The one with a flight home.

Our last last day was good, full of stops and stores, but good.  I planned the flight late, it didn't leave until 5:45 so I wouldn't be stressed about leaving, and miss out on more time together.

Luca refused to nap the day of our flight--which wouldn't get us home until 2am in our brains, which were still obviously going to be on Ohio time--it just stressed me out even more--and then of course when we got in the car to go to the airport he crashed out--so he slept for about a half hour.

He didn't even wake up when Halie got him out of his seat.  He stayed asleep until we had checked our bags. 

We said goodbye to Halie and Grandma Becky, and headed through security and to our gate--which is always the in the last terminal--and the very farthest gate from security.  Once we were there we still had a little time, so I let Luca out to walk around.  He was waving to all the cars out the window and made some friends.  There was another family with two little boys, they just played and played.  they learned each others names and I even chatted with the parents.  I figured we could sit near each other on the plane so they could occupy each other.

I boarded first though, and I always go to the back of the plane--its louder back there so it drowns out my child and his toys, and there is more of a chance of us getting an extra seat if possible back there--but the other family sat more in the middle--I heard one of the boys say, "But I want to sit by Luca!!" and laughed, and hoped they would come back, but they didn't.  It all worked out.  Our flight had 40 extra seats!!!  I love when that happens since its so rare lately.  I kept Luca standing as to warn people and make them avoid our row, and put a bag on the seat by the window--I am not even ashamed.  We had the whole row to ourselves--and it was BEAUTiful.

Luca was occupied with the iPad most of the time, suckers in hand, and his bear close by.  I downloaded his newest favorite movie, Barbie Swan Lake, and he watched that a few times, skipping around to his favorite scenes--I didn't even know you could do that.

He was so happy and occupied for most of this flight, I even got to do some indexing!  I had a batch downloaded and started, so I finished that guy right up.  I'm glad I finally figured out how to do that offline!  I wish I had before, so I could have downloaded more than one, but Luca got restless after that anyway.

I need to remember to bring things for me to do--he usually is well occupied, especially when he gets his own seat--which will basically be from now on, since he will be 2 NEXT MONTH people.

We got to Denver to our flight being delayed 2 extra hours, making our layover almost 4 hours.  Not fun with an tired tired mom, and an overly tired toddler--because that only makes them more obnoxious and full of energy.

We wandered around, got disgusting food twice, that I paid $30 for, and I let Luca walk on the moving sidewalks forever.  I never got him going backwards though, and I am sad about that.  It would have worked like a charm.  

We got to Denver a little before 7, and our flight was delayed until 10:30.  I noticed there was a flight leaving to SLC at 9:25 and so I went and put myself on standby after calling my dad and figuring that out.  I was too paranoid to leave that gate incase they called my name, so we just found a seat and made ourselves comfortable.  By then it was 8ish.  Luca was so tired by then he just sat in the stroller and watched frozen.  People commented on how good he was being--and I knew it.  I was shocked that he was still awake, and quiet for the most part.

So many people from my original flight came to get on standby, that they stopped even adding people after there was a list of 20.  I was grateful I did it so early, and praying that we could get on.
Once they started boarding I got our stuff all ready just in case.

They did end up calling my name, but once they noticed Luca they asked for his proof of age which EVERY single airport employee tells me I WILL NOT need it after my first initial flight, so I never bring it with me--we don't have a passport from him yet, just his birth certificate, so I don't want to travel with it--don't worry the passport is on my things to do now.  Anyways.  They almost didn't let me on, and I almost walked away in fury that that would be the reason we couldn't go.  They ended up letting us on "only because of the time crunch," but it was technically against FAA rules.  

We got on and got the second to last seat available--and aisle shockingly enough.  Then the last lady to get on the plane came back to sit in the middle seat next to us, and scoffed at the middle, and just stood there, so I offered to move over to which she agreed--nice lady.

Luca crashed before we even took off and woke up as we landed so it was fine, uncomfortable but we did survive.
Turns out that flight only got us to SLC a half hour before our original flight would have, and since so many people came to get on this flight our original one probably wouldn't have been full, and we left without bags because they stayed on the original flight--so I should have just waited, but I was just glad to be home and done.

Luca was crying and crying out of tiredness once we landed, and was just begging for daddy--it all started when I told him he had to walk off the plane to get to the stroller, because I had to carry our bags.  He was crying until we found dad--after a potty stop.

We were going to wait for the bags, because it would have only been another half hour, but I was sooo done, and even though Luca had gotten a second wind from being reunited with his dad we left, and planned on coming back in the morning for the bags and carseat.  They gave us a rental carseat--I was so ready to just drive home with Luca in the booster seat--that is how tired I was.

We went right home, and Jose put Luca down--like Luca would have even let me attempt that after a month away--and I fell asleep on top of my bed and blankets.  Luca let us sleep in a little in the morning, and I like it that way--obviously, but more so because it basically puts him back on Ohio time the same day.  Works like charm.

The one with our last Ohio days.

I've been putting off these posts because they're sad.  And a letter I found from my grandma made it even that much more depressing.  She just wanted to know us, and see us, and chat with her grandchildren, but living so far away made that hard.  Its hard for me to even think of my own parents feeling that way at all.  We are so lucky to have the technology that we do, FaceTime is a life saver--and we all get to visit much more than we did growing up which is so helpful.  I will make it a priority for my kids to have real relationships with their grandparents. 

OKAY.  Moving on. Our last days were fabulous.

Lucas shenanigans reached new heights at Grandma Beckys house.  I am pretty sure I already blogged about this, so I will just put my Instagram post here. 

Lucas shenanigans have reached far and wide here at grandma and grandpas. Entire bags of cereal in the living room are just the tip of the iceberg. He's poured the salt out all over the table and proceeded to lick it up-more than once, stuck his thumbs in countless tomatoes, taken bites of several apples and put them back, stuck his hands in everyone's cups then dumped them, and started the empty microwave more times than I can count--and that is only in the kitchen. We are diving in head first to his second year of life, it's a darn good thing he's cute.

On Monday Halie talked mom into getting her a pet.  So we got in the car and headed to the pet store for a "easy, low maintenance" pet for her.

The basically forced a tiny adorable puppy into moms hands as soon as we walked in, and I seriously had thoughts of her giving in and leaving with the thing.  It was adorable, and "beagles are her favorite" soooo.

Of course luca was in heaven, looking at everything and banging on all the cages.

I sent this picture to everyone, and their reactions were absolutely hilarious.  I still can't believe they fell for it.

Luca enjoyed crawling around with the turtle, in between running around the store like a crazy, and getting lost a million times--after a while the turtle stopped going around so Luca gave up on him.

Meanwhile Halie picked her for real pets, hermit crabs.  She got 2, and named them something I can't remember, but was very excited!! Luca enjoyed watching her set up their new home.

We went to see Morgan and her mommy that night for a little bit too.   Poor Pippy is probably still stressing that Luca may come back to her house.  He tortured her the entire time we were there, we ended up barricading her in a corner, but he still found her.  He enjoyed showing off and jumping around and off everything he was allowed to climb.  He found the stash of teacher books upstairs, and and piggy bank that he emptied and filled a few times.

When we got back he just wanted to love on Halie all night.  He just climbed right up in her lap.

The one with the fort.

Luca has had a rough time with falls while we have been here--hes been scraped up and bruised and bled more times than I remember.  This particular time came after he tried to get off the bench outside the house and missed his footing, he smashed his sad nose and lip on the sidewalk.  

He wants to be a big kid oh so badly, every time we get in the car I have to put him up in his seat myself.  He wants to be bigger than I want him to be.

Whenever he sleeps he holds onto something, usually a bears ear.  And often has something else covering his face.

He has had a fascination with sitting under blankets lately, so I built him a fort--but he did very little sitting under it.  He brought everything he could find under there, including Grandma Becky.  

All the pillows from the couch, toys, receipts, table cloths, towels, shoes, balls, stuffed animals, an egg carton, the remotes, blankets, his cup--I'm telling you, everything. We were buried under there, and he just kept going.

We went outside for a bit, and I told Luca to stay on the white sidewalk, and out of the road--technically, he listened perfectly.  Next time there will be more specifics.

Luca has had quite the time being here.  His shenanigans are far reaching.  Toilets, bites out of food, pouring the salt all out and licking it up, eating out of full cereal bags, poking all the tomatoes in the house, destroying Nicole's room during nap time, chalking all over the front door and couch, and Tribbi--oh man Tribbi.  The things those two can do.  I will add that in the next post though.

We were going to Mackenzie's for a few more days but on our way out the door realized the back tires were flat, so we waited while Grandma took the car to get new tires, and watched Harry Potter--well Luca watched while I did some Indexing--because, SARA! Mom finally taught me!

The one with Graeters!

Roman came to play one day--Luca and he got along for the most part.

They too turns pushing each other around on the mater--Roman loved to smash into things.

Its happening.  Sorry Mackenzie.  You have lived in the dark long enough.

I sent this picture to Mackenzie after our Graeters trip, and told mom why, and she had never heard the story, and peed herself laughing about it, so I will share it now.  

During one of our Utah trips (Mackenzie maybe your scrapbook can help us with a date?) and we went to get ice cream.  Mackenzie and I were alone though.  We were trying to pick out our flavors, and Mackenzie enthusiastically found a "Sample spoon" jar.  She tried a few, and then after looking for the trash can for the spoons realized the spoons she had just sucked on were the trash spoons.  Used spoons.  Or sample spoons.  Who knew.

Its been long enough we can all laugh together now instead of laughing at her.

We always have to go to Graeters while we are here in Ohio.  I am aware that I get the same thing every time I go, and I am aware that Smiths in Utah has that flavor--but its just better here!! And Luca can play!

Grandma Becky stopped to talk to a friend on the way home, and after we chatted a bit, we let them chat and crossed the street to the park.  Luca is getting so good at swinging on a big boy swing--and he actually likes it!

We faced timed Grant and Sara for a bit one night, and Grant sang songs for Luca and he loved it all. They miss each other.

Grandma Becky, Luca and I went to lunch at Lunada when grandma needed mexican food in her life. Luca entertained himself by crushing the tortilla chips with his belly and chest on the table.  Whatever works.

Remember that Ohio water color from Morgans house?? Grandma and I attempted our own.  She is much better than I am, and patience--but thats a different story.  I am overall pleased with what we did!

For those of you who think that extra guy is a state--it isn't.  Its a country.  Guatemala to be precise.

Luca has left lovely presents for everyone around the house--Halie was lucky enough to get popcorn in her shoe one evening.

We were at meijer for some things, and I let Luca watch the lobsters for a while--we used to do that when mom shopped.  I love that everything is the same.

We got our OSU gear for dad there and Luca wanted to wear his hat home, he put it on all himself and was oh so proud.