I am writing this blog unashamedly tearing up as we have just left Nemily and Grandma at the airport to begin their trip home to Denver. I meant what I said to them both about an hour ago ‘you are welcome here anytime’ I have loved having you around for two weeks and seeing you and Jamie be sisters together and the look of joy on Jamie’s face to have her momma close. I have especially enjoyed seeing you play and love your niece and nephew grandaughter and grandson who clearly loved you back from the moment you met them.

The excitement we created and felt before you arrived was transferred straightaway to the airport and we all loved catching that first site of you both although it took Reagan a moment or so to warm to you after that you were inseparable. Although Nemily you were tired, adrenalin kept you awake..well almost and a trip to The Cheese was the order of the day and although we didn’t stay long it showed you that an English pub is a little different from an American bar.

I know Jamie was so excited to show you where we lived and where she had chosen to start her family and as soon as you walked through the door you were off for the tour showing you our home and where we live. Doing our walk with you and getting the photo was one of the main things Jamie and I had discussed as being an absolute priority, a must do! Although a cool day and a threat of rain we set off at a leisurely pace drifting around the outskirts of Middlewich along the canals and rivers to Croxton Lane for a photo all our visitors will get.

We stopped off at the Big Lock for lunch and the threatened rain and hailstones appeared outside and by the time we left the sun was out again, watching you all playing on the park afterwards was really great to see when not only did the kids enjoy playing around the Americans did too.

Liverpool was next and it was our first train ride which started with a dash from Winsford to Northwich to find parking and eventually arrived in Liverpool and headed for the Albert Dock and a Titanic exhibition and dinner in the Clown bar. Then Just what you need after a lovely meal THE taxi tour from hell lol The tour was very good and very informative but the taxi driver had obviously forgotten in which order the clutch accelerator and brake should be pushed to start and stop a an automobile work? Still it did meam we got our first chance to laugh at Grandma… (Sorry Pam) when she tried to retrieve a yogurt covered fruit candy from the floor of the taxi just as another hard braking manouvre and on the floor is where she remained for quite a while as we all sniggered and laughed not able to help.

Which brings me nicely on to Prestatyn and the star of the show again, Gramma oh yes that incident lol We set off in convoy out of England and into Wales arriving on a chilly breezy beach to make sand castles and generally mess around on the beech which was so relaxing until your momma tried to join Jamie and you at the waters edge

Chester was somewhere I know your mom wanted to show after her first visit there so it was a bonus to go and see The Queen visit the zoo first before we went into town. Although our lunch was “interesting” in that little cafe by the Cathederal it was the energy we needed to walk around the wall, but for me and the kids in the pram those steps were just a little too much.

Our night out followed after running a couple of errands without you but whatever you were suffering from cut our night out short although Jamie and I soldiered on without you…oh I know whats coming The Hangover…

Jodral bank and my hangover (I knew it! lol) when Patty and Ian arrived I was ‘incapacitated’ to say the least but managed to drag my weary behind out and actually thoroughly enjoyed the day especially after a sausage butty and a pint of cider in the cafe “at least I wasn’t eating me own food?” Some cooking had been done before we went out so tea with Patty and Ian was served before the kids bedtime and YAHTZEE! Who won?

Our big day was the middle Sunday and Jamie had planned it to the letter, the Christening went off like clockwork before during and after so Jamie should be very proud of her efforts. Thank you so much for being here for them and becoming Godmother to Reagan & Lincoln

We took a day to go shopping in Crewe I say ‘we’ I tagged along with the shopping queens Jamie and Nemily and let me tel you Gamma wasn’t bad at shopping either it was a lazy day even though for me walking around clothes shops was thee biggest chore everrrr (only joking) We went to the park after the shops and it was where everyone could just ease down before teatime and Reagan learned how to hold the monkey bars and swing YAY

Off to London next and a train journey of 3 hours + was eventful but we survived and a couple of tube journeys across London got us to the hotel where we dropped our baggage and went to eat at the Swan at Lancaster Gate where exhastion was apparent but after eating we went up to Westminster and then took a trip on the London EYE and then walked up to Trafalger Square where we spent an hour or so people watching before going back to the hotel with a bottle of Red and a bottle of white for ron.

The tube is a memory in itself. London is busy and no-one has time always rushing around and ALWAYS going in the opposite direction to us, except on the Tube where it seemed everyone was going in our direction. We were in the tube station watching ram packed full trains pull in the doors open and people fall out and get back on along with a couple more who were waiting so we said you and Gamma get on the next one and wait at bond street for us, who with a pushchair couldn’t possibly fit on any of the first three but we forced our way on to the next and although Lincoln was burning up screaming at the top of his lungs we made it and regrouped for the last little bit back to the hotel.

The Hotel was not bad and very livable but after such a full on day of travelling and sightseeing we decided on room service as it just seemed easier to eat in the room and then calm it down to get the kids in bed which we did quite easily actually so Gamma said if we want to go get a beer and watch the people in Hyde Park across the street from the hotel terrace so we instantly accepted the offer. (Pam please do not read the next paragraph)

Obviously with a babysitter in London we headed up to the westend and hung out around Piccadilly Circus for an hour or so just so we could tell everyone that’s what did in London hahaha but soon everyone realised just how fucking tired we all were and headed back to crawl into bed and SLEEEEP! I have an excuse but a 24 year old and a 31 year old wanting to go back to the hotel before midnight when they had a license to tear London up beggers belief?

We were going down to London for two reasons to be tourists and more importantly to make Lincoln an American citizen which is his right as a baby born to an American parent abroad. Reagan got hers October 2010 so it was perfect to have Gramma and Nemily with us this time, but what we didn’t know was they would not be aloud in to their own embassy for security reasons, so you had to stay outside with some Taliban type protest shouting down with USA and stuff like that which actually wasn’t as bad as being stuck in the embassy for 3.5 hours in a room full of bored kids. Three and a half hours in the Embassy really killed our day but the plan was Buck House and then home so a short taxi ride to Royal Mews and we spent a couple hours around the palace and had lunch in Hyde Park which I really enjoyed

We hailed a taxi which was covered in a Union Jack so before we got in we took some photo’s and taxi driver was going “do you want a ride or not” before we squashed ourselves in. This was the beginning of our journey home which took 5 hours 3 of which were spent on a train where the babies slept after eating “crap” for tea when we arrived home everyone was and felt extremely dirty but the decision was made to just slide the kids in bed as it was 10:30 and bath them in the morning….the rest of us showered…. separately lol!

For me tiredness or even exhaustion had set in by this point and I needed to recharge but with only a few days left didn’t think it was right to stop but luckily everyone else was feeling it too and it was decided that the rest of the trip should be as easy going as possible which suited everyone I think?

Tattoo day was HILARIOUS! If I didn’t know how much you and Jamie loved each other it was the 90 minutes I spent watching you two get a sister tattoo on your feet where you both supported one another and laughed hysterically at each other and left with half of a tattoo each on your foot that is only complete when you stand next to each other.

We needed the sun to put the icing on a great vacation and when we got 86deg and not a cloud in the sky for the last few days all our time was spent in or around the pool a sunny end to a great vacation just chillin’ and watching the world go by surrounded by the people we love most. It gave Jamie and her mom time to plant another climber together so we have something to remind us of the trip everytime it blooms (which it is doing right now)

It is always sad to say goodbye and this was no exception I knew I was in trouble when my lip went at home before we even left for the airport so when we got there I had that lump in my throat and that huge knot in my tummy. I will always feel a massive guilt at these moments because I blame myself for putting you all through this, having said that I also feel so proud and privileged to have family that I feel so much for that I stand in a departure lounge with tears rolling down my cheeks just because I don’t want them to go!

We left the airport with Jamie in floods of tears me fighting them back Reagan say Gramma doing? Nemily doing and Lincoln asleep. We got home and had some food and got ourselves sorted always mindful of the time because I had the idea that we should all go lay on the lawn looking straight up and wave at every plane we saw because Gamma and Nemily would be on one of them waving back…lets just say we laying there bawling our eyes out waving goodbye…

Your trip was much more than the few things I have outlined here, and I could have put loads more of the hundreds of photo’s we took in this blog but I will save them for others. I just think the best times of the two weeks were watching you spend time with your “extended” family and just being together. It’s nice to be a tourists and see some of the country we live in and I would bend over backwards to give you the trip you want, but for me it was about just having you around which made me happier than anything and I know Jamie Reagan and Lincoln were so happy that you came.

We are sad that you are not here now but we have the memories of this trip until we make some more together maybe next time with Cliff too?

Off to the beech we went today on what was billed as the best day of the week weather wise and when we got to Prestatyn it was windy and cold but at least it was dry well for Reagan Lincoln Mommy Daddy and Emily it was…

We got on to the sand and built some sand castles and generally ran around screaming until dinnertime when we decided to go to the seaside cafe and eat before getting back onto the beech to have some more fun. Emily and Jamie went off on their own to the waters edge and the rest of us drew our names in the sand. The problem started when Grandma decided to join her daughters…

She began to sink in the mud and when she tried to free herself her shoes come off and no-one could help because we were all in hysterics (sorry Pam)