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!

Traveling to Washington Harding - Wheeler Style!

My beautiful baby girl in the passenger seat at a gas station in Bridgeport CT waiting for Daddy to get back with a warmed up bottle for her. We got on the road at 8:15 - went to Dunkin Donuts and got off the road again at 8:30 to go back to the house for Annie's bottles which were still in the fridge at home! Then we hit traffic in Bridgeport so at 10 a.m. when it was time for Ann to eat we had traveled all of 30 miles and yes, the kids had already asked if we were there yet!

Molly waiting patiently while Daddy gave Annie a bottle in Bridgeport. Little did they know there were many hours left at this point. Peter and Molly were just so excited to be missing school and FINALLY going to Washington that they could have cared less about anything else!

Peter - thrilled that the big trip had finally arrived and loving his special place in the way back with blankets covering all the suitcases to make it more comfy for him!

Banana getting her bottle in Bridgeport - boy, does this kid go with the flow!

We stopped in Pennsylvania for some outside time and to let poor Annie out of her car seat - she was enthralled by the flags at the rest stop.

Everyone enjoying being out of the car for a while. Daddy played some games with Pete and Molly to help them expend some energy and then we all piled back in the car for the last leg of our trip!

Daddy and his girls in Pennsylvania!

Annie Bananie bundled up and getting some fresh air! She was an absolute love on the ride - never fussed, cried or whined once......and we forgot to feed her at one point for over an hour and a half! I thought she looked so cute with red eyes and nose form the wind!

Peter resting on the bed in the hotel when we finally arrived at 5 p.m.
Molly girl found a princess couch for her lounging pleasure and decided that she might want to sleep there tonight!

We ended up going down to the Irish pub for dinner because it was easy but there are lots of restaurants and bookstores (YIPEE) right near us and since we are in Dupont Circle everything is very close by so Daddy will have lots to do while I work tomorrow!

My angel! She feel asleep in the stroller at dinner and we transferred her to the pack and play where she slept soundly through the big kids showers, a show and impatient parents trying to get the other two to bed. As long as she has her binkie and her blankie Ann will survive anything!
Molly Doll in her princess bed. She was so excited that there was a place special for her that she drifted off very shortly after this picture. I personally think that anything would be better than sharing a bed with her brother but..........

Peter has the whole bed to himself and the little ham is loving life right now! He drifted off quickly and is dreaming of museums and zoos right now!

Not sure what is on the agenda for tomorrow but I do know that everyone will sleep well tonight - especially those children who were given Benedryl! Just kidding DCF! I was tempted, though!

I have to be at my conference at 8:30 am - not too bad considering. Tomorrow is a very clinical day and since I am not a DMD or an MD I should have some down time to spend with the family. Tomorrow night we are thinking about doing the night time trolley tour of the monuments with the kids - it supposed to be fabulous - expensive but you only live once and we have 2 free passes from the conference!

All things considered the kids were incredibly well behaved. They all had their moments but they rallied and hung in there and were SO excited when we got here! Right now they are all blissfully asleep and looking adorable! MOre updates tomorrow from the obssessive blogger!

Sometimes I forget how quickly life seems to pass when you have baby in the house. Annie is such a doll but I still remember so vividly finding out that I was pregnant and having 9 months (actually 10 really flipping long months but who's counting!) seem like 9 years. And now my baby is sitting up and growing her own little personality. She is a sum of her environment right now. The fire horn went off and she laughed, she falls over and bangs her head and giggles, we forget to feed her and she coos at us. She smiles at her siblings whether they are dancing in front of her or sticking their fingers in her eyes. What a love my girl is - every dimple and roll on her little body makes me smile!

I took this picture last week when Molly was leaving for school because after weeks of wearing her hair down or in a headband she finally let me put her hair up and get it off of her face! And how did I convince my little cherub to let me put her hair back?? To show off her beautiful earrings, of course! Molly is exquisite - her big brown eyes sparkle and she has the greatest smile - it drives me crazy not to be able to see her face. And so I made so many comments about her hair being back and her face being beautiful that she did just what I thought she might - inform me that she does not like her hair back and will NEVER wear it that way again! I have visions of my girl with a green headband on her wedding day!

I was hoping to post some pictures of the six grandchildren together but I "can't connect to Blog spot". We had a wonderful day with Papa celebrating his birthday. My Mom made a nice brunch and we just hung out and played for a while. We gave my dad a few pictures of the six grand kids together and a gift card to Dairy Queen. I heard my parents say that they were having Blizzards for dinner! Sounds good to me!

We head off to Washington on Tuesday morning so I'm not sure if I'll be blogging again but I can assure you that will post many many many pictures when we return!