A short but fun visit with Opa and Oma

My parents came to visit for 5 days this past week. It was really too short of a visit but we had a lot of fun! The real reason they came down is because Dad spoke at Chris' MBA program. It was a long way to travel for a 30 minute talk, but the bonus was the extra days with Kate. :)

My parents arrived on Wednesday but Kate had been counting down to pick them up for 2 days. The night before all she could talk about was going to the airport and seeing the planes. I'm not sure how many times we watch "Fly thru the Sky" on YouTube or listened to it in the CD player. She also played with her airplanes and only had her Opa and Oma little people flying with the pilot. We even had to read her Airport book several times. Well, she reads more of it to me these days. (I will try to capture that on video soon.)

Kate couldn't wait to go to her favorite place in the world, the airport, to "pick up Opa and Oma." They came in at 12:30 but she was ready to go at 10:30! As soon as she woke up I could hear her singing "Fly thru the Sky" in her room! We arrived early so we could watch many planes land and take off from the viewing area. We went in the airport so I could show her the inside parts like in her book. She couldn't understand why we couldn't go through the revolving doors to wait for Opa and Oma to get off the plane so we watched planes inside. I really think we have a future pilot on our hands! Most kids are enamored by music or sports starts, mine is enamored by pilots. We saw 2 come through the doors and you would have thought it was the coolest thing in the world! "PILOTS!!!!!" She was just as excited when she saw Oma and Opa come through those revolving doors finally!

That night we celebrated Dad's birthday a little late. We had ordered special shirts for Kate and Opa. He is always calling her Little Trouble since I was known as Trouble. Well he is Big Trouble. I ordered a "Big Trouble" and "Little Trouble" shirts. The day before, Kate and I also made his favorite cake, a dump cake with penuche frosting. Kate wanted me to put a hot air balloon on it and she picked out star candles. She picked out the colors for the balloon. It tasted "licious." (Delicious in Kate language.)Thursday Kate and Opa wore their matching shirts to the BioPark. We started at the zoo and then later took the train to the Gardens. Kate was so excited to take Opa on the big train. She loves the tunnels. We looked at the butterflies and miniature trains. She was excited to see Percy and Thomas on the little track. Her other favorite thing to do that day was feed the giraffe. She thought the long tongue was hilarious!That night we had a mini family reunion. We had both sets of grandparents here as well as Chris's Aunt Helen from Denver and his cousin, Patricia, from Evanston, IL. They are here to visit Chris' parents before the final chemo and stem cell transplant. We had a great time catching up with everyone! Kate enjoyed her many slices of watermelon!
Friday Dad did his speaking engagement. You can ask him about the experience. :) Mom, Kate and I knew it would be short so we stayed on campus. We went to the duck pond to feed the ducks, fish, and turtles. It was...umm...interesting to watch her feed the ducks.

We though she was going to fall into the pond a few times, but she had a good time. We wandered the campus and mom found the anthropology museum. I know where she will be at Christmas time since we only spent a few minutes inside!

Kate was full of it at dinner that night. While we waited to be seated at the Hard Rock Casino, Kate ran around. She ran in circles between Chris and my dad saying "excuse me" each time she ran through. She also crawled around and told us that she was a triceratops. Roaring and all! Her imagination really has blossomed. (Oh and on a side note my parents brought her a t-rex since she loves dinosaurs. She has insisted on carrying it around with her and sleeps with him. that night she was quiet and all of a sudden we heard a ROAR! It was pretty funny.) :)

Saturday morning Mom, Dad Kate (with Rex) and I went sofa shopping. We are finally replacing our 10 year old couch. It was our first major purchase together before Chris and I were married! I found a leather sofa bed, and we bought it Sunday. :) We enjoyed another family dinner with both sets of grandparents at Zea's that night. Kate had more fun using the hand sanitizer to wash her hands (and repeatedly sing her ABCs) rather than eating.

Sunday we had to take my parents back to the airport, but not before Dad finally was able to give her lollipop that he bought in Door County. Kate loved it!! It was hard to get it away from her so we could get her ready to go to the airport.Kate had a hard time understanding the concept of dropping off Opa and Oma. She was sad to see them go. Today she has already asked me if we are going to the airport to pick up Opa and Oma while she played with her airplane.