A Snowy Spring Break in Wisconsin

Last week Henry and I left the balmy upper 70 degree Texas weather for a wintery spring break in Wisconsin. He had seen a little bit of snow here, but nothing like what we encountered there. We didn't get out in it much, did not play in it. Maybe he can do that when he is older. We spent all our time indoors with Ben and his parents Joe and Katie.
The boys got along really well. I was able to get ten days off work and they had plenty of time to reacquaint themselves with each other.
I'm not sure what they think of each other. They do seem to know each other. They are not afraid of each other and they will play side by side--though they are more content if toys are not involved. If they have toys then they tend to want what the other one has--sometimes. Other times they will give toys back and forth to one another.

We got to eat out alot. In my rural environs there is not much choice of eating out, we are usually homebodies. Ben is using a spoon to feed himself--with alot of the mess that I dread but know will eventually happen when Henry starts. For now Henry eats with his fingers or I feed him, although he does like to play with a spoon and puts it in his mouth so I guess the time is right to let him try to feed himself.
The boys were never aggressive with each other. They seemed to want to comfort each other when one was upset. Ben espeically liked to feel Henry's hair, which was slightly longer than is own.
One day (the day of the big ten inch snow) we took the boys to a children's museum. Much of it is suited for somewhat older children, but there was a good assortment of things that they could do, like climbing into this truck. Both liked sitting behind the wheel.
Ben and Henry both love cars. I'm not sure how early they developed this. I wouldn't think they would have had much interaction with cars in Vietnam. For some time Henry has made a rumbling sound as he pushes a car along. I was surprised when he first did it, because he had to have learned it from somewhere.
For Easter we went out to a restaurant and then went over to Joe's parents' house. Ben and Henry enjoyed rolling around on the carpet with Joe's nephew Luke.

We went down to Illinois for a photo sitting, wandering around the big mall. We rented matching strollers and had purchased matching outfits for the sitting.
One store had a big fish tank. They both enjoyed looking at the fish. Henry cried when I pulled him away from the tank.
It took alot of work to get them to smile for the photos. It must be easy to get one child to smile and pose nicely. It is difficult when there are two.
Joe and Katie picked out the sporty outfits, I picked out the preppy outfits.
Overall the trip was great. Joe and Katie were so nice to open their home to us for an extended stay, and Joe's family was extremely nice to us. They included Henry in their Easter gift giving festivities. We didn't celebrate that much when I was growing up--I guess that is something I will have to learn about as I raise Henry.

I dreaded the plane ride back, but it was pretty smooth. I packed everything, including my laptop and my video camera, in my checked luggage because I didn't want to have to deal with a big carry-on and Henry. As it turned out all I needed was a couple of bottles--Henry fell asleep not long after the plane took off. I wish I had had my camera out to take his picture when the plane was taking off--his face and mouth were all screwed up as he looked out the window while everything was flashing by so quickly.

Henry was sick a few days ago, ran a fever. But he has been okay for the past three or four days. I was really sick yesterday, didn't think I was going to make it onto the plane. But we made it and I'm back at work today. It was a wonderful spring break.