Higgins Lake Vacation / Lily's 21st Week (7/19/09 - 7/26/09)

This week we were on vacation. I can't begin to explain how wonderful it was to be away from work and get a whole week with my baby and my family. We rented the Davison American Legion cabin on Higgins Lake with my parents as we have done every year since 2003. This is the same cabin that my parents rented before I was born and many years of my childhood so it is wonderful to share the tradition with my kids as well. The cabin rental is from noon on Sunday to noon on the following Sunday. We always aim to leave by 9:00am to get there at noon but never even come close. This time we were amazing. We had the vehicles packed and were on the road by 10:00am. We usually pack the truck to the gills and cram Rachel in the backseat with a bunch of stuff but we knew that this year we would definitely need two vehicles considering we now have Lily and all of her stuff as well. Plus we let Rachel bring a friend with her on vacation for the first time so we also had her best friend, Katelyn, with us. Paul drove the truck which was packed even more solidly than usual and I drove the car with the three girls in the backseat and our overflow in my trunk. It worked out well. Lily was a really good car traveler again and we only needed to stop once for a bathroom break where I also nursed her just in case. We met up with my parents at the rest stop then we convoyed on to the cabin where we arrived around 1:30pm. Unpacking took forever but then it was relaxing for the rest of the week. We had a few days of wonderful weather and a few days where it was overcast with occasional rain but we still got to spend time at the beach every day and most importantly, enjoy each other’s company daily. I took a lot of naps while Lily napped which was awesome. My parents were a huge help with everything and we got to enjoy my mom’s delicious cooking every night. We also had some visitors throughout the week. On Monday, my mom’s former coworker, Linda, stopped by with her husband, Ken, her daughter, Roni, and Roni’s adorable little girls. They were staying at a family member’s place on Houghton Lake which we then visited Tuesday night. Tuesday during the day, Gloria and Jim stopped by on their way back home from the U.P. Paul’s parents came over for lunch and a nice visit on Thursday. On Saturday, Lee and Robin stopped by on their way up to Charlevoix for vacation. We also got a visit from my dad’s former boss who owns a cabin up the road. On Saturday night, our friend John and his wife came over from their home in Roscommon to join our campfire. We had a fire and s'mores almost every night. It was a really good week. Rachel and Katelyn had a lot of fun and I think Lily really enjoyed her first Higgins Lake vacation as well.
Here are a ton of pictures.

Rachel and Katelyn enjoyed the loft as the rest of us unpacked on Sunday. These best friends hadn’t seen each other since Easter so they had a lot of catching up to do:

After we were settled, the relaxing began and Grandma Chris got to spend some quality time with Lily:

Here’s Lily enjoying vacation with her daddy. It started to cool down when you were in the shade so we put Lily in her cute Pooh hat. Paul was wearing his ‘This Dad Rocks’ shirt that Lily got him for Father’s Day:

Lily warmed up in the sun and explored the dock with Grandma Chris. She was mesmerized by the reflection of the sun off the ripples in the lake so I couldn’t get her to look up for the picture no matter how hard I tried:

Lily loves her exersaucer but it was too bulky to bring so my parents borrowed this more portable walker from the Baileys. It has brakes so you can lock it down to prevent it from being a walker but her feet could barely touch the floor anyway. She really enjoyed playing with it and loved all the sounds it made:

Cuddling with daddy at the kitchen table on Monday morning:

It was a beautiful day out on the beach with Grandma Chris:

Lily on the beach:

Lily and Rachel by the lighthouse:

Katelyn, Rachel, and Lily:

When it cooled down on Monday evening, I tried to put this hat on Lily but it was way too small. It is a six month hat and her head is only in the 70th percentile so I don’t know what was up. We thought she looked like the pope:

My pudgy baby after her bath:

Lily loves her toes:

Lily suddenly discovered Papi Tim’s moustache and was completely entranced by it:

Rachel and Katelyn enjoying the campfire and impatiently waiting for the coals to be ready to make s’mores:

Tuesday was another warm and beautiful day at the beach. I wanted to go swimming with Lily but after sticking my feet in the water, I determined it was too cold to put Lily in:

Instead, we put a bucket of nice warm bathwater on the beach for Lily to splash around in. She wore her adorable bikini bought for her by Kirsten. She loved to kick in the water and greatly enjoyed her swim:

Lily in her bikini:

The great fishermen returned:

Katelyn and Rachel watched Paul clean the fish. Ick:

Lily and I after my swim:

Lily was happy to hang out with Papi Tim as we got ready to go visit the Klungles on Tuesday evening:

Just waking up from a nap on Grandma Chris on Wednesday:

Wearing daddy’s fishing hat:

Rachel and Katelyn goofing around on the beach:

It rained Wednesday night so we played cards inside. Lily helped me:

Lily gave me advice on card-playing. It looks like she was saying, “Well, what I would do…”:

Everyone gathered around Lily Thursday morning for entertainment as she played in the walker and made new sounds. Her favorite new sound she made all week is what we call “the motorboat”. A video of it will be in the next blog entry:

Paul, Rachel, and Katelyn got out Rachel’s metal detector and searched the beach for treasures:

It was a dirty job:

Digging for treasure:

The girls proudly showed off what the found. They ended up digging out a bunch of rusty nails from the beach (good to get those out of there!), as well as many odd metal bits, lots of coins, and a bullet:

Lily and I relaxed on the deck and watched them dig:

My cute little flower on the floral bedspread:

Paul’s parents came on Thursday afternoon and brought pizza for lunch. My dad is showing Paul’s dad something out on the lake:

Rachel and Katelyn took many bike rides. Their favorite place to ride was down the hill to the lake:

Speed demon:

Paul looked like a complete dork as the men got ready to go fishing:

My little sweetie sleeping on my mom as we visited with Maureen:

When Lily woke up, she wanted to play so we brought the walker out on the deck, locked the brakes, and let her have fun. She still loves the walker even though earlier in the week it acquired the name of The Junior Face-Smasher after she reared back with excitement and slammed her face forward into the steering wheel. The crying that followed was the same horrible painful one that she has after her shots. I hate that cry. It breaks my heart. The original Face-Smasher is a long story but it involves a 5 year old Rachel and a piece of playground equipment that is now legendary in our family:

From all of the tree debris, there is a lot of organic matter mixed in with the sand so we jokingly say that we are part of the Blackfoot tribe at Higgins Lake since everyone constantly has dirty feet. Since Lily’s feet touched the ground in her walker, she was initiated into the tribe:

My dad, Ron, and Paul returning from their fishing trip:

The fishermen and the cabin as viewed from the dock:

The dock:

Ron proudly displaying a master angler sized rock bass:

My mom, Katelyn, Rachel, and my dad gathered around the campfire Thursday night:

Rachel, Lily, and I were getting ready to make s’mores. Lily was fascinated by the fire:

Katelyn and Rachel looking not so awake on Friday morning:

Lily and Papi Tim posed by the lighthouse. They matched very nicely in their hats and brown shirts. My dad was wearing his ‘This is What the Greatest Grandpa Looks Like’ shirt that Lily got him for Father’s Day:

Lily took a nap on the bed. This is the exact same position that I sleep in:

Happy baby with her pacifier and her daddy:

Lily loves to take naps on me. She frequently sleeps with her arms over her eyes if it isn’t dark in the room. So cute:

Me and my sleeping beauty:

Lily and I hung out by the campfire on Friday night. I love the ears on her jacket hood:

Katelyn and Rachel took a boat ride with Paul on Saturday:

You can see our cabin in the background:

Lily fell asleep on our walk through the state park so she napped for a while in her stroller when we got back:

Meanwhile, Katelyn and Rachel worked on crafts outside at the picnic table:

Paul relaxed and read a book while the girls created art:

Rachel wandering the beach:

Paul borrowed my father's 'Michigan State Dad' sweatshirt on Saturday night. Does this mean that Lily is destined to go to MSU like her mommy and Grandma Chris? Awesome:

My smiley girl being tickled by her daddy:

Lily and I by our final campfire:

She looks sad that we will be going home tomorrow:

On Sunday we had to get up early, pack everything, clean the cabin, and vacate by noon. We actually got out of there early which was amazing. We drove back in our three vehicle convoy but the drive home did not go nearly as smoothly as the drive there. Lily started screaming in the car and it was many miles before an exit where I could get off and try to calm her down. I don’t know what upset her but we stripped her down and repositioned her diaper. She was too upset to nurse but walking around being held finally calmed her. Our next stop was McDonald’s for lunch so my mom drove my car and I sat in the back with Lily to keep her calm. She fell asleep on my mom at McDonald’s and stayed asleep for the rest of the trip home. Unfortunately, when we were eating it started pouring rain so we got soaked on our quick run to the car and were wet for the rest of the ride. Traffic made the trip back take almost an extra hour. The end of vacation is so sad for me but it did feel good to finally get home. We unpacked a bit, started some laundry, and then crashed. It was a wonderful vacation!