Ellie's First US Tour: Iowa

After a very busy trip to Iowa for Brian's sister's graduation, we made it into Ohio two days ago.  As crazy a trip as it was, we had a wonderful time visiting with family and friends and introducing them all to Ellie.


I was more than a little apprehensive as it was the first time flying with Ellie, but she rose to the occasion and did wonderfully, especially since we were delayed flying into Omaha.  By three hours.  This doesn't seem like much until it's 1 am and you're finally driving to your hotel.  Exhausted is an understatement, and poor Ellie was justifiably upset every time we had to wake her up, but we were able to get a little bit of sleep and a really crummy hotel breakfast before hitting the road the next morning.  We rolled into Fort Dodge in the early afternoon and started making the rounds.

Ellie with Great Aunt Joyce

Ellie with great-grandma Johnson

Aunt Shelby loved Ellie

As did great-grandma Hammer (looks like the feeling is mutual)

After meeting lots of family and no naps, Ellie was more than ready to get some sleep at the hotel.  She slept for 13 hours STRAIGHT.  Of course I was up by 5 the next morning, but I have a feeling Ellie's pack n' play mattress was much more comfortable than the one Brian and I were sleeping on.


On Saturday we went to Shelby's graduation party, where Ellie met most of the Hammer side of the family.

One tuckered out baby.


















After the party we made our way to Ankeney, where Brian's cousin Licia lives with her husband Tom and 3-month old TJ.  Licia writes a blog all about life with "Sweet T".  We had a great time with them, staying up until 2:30 in the morning just talking.  I don't know when the last time was I stayed up that late intentionally, and of course both Ellie woke up at 5 wanting to eat.


Ellie and TJ together.

TJ not quite sure about the lady taking his picture.

Can you tell we were up until 3 in the morning the night before?

Our last night in Iowa was spent with Brian's aunt Jan, uncle Tom and two of Brian's cousins and their children.  Jan made an AMAZING meal.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to need her recipe for rhubarb crisp.

Our flights out of Omaha and into Cleveland were pretty uneventful and Ellie slept for most of them.  Now we get to relax in Ohio for the next two weeks, and hopefully get Ellie on a much better sleeping schedule.