The Florida Post

Several of you have been waiting for this...our first family vacation with child! :)


For a week after Christmas, Brad, Addison, and I took a trip to Florida. Thanks to his dad and stepmom, we have free lodging for the week (Dad and Deb.....thank you!!!).

We had a fabulous time! Addie handled the plane rides great (a huge blessing), and loved the sunshine and warm weather. (This week she keeps looking at her feet like why in the world are these socks covering my feet?!)

Yes, we're the dorky parents who pulled out the hat, sunglasses, and spf 50, but hey, we didn't take any chances. And the girl actually liked her sunglasses...she kept them on for the first couple of days (then after that started taking them off because she thought they might taste better than they looked).

While in Florida, we enjoyed the beach, pool, outlet mall, great restaurants, taking the boat out, and relaxing time with family (I'm sure if Brad was writing this he would add golf to the list of things he enjoyed). The first picture above was taken when we arrived at the beach (about 5 minutes from where we stayed!!!). Everything was great!

As I was writing the word "restaurants" in the paragraph above, I had to laugh. Per usual, Addie decided it was time to poop...at the restaurant. We were laughing while she grunted and we ate, then Brett pushed her around in the stroller while Brad and I finished eating (yes, we all sort of forgot that she probably filled her diaper). Well, after dinner, Brett and Annie, and Brad and I were getting ready to get into their dad's vehicle (Billy and Debi rode with other family). As Brad lifted her into her carseat, he was blown away by the smell. Oops, that's right, she was grunting during dinner. So, we folded a back seat down and Brad opened up the treasure. Yes, another good one...all the way up the front and back. So, carefully the clothes came off (good thing we were in Florida and it was warm!). 4 adults, 18 wipes, and 1 new diaper later, we were ready to go. Oh, but wait, where's the change of clothes?! Oh yeah, Mommy forgot to pack them in the diaper bag! (hey, I was on vacation!) :) So, ghetto baby had to ride back to the house with just a diaper and a bib. :) Ah, the memories!

Brett really enjoyed time with his neice. He and Brad's dad practically fought to be the first to pick her up from her crib each morning. I think they walked past her until her eyes opened and they snatched her up from there. She wasn't spoiled all week or anything. :)

On the way home, we were about to go through security (which by the way, is kind of nice because if you have a stroller you go through a different, and often shorter, line!), when the guy looked at Brad and said, "I'm going to need you to step into there...without the baby." So, Brad had to hand Addie over to me and step into the super-extra-secure-detector-frisker-station, where he said it blew little shots of air on him. I was laughing for quite a while about that. After we got through security, this guy passes us, looks at Brad and says, "I guess you're the chosen one...I thought sure it would be me!" And this dude had the leather jacket, chains, shaved head, boots...the stereotypical guy who you would think they would "double-check." Ah, but no, they picked the innocent guy wearing an "Indiana" sweatshirt, carrying a baby. Oh well, better safe than sorry I suppose. :)

We were super-blessed to have a wonderful and safe vacation and to have a nice cozy house to come home to!

I must go...Addie has woke up from her nap and is not wanting to play by herself right now. :)