Kansas City - Part III: The End

(KC Part I and KC Part II)

Even though we're not super rigid with a "schedule" for Gianna, she does much better if we follow a rhythm in our days.  During our Kansas City trip, schedules, rhythyms and the like - went out the window.

Her usual bedtime is 7pm.  This grilled backyard dinner was at 9pm.  Good little sport.

I packed tons of Gianna's books for her to read.  She found Abuelito's books to be far more entertaining.

There was a girl making balloon figures at the mall to raise money for a mission trip.

She road her first Carousel ride at the mall too.  She went nuts. (I truly think she's gonna stroke out the first time she goes to Disney world.)

Gianna discovered Abuelito's ukulele in his den and was obsessed with it the whole week...."Tito's Tar!" (Abuelito's Guitar) she would say. 

Here's Daddy playing the ukulele for Gianna.

...and no, he doesn't know how to play.  (But he's rendition of the stereotypical Mexican "Aye, Aye Aye, Aye" was riveting and sent Mommy into hysterics each time he performed.)

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It was also her first IHOP experience. This was her awesome breakfast....

.....which she didn't eat.

She did, however, discover the wonderful invention of Gogurt which ranked pretty high on her list of firsts.

Her new thing is to look at the world through her fingers. She does it especially when she goes into her shy mode.

Another first:  Cracker Barrel.  Those chairs are so darn cute....and expensive!

Not sure what this expression was for...

She made Tita play the head game...

...she instructs people to put objects on their head, and tells me to sing about it.  It's a Laurie Berkner song with a Gianna twist.

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And then we buckled up for the LONG ride home.....Gianna: sleep-desprived and getting over being sick, Mommy: right smack in the middle of being sick and Daddy: on the verge of becoming sick. Woo Hooo!!!

PePaw gave her a cute little plaid hat that she doesn't wear, but uses to put snacks in while riding in her car seat.  Best invention. She doesn't spill anything.

Oh...and here's another first....Gianna watching our new portable DVD player. 

Out of the 30 hour trip, she only watched about 2 hours...not bad.

And then we got home.  She was ecstatic.  I dragged the over-packed suitcase inside to begin the laundry marathon and....

.... I found her tossing each article of clothing out of the suitcase exclaiming,

"Helping! Helping!"

In the words of the best known resident of the fine state of Kansas,

"There's no place like home!"