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Willow keeps growing during these weekend trips

Every time we return from a trip, whether it be one as a family of three or one to the grandparents, Willow seems to have grown just a little.
Take our trip to my mom's house in Georgetown, Ky., over Memorial Day weekend. Willow spent many, many hours playing with cousins Rett and Bristol, 5 and 3, respectively. She also spent some time in the lake, time at family feasts and time chasing my sister's dog, Bailey.
When we returned Monday night, the change in Willow was quite noticeable. She stood a bit taller. She walked a bit bolder. She played a bit more, er, playfully. She jibbered and jabbered and smiled and laughed and pointed a bit more big girlish.
I'm sure it has more to do with her spending all that time with her older cousins than with harassing poor, old Bailey.
But whatever the cause, the results are unmistakable. Our baby has stepped into full-blown toddlerhood (and Mommy can't do a thing about it!).
And today she's been an absolute angel. I've been busy running off to the grocery store, doing the laundry, putting away the loot from our trip (aka sacking) up north and tidying up the house, which somehow always seems a bit more messy than how we left it. So I haven't been down on the floor with her much today. No matter. She's been playing, playing, playing, albeit nearly always at Daddy's feet.
As for the trip up north, Che, Willow and I had a fantastic time relaxing and hanging out with family by the lake. We swam and ate and ate and swam. Willow played with her new water table (thank you Jeff, Beth and family!) and climbed into and out of her new and state-of-the-art wagon.
And we brought those birthday presents home with her. When she wakes from her nap, we'll head out back and play with her water table, and if I have the energy (and the heat isn't too terrible), we'll head off for a short tour of our neighborhood in the wagon.
The weekend is spilling over into the week, and this weekend and the weekend we had with Che's family in Henderson, Tenn., is spilling over into summer.
It's only three weeks until we're heading off to Panama City Beach and only seven weeks until we drive off to the Outer Banks!
I bet by the end of those trips, Willow will have grown by leaps and bounds.

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