The BEST weekend EVER!

This past weekend (long weekend, the best kind!) my sister Emily and our niece, sweet 1 year old Claire came from North Carolina to Des Moines to visit. Emily and I had been looking forward to this for weeks since she booked her flight. I think it's safe to say everyone had a great weekend - Claire loved giving Lainey lots of kisses, Emily loved being near Caribou and Chipotle, Grandma and Grandpa came down to visit both their granddaughters at one time, Simon LOVED the extra attention (even though Claire kept calling her "Yacey") and even Jed enjoyed all of the fun, messy chaos in our little house! I was thinking after dropping off Emily and Claire at the airport that I'd much rather have a small messy house packed full of smiles, laughter, and fun, special visitors than a perfectly clean, huge, quiet house. My house looked like it got hit by a tornado most of the weekend but we all had the BEST time!
When we first got back to the house, Em and I were in the other room for literally less than a minute and we heard a little giggle. Claire was trying to tickle Lainey!
Claire is so good at giving Lainey kisses!
And Grandma! Nevermind that she's nearly stepping on Lainey's head!
Wait a minute... that's not a hat Uncle Jed!
I love, love, LOVE babies in jammies. I love babies right when they wake up with sweet bed head. Someday, Lainey will have hair and therefore bed head too!
I don't think the child got put down all weekend long.

One of the *blessings* of living where we do are the great big, giant trees that drop tons and tons and tons of leaves in the fall. Jed and my Dad were just the men for the job! :)
Claire was a big fan of the gorgeous fall weather and the crunchy leaves!
Lainey didn't care all that much but was so content being outside!
Emily brought matching pajamas for the little girls. They looked SO cute. We are trying to find some for Christmas too. This sequence of events was really funny. Claire just couldn't get close enough to Lainey. She was being SO sweet wanting to give Lainey hugs and kisses.


How cute is this picture of Grandma and Grandpa and their granddaughters?!?
Sunday night Emily made her famous home-made pizza. YUM! I should have paid more attention. On Monday, we went to the zoo with Allie, Charlotte, Julie and Oscar! FUN!

Lainey was definitely less than thrilled to be stuck in her car seat in the stroller so she enjoyed most of the zoo in my arms. :)
Allie and Miss Charlotte! Lainey and Charlotte have the same birthday! Obviously a year apart...
Here's Julie and Oscar. On Mondays, zoo members get free passes for the train. Julie was most excited about this!

Everyone loved the train ride!
Claire got to feed the goats too! She thought it was so funny!
Taking in all of the great sights, sounds (and smells) of the Blank Park Zoo! A quick trip to the mall for lunch and an errand and we were back home for nap time for Claire bear. Claire wasn't a super huge fan of Emily holding and loving on Lainey so when she was sleeping, Auntie Em got lots of smiles and snuggles...
All in all, it truly was one of the greatest weekends ever! Emily has been one of my greatest "mommy resources" over the past 2 and a half months so it was really fun to have her right there with me for a few days and watch her love on her daughter and mine. We can't wait to see Emily and Claire again over the holidays!