Another road trip and another state!

This weekend daddy and mommy and I celebrated the 4th of July early with some of mommy's family. We all met up at Baring Lake in Missouri, where papa's family owns two cabins. I got to see my aunts and uncles on mommy's side again, most of whom I hadn't seen in about a month and a half! So they were amazed at how much bigger I've gotten. Even though it was too hot for me to go outside very much, the weekend was a lot of fun. Everybody just took turns hanging out with me in the cabin. I did get to go outside, though, to see my first fireworks. Uncles Andrew and Nathan put on quite the show! I'm already looking forward to next year!

 

 

 

Just look at all those fireworks!

My Two Month Birthday!!!

Today at 3:28 pm I officially turn two months old! Can you believe it? Mommy and daddy sure can't! I guess time flies when you're having fun! :) I get to visit Dr. Larry on Monday for my two-month appointment so we'll find out then how big I am. But a week ago I was 9 lbs, 6 oz and 22 3/8 in. long. At my one-month appointment, I was 8 lbs, 6 oz and just short of 22 in. So I gained a pound and grew another half an inch in just three weeks! 
My second month has continued to be full of new adventures. I've been to one new state and will go to another one this weekend, and I can't wait to see what other fun things mommy and daddy have planned for us this summer!
Mommy and daddy keep saying that I make the best faces, so I'll share some more of them with you below. Enjoy, and I love you all!

Mid-sneeze!

 

Daddy, get that blanket off my head!

 

Chicago, Day 2

Sunday of our Chicago weekend was a little more laid back. After enjoying some Dunkin' Donuts coffee (which mommy says we're getting in Des Moines but don't have yet!), we loaded up the van to head back to Carol Stream, where uncle Vance and aunt Alysha live. Once we got there, we went out for a big breakfast and then went to see aunt Alysha's office. Then we got on the road for the 5 1/2 hour drive back to Des Moines. Neither daddy nor I got much sleep Saturday night so we enjoyed some nice naps in the van on the drive home. I wish I would have gotten a picture of daddy sleeping in the van, but I didn't, so I guess I'll show you one that mommy got of me instead. :)

Daddy's always so nice to carry all of our stuff whenever we go somewhere!

Hanging out with uncle Vance and aunt Alysha at breakfast

Mommy getting a much needed adjustment from uncle Vance

Aunt Alysha's office is really nice!

Snoozeville, babydoll!

Chicago, Day 1

Chicago was so much fun! Boy, when mommy and daddy vacation they don't mess around. We fit so much into a day and a half, but we really did a lot on Saturday! I got to be on my first boat, go to my first zoo, and be in my first skyscraper! We left uncle Vance and aunt Alysha's early to head into the city. Luckily somebody in aunt Alysha's family has a very nice boat parked in a marina close to where we were going so we didn't have to find parking by the zoo. Chicago has a very awesome zoo - it's called the Lincoln Park Zoo, it's huge and it's free (daddy's favorite part!). :) Even though I slept through parts of it, I'm pretty sure I got to see lions and tigers and bears. Oh my!  (mommy says that's a joke her family will get...?) Then when we were good and worn out from walking around the zoo, we walked a little further to a restaurant called Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders. It came highly recommended by aunt Michelle and uncle Austin, and daddy loved it last time he was in Chicago to visit uncle Austin. I of course got to eat before everyone else, but when their food came, they said it was really, really good. After lunch the ladies got Starbucks (I'm starting to notice a trend here with mommy and coffee...). Then we headed further into downtown to see The Bean and the Hancock building. The Bean is this giant steel sculpture in Millennium Park that basically looks like a huge mirror. You can take pictures of anything reflected in it and they look really neat. After a bunch of photo ops there, we headed to the Hancock building because I was starving. In fact, mommy and daddy speed-walked me there ahead of everybody else because I was starting to get too hungry. :) The Hancock Center is the 6th tallest building in the US, and it's so tall in person. We got to go up to the 96th floor to have some appetizers and the view was really pretty! I don't think aunt Ang or papa McCurren would've liked it, though. It was pretty high. Well, daddy took a ton of pictures from Saturday (over 200!) but I'll try to pick some to show you below.

 

Getting ready to leave for our day of adventures

Can't you tell how excited I am? :)

My first time on a boat!

Before heading into the zoo

This cat's a little bigger than the one I have at home

Mommy and daddy were discussing whose relatives these two are...

And now they're just being silly!

I think rhino's are pretty cool

But this polar bear was probably my favorite!

Or these giraffes - mommy and I both like giraffes a lot

Aren't I lucky? I almost always get to eat first

Can you tell how excited daddy's getting for CPOG's food?

Ready for lunch

Are you starting to notice a trend with mommy?

Uncle Vance and aunt Alysha just walking with me

My first time in Anthropologie - mommy says I should be more excited

The Bean

More of The Bean - see how it reflects the skyline in the background

And a Bean family picture

One more

I told you I was hungry!

The ladies

And the fellas

Here's the view of Navy Pier - we were going to go there for fireworks Saturday night but were just too tired!

 

Mommy said the view from the ladies' restroom is the best, and I think she's right