So, I knew something was up when Mommy & Daddy began packing up all of our things in suitcases--at first I thought we might be moving again, but they didn't seem to be using any boxes, and they kept talking about a "cottage" (I had to look it up). Since we only packed up about half of the things we owned, I figured that we would just be taking a really long drive, or something. The next day, we did go for a drive with Aunt Angela, but it wasn't a very long one. We stopped at a place that looked a lot like a page right out of my Where's Waldo books...there were people everywhere! We seemed to just walk around for a really long time, until Daddy found us some seats next to a big window. I stood up on the chair to see out, and this huge thing drove by! It turned toward our window, and then I saw that it was just a really big airplane--I knew what planes were, but the only kind I had seen up until this point could fit in my hand, or at least looked like they could...I told Mommy that I thought even Daddy could fit inside one of these planes, and Mommy told me that we could all fit, and that it would take us to see the rest of the family. Holy cow!
Once we got inside and found some seats, I started checking out the accommodations: air vents were adjusted, widow shades were set to optimal positions, and my toy inventory was re-checked. When the plane started moving Mommy had me look out the window. As I did, I saw that we were going faster and faster, and then the ground started moving away(!). I didn't know what to make of that until Daddy explained the basics of aerodynamics and commercial travel to me. It made my head hurt, so I closed the window shades. I played with Mommy, Angela, and Daddy for a long time, and just about the time that the novelty of being in an airplane was wearing off, we landed. I was tired enough by this time that when I got back in my stroller, I fell asleep.
When I woke up, we were getting on another plane! After I completed my pre-flight check of all our equipment, I wanted to explore the rest of the plane, but apparently we weren't allowed to. :( I told Mommy it wasn't fair, since the snack guy got to walk around! I was so glad when we were finally able to get out of the plane--I mean, it was really cool and all, but I wanted to be able to stand up and play. When we got down the escalator to pick up our luggage, I was so glad to be able to run around, but Mommy, Daddy, and Aunt Angela didn't seem as happy as I was--apparently some of our luggage didn't come off the plane with us, including my carseat! I was not a fan of the replacement one the airport loaned us and was certainly glad when mine showed up again!
But, wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. When we finally got to go outside, I saw Grandpa Dye! I was a little confused, because I hadn't seen him on our airplane, but then I figured that he had just taken one of the other ones I had seen. We drove to a restaurant and met up with Grandma Dye, Aunt Carolyn, Uncle Scott, and someone who looked kinda like Mommy with another guy and two little girls. Despite all of the excitement of seeing family again, I was glad when we finally got to the hotel--it had been a long day with so many new and interesting sights. I couldn't wait to dream about them!
As if a four-hour plane ride wasn't enough, the next day, we did the same thing, but in a car! Whose idea was it to waste half of our vacation just getting there? I was seriously reconsidering my continued involvement, when the car stopped again. The cottage is AWESOME!! It has a beach and a lake and I got to go swimming every day. Mommy and Daddy made all these sand animals that I got to smush. We found shells and rocks! I also learned that the two little girls were my cousins and we had a lot of fun playing together even though they didn't understand me very well. Our favorite game was ladderball--it was pretty easy to learn, we just had to watch Mommy and Grandma play it once first. We got to go on all kinds of boats: paddle boat, pontoon boat, and motor boat. I didn't much like wearing my life vest, but it was cool being out on the water. One time Grandpa even let me drive the boat! It was awesome. :) After we were at the cottage for a day or so, another car arrived. It was Grandpa Op and Aunt Carina! I couldn't believe that they came, too! It was the first time I actually got to play with Aunt Carina. We had so much fun! She swung with me on the swing and pulled me in the tube; We played ball and in the water and sand; We ate junk food and popsicles. It was great. :)
One morning, we got in the car and went to something called a parade. There were lots of people gathered on the sides of the road, and they were all watching other people drive extremely slowly down it...Daddy would have been mad at them. He also wouldn't have liked all of the loud noises--but for me, seeing the fire trucks outweighed the obnoxious sounds. That night (and why is "nite" a legitimate spelling?!) we had dinner (pizza!) at a place called Mackinaw. Mackinaw must be Chinese for "whole bunch of people gathered in a really small place for no discernible reason"...While we were playing on a playground with Grandma and Grandpa, I noticed that it was getting dark. Now, usually Mommy is helping get me ready for bed when it is getting dark, but we were far away from the cottage. I wondered what was going on, but Mommy got me some ice cream so I figured it must be a special night. Boy, was I right! Once it got really dark, the whole sky completely lit up with fireworks! They were a lot bigger than the ones I saw last year, and were a lot louder! I don't exactly remember how I got home, but I woke up in the right place the next day, so it's a good thing I wasn't the designated driver...
One of the scariest but most exhilarating things we did was tubing. Grandpa hooked the tubes up behind the pontoon for Brianna and me to ride. Mommy rode with me and Aunt Shannon rode with Brianna. Even though I had watched lots of people ride the tubes, I definitely did not know what to expect. We went so fast! We were skipping on top of the water just like a boat! It was crazy! I'm glad Mommy was with me because I knew she would keep me safe. One of the coolest things we got to do was paint the cottage. It took me a long time to convince Mommy that I could do just as good a job as everyone else, but eventually she let me help paint. The cottage looks so much newer now! One of the oddest things we did was go "fishing"--We got these long poles with strings on them that we had to be careful with, and then threw the strings in the water and watched them...Nothing happened. I preferred throwing rocks in the water but apparently you're not supposed to do that while you are fishing. Oh well, maybe I'll get the hang of this whole "fishing" thing when I am older. So, all in all, vacations are pretty awesome, and I can't wait to do it again!
