. That basically left her teething ring and bath book. The first thing she did when we sat down in church was let out a huge "BA BA BA" that echoed and shook the walls. In went the pacifier!

The trip back home went well too. Everyone was very tired but we made it no problem. Nick and I got our first experience with a McDonald's Playplace as parents. Ugh, those things are no fun!! It was rainy the day we came back, so stopping at a park to let Gabrielle play for a bit was out of the question and we went to a McDonald's instead. Within 20 seconds of setting Gabi down to crawl some little kid ran up and stuck her dirty hands in my baby's mouth and hit her on the head. Yuck. Gabi had fun and got some energy out before we finished our trip.

We had a very good time up north and was great that the other side of my family could meet Gabrielle while she is still a baby. One thing is for sure, everyone that met Gabrielle up there is fully aware of her love of Cheerios and her blankie. :)

Picnic lunch in Gaylord

Having fun in the baby swing at the park! That was the second time she has been in one of those...we found one at a local park a few days before this. Aunt Joyce Uncle Doug At the lake in Alpena
Cousins Carley and Gabrielle
Trying to climb the chair at Uncle Dick's

Carley opening birthday presents after dinner

Gabrielle and Uncle Dick

Getting a bouncy ride from cousin Amy while waiting for cousin Steve to get there!
Steve was SO happy to finally be in Michigan again :)

Gabi with Dad and Uncle Greg at breakfast after church and before we left town