All you need is a glass elevator and a shuttle van

We decided to hit the open road last weekend. My cousin Casey's little girl Drew was turning 5 and having a party in Atlanta. So I convinced Jimmy that an overnight trip would be "easier" than spending all day in the car going to the party. He looked at me like I had LOST my mind, but eventually caved and we booked a room at the Embassy suites at Perimeter Mall. This was Keatyn's first road trip, and the first time for Trace to stay in a hotel since he was about a year and a half old.

We headed out Friday morning and went straight to the Atlanta Zoo. Keatyn slept the entire way down there and Trace watched a movie. On the way, I called and made dinner reservations at Cheesecake Factory (my favorite) for later that night. We got to the zoo and decided instead of pushing a stroller around, Jimmy would attempt to wear the Mobi Wrap my brother and Kadi got us. I figured, I carried her for 9 months, he could do it for a few hours!

His reaction when I handed it to him and showed him the 50 page book of how to put it on...
We chose the "kangaroo wrap" and he worked feverously in the parking lot to get it on while I fed her.

Look, no hands.
First stop... flamingos.

Girby's looking a little low. And his hand never left her little bottom... somethings not right.
Next stop... warthogs. (GROSS! I would take a muddy pig anyday)

This nice woman noticed our child about to fall out of the Mobi and kindly offered to adjust Jimmy's wrap to her preferred position. Bless her heart.
He thanked her profusely and said that was the most action he'd had in a long time.

Isn't he hilarious?
You may notice Trace isn't in this picture. That's because he chose this time, while we were otherwise engaged, to climb the timbers of the warthog cage, dangling over the nasty animals, nearly falling in headfirst.

Another kind stranger helped him down.

It takes a village.

This picture taken after the Mobi adjustment. Much better. It's no wander between the incorrect wrap holding our infant and our preschooler nearly plummeting into the warthog cage that someone didn't call DCFS on us.
And keeping with the trend of the afternoon, this picture was taken only seconds after Trace climbed onto and fell over the fence of the Silverback Gorilla ( top left hand corner.)

Lord, please get us out of here alive.
You know we had to ride the train. Twice.
You see all kinds at the zoo...
Two hours and $80 later, we headed to the hotel. Here's where the highlight of the weekend really began... the glass elevator (or elegator, in Trace language) that overlooked the fountain and "pond" in the lobby.

Once in the room, he immediately took off his pants and jumped on the bed.
I'm not sure why he felt the need to disrobe first.
Instead of getting the car back out of the parking garage to go to dinner, we decided to take the complimentary hotel shuttle.

Oh. My. Word.

Who knew? Apparently to a 4-year-old, to ride in a shuttle van sans a car seat is the ultimate high.

Can I have the 2 hours and $80 we wasted at the zoo back please?

He talked the shuttle man's ear off. I'm sure he was very grateful it was only a 1/2 mile trip. But he delighted in the $2 tip Trace handed him and vowed to return to get us.

Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory was FANTASTIC, topped off with what else, cheesecake...
Taking a break from his dessert to kiss Girby (who finally woke up after sleeping through the zoo, tour of downtown Atlanta, the glass elevator ride and the shuttle van.)

After dinner, we hit the pool. Sister sat this one out.
Trace hadn't been in a pool since September but he jumped right in. We were thrilled to see he hadn't forgotten how to tread water. Since Jimmy nor I had on a bathing suit, we were praying neither of us had to jump in fully clothed to save him.

Jimmy was ahead of the game and offered to hold the baby. Well played.
The next morning we had a wonderful complementary breakfast and then waited to check out and head to Drew's birthday party. I'm NOT a fan of Sponge Bob, but when you are in a hotel room with 1 cartoon channel, trying to nurse a baby and all your child can talk of is riding the glass elevator or the van shuttle, you pick your battles. That morning, I was thankful for Sponge Bob.
That afternoon, we headed to Casey's house for the party. It was so good to see our family there. I can't believe Drew is already 5. I remember coming down for her birth, then being here for her 1st birthday when Trace was just 8 weeks old. Here we are 4 years later, and I'm here again with another 8 week old and she is turning 5! They grow up WAY too fast!
Three amigos...
Precious Cole...



It was such a great weekend and I'm so glad we attempted our first getaway. It really was fun and Keatyn could not have been any better. She is such a sweet baby! Of all we did during the trip, Trace claims his favorite things were... you guessed it. Suppose we could have done both of those with a little 15 minute trip down the road to our local Marriott, but we made some fun memories in the process and got to see lots of people we love!