Philadelphia Trip!!

Headed out on our big adventure!  Traveling makes me pretty nervous these days (kids, planes, baby, carseat issues, all the stuff…), but for Gigi’s 90th bday we headed to Philly!

Oh I forgot to mention the blizzard on our departure day in the list of very stressful things about this trip.  Yup—one of biggest snows of the year.  Horrible roads (school closed etc).  Flights until 12 PM were cancelled but ours at 3:30 was not.  Brad decided to go into work very late and drive us which calmed me down a bit.  We picked up Bob and made it on time, and the storm even let up for a bit.  But then, during the two hours at the airport it got worse again….then the plane was of course late arriving due to the weather.  Then we finally got on and they had to de-ice for 45 min or so.  It was torture.  I was sure we were going to die, but couldn’t let on.  But we didn’t die.  Yay!  Nora actually did pretty well on the flight.  The weather and lugging the car seats around were the real problems.

City lights.

We got in too late to visit Gigi (or at least I thought it best to try and preserve our typical schedule a bit).  So we met up for breakfast the next morning! 

This was right during Nora’s “need to move all the time because walking is still pretty new” phase, so pictures were a definite challenge.

Joseph giving Gigi a birthday card he made for her.

Oh how we love Gigi’s cafeteria.  I would like to be there right now! 

Peek-a-boo

Our room! A-MAZ-ING!

And a little girl running around a grand mansion.  Very cute.

Waiting for a ride in the parking garage.

The elevator is always a big hit.

And Joseph continues to have a passionate interest in the city graffiti. 

I was very glad to be able to join the family in visiting a piece of family real estate, which I knew primarily as my grandfather Herbert's office when I was a child.  Herbert’s brother showed us around.

Back at Waverly (Gigi’s retirement community).  Everything is so beautiful.

Depending on her mood, Nora can be quite adventurous and social.  Here we were all standing around waiting to go out to lunch.  A woman started talking with Nora and held out her hand.  So Nora took her hand and headed out, without even a glance back at moma.  I do think this had something to do with the fact that she knew they were headed towards the cafeteria.  They sure learn quick!  She had the whole cafeteria down pat—she would toddle purposefully in and then go right to the closet where they keep the high chairs and try to pull it over to the table.  Very cute.

Not happy with me trying to pose her.  And with lipstick smooches from her old lady friend.

At Gigi’s bday lunch!

Aunt Marcy

The birthday girl!

The surprising and interesting display at the restaurant

Trying so hard to get a nice picture of us all dressed up in front of the professionally decorated trees.  Impossible.

Still trying.

All she really wants to do.  Go, go, go.

So just a picture of the pretty decorations.

Ice cream on our last night!

We had a great time!