A Wonderful Visit....

Have I recently said how lucky we are that we've been able to see my parents so much since last July?! My mom and I counted it up just this past week: 1 whole week here in July, 2 whole weeks in AZ in Aug/Sept, 6 days here in November, 1 whole week in AZ in December/Jan., and now 1 whole week here in April!  This is unheard of given the distance between us....and while I know they love me and Dave....I know that Jeffery and the fact that he is changing every day and won't be this little for long....is the reason it has been so frequent.  And I think that is beyond wonderful!!!!  :)  And....we'll be seeing them for yet another week in Colorado come the end of July!!!!  We have certainly been blessed this year in more ways than one!

Mom (aka known as Grandma or Oma...the German word for "Grandma" and the one I think we're going to go with when referring to her at her suggestion) came a few days before my dad (or Grandpa...still working on what to call him) as he had 2 rehearsals to direct before he could join us.  She arrived and while I think Jeffery recognized her voice, I think he was kind of confused as to why she wasn't on the computer screen in the office and was instead three dimensional where he could continually reach out and grab at her.  :)  

Jeffery and Oma reading "Is Your Mama a Llama?"

The Jeffery that Grandma came to visit is a FAR different Jeffery than she saw at Christmas.  He claps his hands, he reaches for you, he shakes his head, he tilts his head to look cute and make you smile, he plays peek-a-boo, he is standing up with very little support, he is eating solid foods....and he won't sit still in a lap!  He is a little Tasmanian Devil...as my mom quickly discovered!  :)  We went on walks, enjoyed a rainy day, gave him baths, and found ourselves just staring at him.

And then my dad arrived.  :)  He had a Thursday night rehearsal and then turned around and caught a red eye leaving Phoenix at 11pm and arrived in Richmond at 8:30 am on Friday morning.  After a nap and a shower and some play time with Jeffery.....we hit the Bottom for some Bottoms Up pizza.

Mmmmmm.....pizza and beer!

During my parents' visit, we made sure to hit all the culinary highs of this area: Bottoms Up Pizza, Boyers Ice Cream Shop for some Gelato, the Cheese Shop in the Burg (with Chownings Root Beer), the Jamestown Pie Company, and Buzz and Ned's BBQ.  I now need to lose some weight.  :)  At Bottoms Up Pizza, we sat outside on their 2nd floor patio....right next to the train tracks.  And lo...an Amtrak train came right next to us.  You should have seen Jeffery's reaction.  I've never seen anything like it.  His eyes were SO big and his jaw was practically hitting his high chair as he just watched the train pass us.  We all forgot to watch the train and just watched his reaction instead.

Pizza, beer, nachos, and family....can't get much better!

Then it was Grandpa's turn to feed Jeffery, hold him (or try to given the active nature of this child), make him laugh, and play on the floor with him by putting together wooden trains.

Yogurt before bedtime

The two Jeffs playing :)

Wilbur the Cow has Jeffery's back!  :)

Dave had to do the music for a funeral on Monday so my parents and Jeffery and I took a trip down to Williamsburg.  They love the Burg and it has been a while since they've been able to just wander Merchant Square and Duke of Gloucester Street (DOG Street).

Cruising in his chariot in the Burg

Oma, Grandpa, and Jeffery in front of the Governor's Palace

We like canons outside of the Capital

Wheeee with Oma!!!

He was much more interested in the clover than the people taking the pictures!

As is ALWAYS the case, my parents' time here went by FAR too quickly.  Before we blinked, it was Tuesday...the day they were scheduled to leave.    We live much too far away.  :(  And as much as we've seen them this past year, I know that they wish they could see us...and Jeffery...more...especially as he is changing so fast.  We'll never get this time back...have a chance to make these memories again with him at this stage and it is just so special for them to be a part of that.  We are now counting down the days to Colorado.  :)

Having a pow-wow with his newly discovered friends

Always the center of attention

Tuesday turned out to be a hot and steamy day but we braved the sun and humidity for a walk along the Flood Wall along the James River.  It provides great vistas of the city sky line, amazing views of the River and rapids, some train action, some birding....anything you could want!  :)

Resting in some shade along the Flood Wall

Jeffery was napping when I took my parents to the airport to catch their flight.  When he woke up, he kept looking at the guest bedroom door...waiting for one of them to come out so he could tilt his head at them and make them laugh!  It was a wonderful, wonderful visit that even at a week....was far too short.      But we are soooo blessed that they came to visit and we can't wait to hug them again while on the banks of the Crystal River in Colorado!