Nothing like a Fall vacation

First of all, I know I have several Mommy friends who have never taken a getaway with a girlfriend since their kid(s) were born. I must strongly encourage you all to take a yearly Mommy vacay...it is a lifesaver. This trip could not have come at a better time. Between the 1st trimester of pregnancy, the never ending heat of NC summer, an almost 3 year old, and a puking dog...I was at my wits end. Someone was about to lose their life in our house.

I am so lucky to have two awesome parents who are always, always willing to help me out whenever I need a break. So, two weeks ago, I packed up Dylan and the dog and headed to Charleston. I spend a day there getting Dylan situated and doing some last minute shopping for my girls getaway...I was in desperate need of some maternity clothes. Then I hopped on a plane to D-town (Detroit, MI) and let all my worries slide away for an entire week. I met up with my girl Angela and we had a great time visiting our old stomping grounds.

Our first stop was Toledo, OH where we visited Ang's sister Raeanna and her family. Rae had a baby (Evan) not too long ago, so we had to stop in and soak up all his cuteness.

Ang made these little booties for Evan. Aren't they adorable?

I honestly do not think there is a prettier place than Michigan in the Fall. If you haven't been...you must put it on your places to visit list. It is absolutely GORGEOUS! And any trip to MI is not complete without a trip to one of the many Cider Mills. Mmmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about the donuts and hot apple cider.

I still feel like my trip to Michigan was a whirlwind. There was so much to do and see...I haven't been back since my wedding, five years ago. We visited with Ang's family, went shopping, hit the dance club (that's right...I boogied with my baby bump), ate at some favorite restaurants, and spent a couple days simply laying on the couch and reading a book. Awesome. It was so nice to not have to worry about anyone but Me. I was also able to reconnect with an old friend from high school and it was so good to see her and catch up.

Alas, all good things must come to an end and I had to return to Charleston to pick up on my Mommy duties. I love being a Mom, but sometimes I just need a break so I can remember what it's like to be Me. There is no better person to help me do that than Angela. Every time we get the opportunity to hang out, I feel a huge void when the visit is over. I miss having her around so much and really hope that someday we are lucky enough to live close to each other.

All right...so back to Charleston and one very happy little boy!

Here's the bump I was telling y'all about. Can't believe I was only 12 weeks in this picture! I am carrying so high this time around. Fingers crossed that it's a girl.

Dylan loved playing on Gram and Pa's porch. He took his shopping cart outside and went shopping for Gram's pumpkins.

My sister, Kathleen, and my nephew, Noah, were also at my parent's house to celebrate Noah's Big #1 Birthday. It was so good to spend a few days with them. Noah was so cute eating his cake and opening his presents. I cannot believe he is already One.

Happy birthday boy, opening his presents.

My mom thought it would be fun to drive to Columbia, SC and take the boys to the zoo. So, that's what we did. Great idea, Gram. The boys were so good and we had a great time.

Totally cool...the giraffe was really this close to me. They had a little area where you could feed them and this guy did not want to miss out on some treats. He had several close calls with my camera.

Apparently it was time for the tortoises to mate. Perhaps my belly gave them some ideas, lol.

I love the flamingos. There vibrant colors are so refreshing and pretty to me.

Here we are at the end of our zoo trip. We had just gotten off the carousel and I'm pretty sure that Dylan wanted to ride the Panda again. Such a fun trip.

We are now back home, safe and sound with Mike...where we belong. But, the memories will last a lifetime.