Swimming Costumes

We're back from Spring Break.  And we had a great spring break.  I am sure I will have several blog post and stories from our week away and at home.  Laci's spring break started last Friday and my parents came to visit and spent the day with Laci and Calvin at home.  Saturday morning, the four of us went to Nashville for a few days.  We came home Tuesday night and spend the next 5 days at home.  It was nice to get away and to have some downtime at home.  I tried to do something special each day.

Before we get into what we did, I'll start with 3 nights in a hotel.  I have blogged before that nights in a hotel are not easy with some children.  They are impossible.  Our old routine was to have Charlie put Calvin to bed early - around 8.  Laci and I would go swimming and then sit in the lobby until she was tired enough to be able to go to bed.  Mornings were tough because Charlie had to get a run in before we left.  It's hard to entertain two small children in a hotel room. 

I think we are starting to get past that hump of hard nights in the hotel.  Laci assumes staying in a hotel means swimming.  It was hard to find a hotel in Nashville with an indoor pool but it was totally worth it.  We took the kids swimming all three nights.  Calvin got to go too.  When he saw the pool, Calvin asked if we could go put on our "swimming costumes".  I have no idea where he heard the phrase "swimming costumes" but I thought it was so funny, that I called it our swimming costumes the rest of the visit.  One of the highlights of the trip was Charlie throwing Calvin in the air and then Calvin giggling, pointing one finger and saying "One more time, Daddy.  Again!"  We are in the process of transitioning Calvin into his new room and a bed.  We decided to get a crib in the hotel just in case but planned to have him try a bed.  After Laci fell asleep on a bed with Calvin, he asked to go into his crib at 10:00.  I guess he isn't ready yet for a bed.  Monday, he was so exhausted, at 8:30 when the kids were roughhousing, Charlie threatened to put him in his crib and turn off the lights.  Calvin agreed and asked to go to bed and have the lights turned off. 

                                                          Enjoying our morning "coffee"

Another hotel highlight was when we went to the Gaylord hotel to walk the lobby.  Charlie loves doing that.  The simple escaltor was the highlight.  The first time, Calvin held on to be tight and told Charlie "Be careful, Daddy."  The second time he reminded Charlie to "hold on tight!"  By the third time, he was brave enough to stand on the escalator himself.  I lost count how many times we went on the escaltor.  There is a Dick's Sporting Goods near us with an escalator and they love going to that store for the escalator.  It's the simple things that they love. 

There is my first story on our vacation.  We had a great time and went to the Aquarium Restaurant, Adventure Science Center, Nashville Zoo, Easter at Brentwood UMC.  At home our highlights were Steak N Shake Happy Hour shakes, Build a Bear workshop, visiting a friend's new baby, Chuck E Cheese and my favorite - just hanging out at home.