Spectating 101

We love race mornings! Oh, you thought I meant 'We' the athletes? I'm sure they do, too, in their own way, but I mean 'We' the spectators! Spectating is not simply a matter of going to the race site and watching your racer go by -- especially not for an Ironman event, which can take up to 17 hours to complete. Ironman events start before dawn and go til dark and well after.

Correction: For some of us on the support crew, Ironman events start as far back as the initial decision to commit to the race. We (or maybe I just speak for myself) are genuinely thrilled that our spouse has dedicated himself to training his body to endure the distances. It's awe-inspiring to watch him get in the mindset, make sacrifices, and commit to 7-hour workouts on a Saturday morning, and we are more than willing to do what we can to support them -- everything from watching children to purchasing Body Glide or Vaseline to carrying/retrieving equipment to mapping out our spectator plan to be as many places as possible on the course to cheer on our athletes. (Though less willing to tackle the IronLaundry.) My favorite term for this supportive commitment, when it comes to Ironman races, is IronSherpa. Here's a funny article that pretty much sums up what that's like as IronSpouse/IronSherpa:

Advice from an IronSherpa by Debra Vinikour

http://www.xtri.com/features/detail/284-itemId.511707419.html

Now, in years past, the extent of my pre-event preparations has been making t-shirts and then heavily relying on other people for the itinerary and spectating locations. This year I stepped up my IronWatching! This was going to be our biggest spectator event ever!

Here are a few things we did and a few things we learned -- and a few things we can't wait to do next time!

1. Choose Your Friends Wisely

Spectating with a bigger cheering section is loads more entertaining than being the sole fan for your athlete at an event. Fun in numbers! There's a lot of time between when you see your athlete to the next time you see your athlete, so having additional IronFans with you makes the wait more entertaining. (But be aware that too many people can make the logistics difficult.) This year our support crew was the perfect size -- 3 IronWives, 1 IronSister-in-Law and 1 IronGirlfriend -- such a fun, fun group that all fit in one car! We didn't even plan to have any kids there until later in the day, if at all. Honestly, they are just too young right now to be out in the heat and stuck in a stroller all day. While we love them immensely, we love them more not to put them through that (and selfishly, it's easier on the rest of us. It's also easier on fellow spectators -- we were often blocked by others' strollers in crowded areas just trying to see our athlete. Don't be that person.) Some day, the kids will be there with us. Until then we are grateful for their Grandmas and Grandpas.

2. Become a Team

Practically everyone cheering at these events have customized t-shirts made up for the occasion to show their support and team unity. We saw shirts screaming Iron John, IronMate, I Married an IronMan, IronBaby on Board (I could have used that one this year), Team Dori, and lots, lots more. My sister requested an IronMauney shirt for her husband, which led to an IronMoreland shirt for Michael, an I Am An IronFan shirt for the rest of us, and My Daddy is an IronMan shirts for the wee ones (with appropriate TeamMauney or TeamMoreland designations on the back). Future shirt ideas may include IronWidow or IronSpouse or IronKid.

3. Share the Love

>>Put it in Writing.

Sure, we had signs personalized for our racers. Most people do. But it's also a joy to bring a chuckle to complete strangers who have been on the grueling course for the last 5 hours. We made a couple fun ones, including:

• Go Strangers, Go!
• WTF? Where's the Finish?
• Cars, slow down! Our boys are racing!  {roads were open to traffic and some are so inconsiderate!}
• Don't Stop, Get it! Get it!  {sing along!}

Let me say, the Go Strangers, Go sign was a big hit, bringing a lot of comments and smiles from athletes. We'll definitely use that one again!

And always eager to improve for next time, here's an even longer list of those that would be fun to do in the future:

• Whatever! I can do Half of this.  {for sister Angie to hold, who is a Half Ironwoman.}
• Bet you went out too fast.
• <blank> miles til Beer
• Making these signs was really hard, too.
• Bet you were off your bike now {for late on the bike}
• Bet you had your bike back {for late on the run}
• We think you're 90% mental
• Smile if you peed on yourself  {surprisingly a common, intentional occurrence on long rides}

We brought the markers with us so we could make up new signs on the spot when a need arose (like the Slow Down sign). We stapled our signs to long sticks to hold them higher above the crowd (which also made it helpful in finding each other if we got separated), but next time we should cut the sticks into pointed stakes and bring a mallet (or use dowel rods) to stake them into the grass along the course. Too many signs in one place are hard to read, especially to bikers whizzing past, and the funny ones should be reserved for later in the day when racers need a pick-me-up.

>>Light Up the Night.

If your racers are night-time finishers (meaning, 12+ hour finishers, which ours are), race volunteers will start handing out glow-in-the-dark necklaces for the runners to wear on the last leg. Bring your own glow sticks to light up yourself, too. This year we had planned to use fun LED-light-up balloons I found at Walmart. We were going to tie them to dowel rods to carry them around and help our runners see us along the course. Well, unfortunately, we never got to this fun spectating accessory, but I can't wait to try them out next time!

4. Make Some Noise!

>>More Cowbell.

Cowbells are hugely popular at races. They create excitement and noise to cheer on the athletes. In fact, at Michael's first Ironman event the race volunteers were handing them out to spectators. As the saying goes, you can always use more cowbell.

>>Pump Up the Jam.

Next time, though, we'll be bringing music to rev up the racers. Playing Eye of the Tiger, Living on a Prayer, the Rocky theme, We Will Rock You, (What Doesn't Kill You Makes You) Stronger, etc. would get everyone going. (I'll leave the song list up to someone else; music is not my thing.)

>>Louder is Better.

Another "Next Time" item to add: a megaphone. Wouldn't it be awesome to be able to call out over the crowd "MICHAEL, HERE BY THE YELLOW FLAG" or call out 50 yards down the course to your cyclist? Hmm, maybe I should check with our racers to see if they'd think that was awesome or if it's just me.

5. Map it Out

The Race Map is a crucial element to spectator planning. You've gotta know where your athlete will be going, and you need to find the easiest routes to get there with the best vantages. (I am still given a hard time for not seeing Michael on his first Ironman Run a block away from the restaurant where I was eating. I didn't do my research.) Oftentimes, you're not going to know where these places are if it's the first time you're doing a race in a new city (or if you haven't done your research). Since we've experienced Ironman Louisville before, we had a much better handle on the lay of the land. We figured out the quickest way to do our own transition from Swim Exit to Bike Exit and then from Bike In to Run Out in less than five minutes while having cameras and signs ready to go.

Race organizers will sometimes designate viewing areas for different points on the course. They may even offer shuttles to these places. These get crowded. In Louisville it's the town of LaGrange where the bikers do a couple of laps. Shuttles takes forever, and if you drive yourself, parking is difficult -- making for longer walks with chairs and coolers, and it's likely all the shady spots are already taken. Don't be afraid to take your own car and find your own viewing areas. We heard about another spot about 5 miles before LaGrange in the town of Buckner, where cyclists also do 2 laps. We parked at the high school which was right on the bike course. We simply had to walk across the street and find a shady spot in the grass. It was so convenient to go back and forth to the car as needed. Spots like these are great for the racers, too, since it helps spread out the fans and provides diversions in more places along the course. But also note -- You must be informed of road closures and how long they'll be closed. You must know where you'll be able to go and how to get around to where you want to be.

6. Know Your Athlete

>>Be Fashion Forward.

By race morning, you need to know what your athlete is going to be wearing for each leg of the race. Does he run in a visor or sunglasses? What color is his bike frame and helmet? Does he swim bare chested or with a tri top? What color is his swim cap (if the swim start has waves)? Does he wear compression socks or sleeves? All of these things will help picking out your racer on the course. Believe me, other athletes tend to have the same body frame/build, and bikers really start looking alike. Digital cameras are really helpful for this, too. We were able to look back at photos to remind ourselves and show other IronFans what apparel to look for.

>>Get Estimates.

Consult with your athlete before the race to approximate his expected pace for each leg of the race. This will be your key to timing your day and knowing when to expect to see your racer. This will also clue you in as to how he's doing that day. If he's near his expected time, he's feeling good. If there's a delay, you'll start to worry that he had a bad swim or bike problems or lacking proper nutrition.

7. Be Prepared

Have these on-hand:

3 phones charging at once

• Cooler with cold beverages
• Snacks
• Sunscreen/Chapstick - Bug spray, too, if sitting in grassy areas
• Blanket and/or chairs to sit on
• Car phone charger - we were constantly using our smart phones to check athlete's split times, to text each other our locations, and to follow-up with other IronFans
• Extra markers and tape for last-minute signs (see above)
• Cameras, fully charged
• Course maps and smart phone map application
• Athlete tracker application (on website or on smart phone app)
• Bike/gear pickup tickets - so you can collect their belongings for them while they continue racing
• Flip-flops or alternate pair of shoes - switching your shoes can revitalize your feet

8. Take a Break

Whenever you come across a public restaurant, store, hotel lobby, gas station, etc., hit up the bathrooms! Likely the only restrooms around the race sites are port-a-lets, which, if you think are unpleasant, wait til you experience a race day port-a-let after thousands of athletes have used them. Actually, don't, and just take my word for it. You'll thank me later.


Bottom line, it's going to be a looooong day. And you're going to get tired and bored and ready to go home. This is when you have to remind yourself that your athlete is feeling like this, too. Well, probably more so. Ok, a lot more so. And when you realize this, you know you can't quit now! So, whenever you have a chance, hit up any place with A/C and a comfy chair (better yet, a hotel room where you can take off your shoes, lay down for 10 minutes and maybe take a shower). You'll feel refreshed for it and ready to make it to the finish line. You're almost there!

Not the Day We Planned For

The day held such promise! Beautiful (if not warm) morning, four Ironman-hopefuls into the water, four of them out and smiling. Great start!

Perfect viewing location for the bike course, under the shade and close to our car. Our spectating crew was having a blast, cheering on other bikers and waiting for our athletes. One, two, three went by smiling. We laughed with them, took pictures, and sent them back out there.

Then Michael came through, and he told us he was done. We knew this wasn't going to be his day, but unexpected nutrition problems had him baling out earlier than he'd hoped. He was sick and smart enough to quit when he did, and I am relieved that he knows his body so well (having already been an IM finisher twice before) to know when to stop. I was disappointed for him, but he seemed genuinely ok with his decision, and I respect him for it. It took him a couple hours to get his body recovered, but all the while he was battling his dehydration he was standing with us, cheering on the rest of our riders.

Another loop for the bikers, and we get to see them all again. One, two went by smiling. We laughed with them, took pictures, and sent them back out there. Everyone's looking good.

Then we wait, and the wait becomes nerve-racking. All we have to go on are the checkpoint updates every 20-30 miles. We have no other way of knowing why our rider is delayed. Medical issue? Bike problems? There were so many riders that succumbed to the Kentucky heat and hills and couldn't go on.

Finally. Finally, we see our rider coming down the road. He doesn't stop, just yells out Two flat tires. They were throwing tacks on the road. Obviously (and deservedly) angry, he was still out there determined to make up the time. So many thoughts and emotions coursed through the rest of us. Who could do that? It's despicable, and ultimately incredibly dangerous to the riders.

We load up Michael's bike and our supplies and head back to transition to see our 3 come in and head out on the final run leg. We park, eat and sit in the A/C for a bit, get re-energized! But we're quickly deflated when we get a call that our two-flat-tire rider was out after his gear cable broke. With all the time lost, he would miss the bike cut-off time, and they pulled him from the course. It wasn't his day, and it was supposed to be. Of our group, he was the most prepared, the most energized for his very first Ironman. He was ready, pumped, and feeling awesome. And then circumstances way beyond his control stole that from him. {You can read about his day here.}

It's hard to describe the emotions associated with an event like this. Athletes who finish are often overcome with tears of exhaustion and pride. I can remember my eyes welling up when I saw Michael at mile 13 of my first half marathon. And I cried when I saw him finish his first Ironman with his brother. ("Here come the Morelands!")  If we cry in accomplishment, we certainly cry in defeat. Josh cried when his race was taken away from him. I cried a little when Michael pulled out. Kim cried a little when she got that phone call. It's not just on the athletes, but so much of it is on the families too. Because we know. We know the sacrifices our loved ones have made, how much they have dedicated themselves to the training, how much they want this. It's literally a year commitment (and a lot of money) and all they want at the end of the 17 hours is to have that moment: running down the finisher's chute with loud cheers and music on both sides of you, your family's eyes welling with tears, and hearing your name and You are an Ironman.

Two of our four athletes had that moment again. We saw them come in from the bike, head out on the run, and we saw them at the halfway point of the run. One didn't look so hot, and I was sure we'd be another man down.

I didn't stay for the finish. I drove home on my own that night but stayed up-to-date with text messages on their progress. Our last two athletes finished together. And became Ironmen again.

And though they finished, they'd say it wasn't the day they planned for either -- poor nutrition/hydration for one, and less than ideal training for the other.

I later asked Michael what happened. He's usually so smart about nutrition and hydration. In fact, there's only one time in all his years of racing that I have seen him dehydrated. He didn't have a substantial enough breakfast, and by the time the race started he was already hungry. A diet of liquids and gels on a near-empty stomach didn't help. He told me afterward that he didn't respect The Distance/The Training and that won't happen again. He can't go out that way, so I know there will be another Ironman in his future.

And, honestly, I can't wait.

Ironmen in the Making

 
Every couple of years Michael gets the bug to do a BIG race. You know, a race that takes, like, 14 hours to finish. In our household, this race is the Ironman Triathlon.

In 2008, Michael finished his first Ironman in Louisville.

In 2010, he was Ironman (x2) after conquering Ironman Canada.

In 2012, he's aiming for this third Ironman Finish back in Louisville on Sunday.

Seriously, what makes anybody want to swim 2.4 miles, then ride a bike for 112 miles (ouch!), and then start running a 26.2 mile marathon is beyond me! But, honestly, I love that he puts himself up for the challenge. This man has more heart and endurance and stamina and sheer determination to finish a race than anyone I know. On his first marathon, he wasn't prepared and wanted to quit six different times over those miles. But he didn't. He instead took a beer that a spectator was offering (can you blame him?) and walked/limped those last several miles. On his first Ironman he found his brother dehydrated on the curb and gave up on his own finishing time to help him, and they finished together.

This year, he'll admit he's the least prepared for this race. He may not even be able to finish. With our move, our summer travel, a 2-year old 2-and-a-half year old plus a baby on the way,  he didn't get his training to where he wishes it was. But you know what? He'll be at the start line on Sunday morning despite that. And I love him for that. He'll go as far as he can, and if it's to the finish line, it will be his biggest accomplishment. If it's only to Mile 80 on the bike, then he'll change his clothes and be back out there cheering on his brothers and friend. He'll make the most of the day, whatever it may hold.

We'll also be cheering on brother-in-law Josh, going for his first Ironman finish (and we know he'll Rock it!), our buddy Rich going for his 2nd finish, and Michael's brother Kevin, also his third finish.

My fellow spectators and I will plan our day, mapping out where we can see them on the course to boost their morale. We'll be decked out in our custom-made t-shirts and armed with signs to show our support. It will be a long day and a late night, which will make for a really long Monday, too, but it will be so worth it. To witness the triumphs is unlike anything else. If you've never been to a race, especially one of this size, go. The atmosphere is electric and watching finisher after finisher, all different ages and sizes, some strong while others struggle, is incredibly moving. You can't help but think, if she can do this, I could, too. {And then I convince myself that I could if I really want to. But I don't really want to. Ever. But good for them!}

So if you're reading this today or tomorrow (Race Day), say a quick prayer for all the tremendous athletes out there in the Louisville sun and hills going for their own glory -- please, no flat tires, no wardrobe or equipment malfunctions, no injury or illness. It takes a lot just to sign up for the event. Showing up on race day takes even more guts. After that, it's training and nutrition and a lot of lonely miles from start to end.

And they are all my heroes for it.

Go Reds!

The last time we took Adam to a Reds game he was a wee one:

July 2010

So we figured he was overdue for a return visit to Great American Ballpark.

We ate some peanuts. Enjoyed some popcorn.

And watched a little baseball.

Stroller wheel made a great Lazy Susan.

Perfect night for a ballgame.

And the Reds Win!!

We topped off the evening with a fireworks display.

Well, some of us did...

This is Jeopardy!

I mentioned in my last post about Adam's recent preference for Jeopardy!. It still amazes me that this phase has lasted more than a few days. I kid you not, he woke up at 11:30pm the other night, and when I went to him, he said, "Mommy, I want to go downstairs and watch Jeopardy!." This morning, when Michael collected him from his bed, that was again his first request. I woke to him yelling excitedly (from downstairs), "Daily Double!"

So, by request, here's some video evidence of his excitement. And this was a more subdued viewing.

2 1/2 years

Two-and-a-Half

Last month we asked Adam how old he was. He said his standard, "Two", then paused and corrected himself: "Two-and-a-half." There's an example of something we didn't teach him but he picked up on from our conversations. He's a sponge.

Two-and-a-half means he's due for his 30-month check-up, and he was a champ at the doctor's office.

Head: 48.5 cm
Height: 36.5" (55%)
Weight: 25.5 lbs (8%)

Yep, his cousin Lilly is going to catch him in weight any day now! He's a lightweight, but with average head and height measurements, he's growing normally and along the same 5-10th percentile weight trajectory he's been on all along. Maybe if this kid actually ate ice cream or cake, he'd put on a few more pounds. I'm not sure where we went wrong in that department.


So what's Adam like at Two-and-a half?

Chatty, energetic, observant, and all-around addictive. You just can't help but smile and laugh and play when you're with him.

His enunciation is terrific (or at least to us it is) and vocabulary is more expansive than we even know (it's a dromedary, not a camel. Duh.).

He has a wonderful imagination, often picking up an objects like a goggles case and telling us it's a time machine, or coloring loopy lines and showing us the Dinosaur he drew. We also encourage him to tell us stories: "Once upon a time..."

Recently, he loves Jeopardy!, or "Daily Double" as he calls it. I'm serious. Again, without teaching him, he knows the host is Alex Trebek and gets excited when the Daily Double box appears. He even knows if the contestant answered right or wrong ("He got it right!").

He loves to go through or build his own "tunnels" or do "Ka-boom" jumps to his bottom in the living room. He can do somersaults, too, and loves to balance on Uncle Josh's or Daddy's hands (often chanting the C-A-T-S Cats! Cats! Cats! cheer).

His recent obsession is Lightening McQueen and only wants to wear his Lightening McQueen pajamas to bed. "Lightening McQueen, ka-chow!"

He still loves his fire trucks and cars and likes to line them all up or "make a train" with them all.

At mealtime he has to "cheers" with everyone, from cups to forks to chicken nuggets or whatever he's eating.

If something doesn't work, it "needs batteries." This includes if a tower falls down, if the power goes out, if the tv is turned off, if a non-battery toy doesn't make noise, or any other random object is not working as he believes it should.

We're loosely working on potty training, and he's had several successful occasions. We (as parents) just need to be more diligent with it.

He adjusts easily to new situations. Moving to "Adam's new house" didn't even phase him, and with the move he also changed schools (same franchise, closer location) and he took to his new classroom and friends and teachers easily.

We're working on learning the calendar months, and he has the first 6 months down, even knowing his birthday.

We're also working on letter sounds since he can already identify all the letters of the alphabet. And we're working on spelling, too. C-a-t-s he has down easily. Now we're on to A-d-a-m.

He's still a pro at counting, able to count in English up to 40 or higher and up to 30 in Spanish, and he can count backwards from 10 to 0.


In a nutshell, he's simply a JOY, and it's a pleasure to watch our sweet baby become a little boy. Love love love him!

A Sing Along

We are always discovering another song Adam knows. He picks up so many of them at school, and if I happen to recognize a snippet of it, we'll start singing it at home.

It cracks us up, though, when the songs are unexpected and non-traditional, like when he surprises us with I like to Move-it, Move-it or, more recently, Boom-Shaka-laka-laka. Cracks us up. He is such a sponge with an amazing memory.

So here's a list of Adam's {nursery} songs he knows (or, rather, we know he knows -- there are likely more to be discovered):

Wheels on the Bus
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Row Row Row Your Boat
Itsy Bitsy Spider (often crawling up "Adam's ribs" instead of the water spout)
ABCs
Monkeys Swinging in the Tree
Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
Baby Bumble Bee
Little Bunny Foo-Foo
Clean Up
Hello, [Daddy], So Glad to See You
If You're Happy and You Know It
Happy Birthday
Old MacDonald
Days of the Week
my favorite, You Are My Sunshine (2 verses!)
Ba Ba Black Sheep
Hot Dogs Frying in a Pan
This Little Light of Mine (love!)
Farmer in the Dell
Stay Awake (lullaby from Mary Poppins)
Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes


He is always singing in the car, so here's a look at him showing off:

Adam, 2 1/2 years, July 2012

He has his 30-month check-up tomorrow morning, so stay tuned for an update from that soon.

Vacation: Final Leg

After all the craziness of tending to condo business and squeezing in as much friend time as possible, it was so wonderful to spend our last couple of days relaxing with friends. And we're blessed that we have friends that live here:

Say it with me... Ahhhhhhhhh... 

How would you love to wake up to that every morning?

We took full advantage of the ocean, pool and sun and filled our days on or in the water. These Ohio folks needed some color on their skin! {I kept telling everyone how tan they looked before realizing I've just been surrounded by pale Ohioans (or worse, orange Ohioans!)}

Adam surprised the heck out of me by being a little unexpected dare-devil. He kayaked and went tubing with Daddy, had no complaints about wearing a life vest, and finally loved swimming (though at first it was a battle to put swim clothes on him... turns out he'd prefer to skinny dip!)

We enjoyed wonderful family time with one of our favorite families, and we enjoyed one-on-one time with our friends as well. Nothing like catching up while paddle-boarding or simply rocking the evening away beside the quiet water.

Click to enlarge

After a lot of sun and heat, we took the boys for some indoor activity at Bounce-U, an indoor bounce house place. Just about every other day Adam still asks if he can "go bounce with Ryan."

Thank you, F, C, R & S for hosting us in paradise! It's nice to know we have a new vacation spot. We can add this to our list of favorite vacation homes, along with last year's Lake House. It was just what we needed to make our week in Florida truly feel like a family get-away. 

And nothing like capping off a vacation with a 16-hour drive home. Ugh.

Vacation: Part IV

This leg of our trip was mostly focused on condo business -- doing a final walk-through with our tenants and receiving the keys, doing some minor painting and repairs on said condo, and then meeting our new tenants (born in 1992!!!?!) and inspecting the place with them. {They are lovely girls, grad students at the local university, but it just threw me for a loop when I saw their birth years!}

But in between all these activities, we tried to cram as much friend-time in as we could, and while we didn't get to see everyone we could have seen, we were thankful that several special people made time for us. It's only been a year since we moved and it remained enough the same for us to feel right at home with the area and with our friends.

Highlights include:

• Mike, Sarah and Brennan's hospitality
• Gourmet pizza night with Andrew & Jules, and M, S & B, too (can't believe we didn't take a pic!)
• Showing Adam the ocean

• Lunch with Chris, Marie, Grace, Sherrie, Delaney, Sarah & B
• Meeting oh-so-sweet Grace and Delaney -- I forgot how tiny newborns are!

• Playing in the park with FL buddies

• Playdate and sprinkler fun with Amy and Wylie

• And dinner with Bill, Cheryl and (ironically) my Dad, who also happened to be in town.

Wonderful times with wonderful people. Life-long friends for sure!

---------

Our last leg of our trip truly felt like a vacation -- house on the water with plenty of fun in the sun with more fun people. Can't wait to share those pics with you soon.

Vacation: Part III

Following our impromptu family reunion in Georgetown, Michael, Adam and I hit the road for Florida. We had some business to take care of with our condo down there, so we decided for the same price as one plane ticket, we could all go by car. (I thought our days of making the FL-KY drive were over!)

Twelve hours later we made our first pit stop in the Jacksonville area to see Michael's mom and sister and family. Surprisingly, 12 hours went fast, and Adam was super in the car.

We didn't do a whole lot on our one day in Jacksonville, but nonetheless Adam had a blast playing with his cousins. Emma (4 1/2) just dotes on him and wants to help with everything. We took them all to the pool where it was my goal to continue to get Adam comfortable with the water. I'm big on the try, try again method apparently. I figure if we go swimming frequently enough his confidence and trust will grow and he'll eventually be comfortable again.

He was on to my plan. As soon as we were on the pool deck he stopped short and only wanted to sit on a lap for a long time. I finally convinced him to sit on the side and splash his feet in the water. Then we graduated to reciting Humpty Dumpty and giving quick dunks in and back out (had a great fall!). Eventually he came in with me for some Motor Boat, Motor Boat fun. Progress, but the real break-through came when Aunt Megan taught him to walk like an alligator on the steps.

It worked! He walked like an alligator, and then wanted to walk like a hippopotamus, an elephant, and a variety of other animals as he made the crawl back and forth along the wide steps. Success!

Then back at home we found Michael and Andy fishing in the backyard pond, and Adam wanted to try his hand at fishing, too. 

It's always a great time with this fun family, but in the morning we'd be hitting the road for another 4-5 hour car ride South. Vacation off to a great start!

Vacation: Part II

This wasn't really a part of our vacation but happened during this time as well and is a classic summer event, so I thought I'd share. Before we left Georgetown on our road trip we met up with the Mauneys for an evening at the Lexington Bluegrass fair.

Now, Adam has always loved to be tossed around and held upside down, but cross that with his fear of loud machinery, and let's say the fair wasn't a big winner in his book. (We still hate the vacuum.)

As we were parking Michael asked him if he wants to go on the Ferris wheel. "No." How about the roller coaster? "No. I want to stay in the car." Oh boy. Meanwhile cousin Jake couldn't wait to get on every ride he could.

We got into the park and waited while Michael and Uncle Josh headed off for tickets. We watched the roller coaster ("loud train") and again, "I want to go to the car."

With tickets in hand we set off to the first ride that the boys could ride together. While Jake easily clears the 36" mark, each ride Adam had to again stand against the stick and just barely made the cut.

Notice Adam's (lack of) enthusiasm. While he didn't cry, he wasn't real sure about this one. Once they got off, Jake was already for the next one. We couldn't get Adam to join him.

New tactic: Have Adam ride with Daddy or Mommy:

Didn't hate it but didn't love it.

He wouldn't even get on a horse on the carousel.

This one seemed mild enough for the most part.

Finally, the last ride of the night he enjoyed the most: the Ferris Wheel. 

And we all got to ride together in the gondola.

And who can pass up fair food?  Well, maybe this I can...

Maybe next year will be more exciting for this guy. For now, he was just happy to go to the car.