Fun with the Troiano's

The kids actually sharing a chair and playing together in the hotel room this morning - I had to get a picture of that just to document it!
Molly took a picture of Bob and I resting in bed while we waited for Ann to wake up from her nap!

One of my closest friends, Courtney and her kids live in Virginia and at ten this morning she called to say that she was leaving the Virginia mountains where they were on vacation to come back home so that they could see us. I miss Courtney desperately since she moved to Virginis a few years ago so I was thrilled that even though I didn't ask her to she was coming home for the night to spend some time with us! Peter and MOlly were beside themselves with excitement and my training ended at 2 so we left the hotel and headed to Leesburg!

Annie playing with Ryan's parachute at Auntie Court's house.

Molly and Claire remind me a bit of Courtney and I - there was not even one moment of awkwardness after not seeing each other for so long. They went right back to talking and playing like they had seen each other last week. I think Molly and Claire are kindred spirits - they have so much fun together and just laugh hysterically!

Molly and Claire-bear eating Chinese food!

Ryan is a doll. He is definitely a handful but in the very best way - he is sweet and loveable and I LOVE his little laugh!He keeps Court on her toes!
Claire is the sweetest kid I have ever met. She goes with the flow and just has fun at whatever she is doing. She is such a sweetheart and I would have stuffed her in my bag and taken her home if I thought it would work. I am trying to convince Court to come to CT and leave the kids with us for a weekend and go away with Gary. Not sure she was sold on the idea but I now have Claire and Aidan working on it!
Pig pile on Uncle Bob!

Auntie Court getting to know Annie. Courtney loved Annie - this is actually the first time she has met her. She held her the whole time we were there - when Aidan wasn't holding her, of course.

The kids all under the parachute with Annie - she didn't quite know what to make of it!

Peter and Aidan wrestling. These two have been friends since they were born - literally! When Court was pregnant with Aidan she used to come over and hold Peter until late into the night. He would get Aidan kicking away inside her belly and they have been friends ever since. Aidan was born on Thanksgiving day 7 years ago - my handsome godson. He is so smart and kind and wonderful . I love getting to spend time with him - however short it is! The two boys played video games and army men and anything else they could think of!

Uncle Sponge Bob and Ryan playing with Playdough!

Aidan LOVED holding Ann. She was very smiley for the kids and felt instantly at ease at Court's house!

Annie is not loving the seven thousand pictures that Mommy was taking.

All the kids except Ryan - he refused to leave his Playdough!

The one problem with visiting with Courtney and the kids is that I realize how much I miss them. Courtney and I have been friends since Peter was a baby. Two years after Peter came home with me Court decorated and cleaned my house when I brought Molly home from the hospital. When her husband Gary left for Iraq a few months later Claire was just a month old and we were both single mothers for a year. We kept each other sane with lots of pizza nights, outings and emotional support. When Court and I get together it doesn't matter how long it has been since we have seen each other we just start gabbing away and its like we never left each other! The last time we came to DC Bob sent us out to the hotel lobby for a half hour of girl time and a cup of coffee while he took care of all the kids in the hotel room. An hour and a half later he loaded kids into the elvator and came searching for us - it felt like we had been down there for 5 minutes and we had talked through dinner time! So I had a blast tonight despite the screaming, running chaos of 6 kids in one house. I always look forward to these trips and getting to see Courtney and the kids - especially my godson - is one of the major reasons why!