After experimenting with Thanksgiving in NYC (and obviously delicious fried turkey) we took Sloan for her first flight back to Springfield, Missouri to meet family and friends. As you may expect, Kerri and I took a very methodical approach to how we packed for the first airplane trip. With our bags checked (yes, against my personal bi-laws) we got the OK to fly from Sloan. Of course, before we could board we had to change one of the biggest diapers we have ever seen. The blowout had to have been a caused by pre-flight nerves. Good thing we had an extra outfit!
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| Sloan is changed and ready to fly! |
Sidenote - If you haven't applied for TSA Pre-Check, I highly recommend it. Kids under 12 can go with their parents through the easy-access security lane which we did with Sloan. Even with a big carry-on bag full of baby stuff, it was a lot easier than navigating the Family Lane.
With the 4:30 AM wake up call and activity of getting to the airport, Sloan was pretty quick to sleep the entirety of both flights (NYC-Chicago, Chicago-Springfield).
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| I'm just gonna sleep her a while. |
Once we got to Springfield, Sloan met her Great Grandmother, Ann Annis (but her friends call her Nana).
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| "I like this lady." |
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| Resting after the trip. Sleeping makes Sloan tired. |
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| My mom with Nana and Sloan |
She also got to meet up with her Uncle Kyle, Aunt Jessika, Aunt Niki and Uncle Richard. Niki and Richard are going to have their first child later this spring (a boy) so Niki getting some holding practice was a good idea.
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| Aunt Niki and Sloan |
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| Uncle Kyle, Aunt Jessika and Sloan |
Kyle (my brother) was starring in a local production of Avenue Q so Kerri and I asked Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) to watch Sloan. Kyle was great in the show and I guess the rest of the cast was OK too. After the show Kerri and I had dinner at Flame and caught the #1 band in all the land, "THE DETECTIVES" at The Outland Ballroom. It was almost like a real date.
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The set of Avenue Q. Some of the jokes were pretty close
to home for Kerri and me. |
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| The Detectives, live in action! |
The next day was SEC Championship Saturday but before the game, Ethan and Marilyn Banks brought over their 9-month-old boy, Harry. Sloan slept for most of the visit but Harry seemed interested in the smaller person on the couch.
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| Harry Banks on the left, just a few months older than Sloan. |
We also had a chance to see my Uncle Ted who was recovering from wrist surgery. He always said if you keep doing it you'll break it.
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| Sloan hanging with Uncle Ted |
(We're purposely skipping the game recap, no need to get into it again)
Our last day we had a chance to take some shots down the road behind my parents house. Here are a few...
If I had to guess, I think Sloan enjoyed her first trip to Missouri. It certainly won't be her last.
