The Big Time

Dean and I spent a lovely weekend away together, all alone. And the girls enjoyed a lovely weekend with grandma and grandpa, which included breakfast at their favorite restaurant, ice cream, a trip to the park, church and Sunday school, a water fight--you know, all the things a fantasticly exciting weekend with your grandparents usually includes.

Predictably, the girls had a blast, though Sadie apparently experienced some separation anxiety around bedtime on Saturday night. The next day, she told her big sister all about it, reporting that she "missed mommy and daddy bigtime!" Funny, I didn't even know she knew that particular word.

Meanwhile, Dean and I spent two days and a night at Kettle Moraine in Wisconsin, where Dean did some mountain biking and I enjoyed a trail run that literally kicked my ass. I think I would be a much faster, much stronger runner if my routes regularly included hills like these, but we live in such a flat, flat world. After our run/bike, we headed over to a very lovely campground, where we remembered how fun and easy camping can be when you don't have two kids with you. Or, at least, that was my experience. Dean mostly felt guilty that we didn't have the girls with us (though I am pretty sure an hour of having them back at home yesterday cured him of any lingering guilt!). We enjoyed the luxury of an extended, uninterrupted conversation and the chance to remember what the two of us are like when there are no children surrounding us. We relished in the opportunity to reconnect, but, of course, we were also thrilled to see the girls again on Sunday afternoon. Sadie did not share my joy, giving me the silent treatment while showering Dean with affection. She must assume I was behind the plot to separate her from her beloved father. Her allegiances have shifted once again. Fickle, fickle kid. But Ella--whose heart belongs to me--rushed right past her father to give me a big hug. To her credit, she at least gave Dean her second hug, whereas Sadie pretty much ignored me all night.