I can't believe you made it to eighteen months before embarking on your first proper mountain adventure, but that was the case! For the Labor Day weekend, naenae and grandpa rented a big mountain house on the New River in West Jefferson, NC. They hosted us + some extended family including your cousin McKinley, who will turn one in October. The weekend was so perfect. The weather was cool. The views from the house were amazing. And you had a ball. Here is the story of your first mountain adventure, Maeve...
Dad and I had a long workday/wedding in Raleigh on Friday, when naenae and grandpa were scheduled to depart, so we dropped you off early that morning at their house. I'm told that you supervised the packing, had a snack once in your carseat, then passed out before you guys got beyond the city limits. Ha.
Like always, I asked naenae and grandpa to send me tons of photos of you throughout the day. Because being away from you is still hard for me (will it ever not be?). I'm so thankful that they obliged and sent me lots. In the one above you are settling in at the cabin. We loved it so much and can't wait to stay there again.
While you guys experienced great weather, on Friday your dad and I were in Raleigh as Hurricane Hermine rolled through. It wasn't too bad, but it was cold and rainy and windy all day long. But we got to spend our time at Raleigh's most impressive event venue (which was on our professional bucket list) so it wasn't too bad. It was kind of exciting, actually. But I missed you terribly.
Friday night, your new pal McKinley arrived and you guys had a sleepover at the cabin, which included a shared bath (McKinley even rinsed the shampoo from your hair, I hear) and lots of sweet playtime. I hate that the photo above is so blurry, but I still love it regardless! Naenae loves her girls.
Your dad and I arrived in West Jefferson late Saturday and were thrilled to be reunited! You showed us around the house, which included the best wraparound porch, where you spent most of your time. You and McKinley took turns riding and pushing your tricycle and car around the porch and throwing balls, for hours on end. And we all spent hours on the porch playing with you two and taking in the gorgeous river view and sweet mountain air.
Highlights of our trip include visits to the quaint downtown, playtime at a local park, a short hike, and bonding with family we rarely see (you even got to meet your cousin Seth, who was visiting from South Korea, for the first time). While we had planned on venturing out to the river in some capacity, we found that all of our options at the local outfitter meant staying on the river for a minimum of two hours (not my ideal scenario for your first time in a river canoe). That coupled with the cold kept us away...this time. But it also gave us an excuse to come back in the Spring!
I had so much fun during our stay that I didn't take a single photo, which is why your dad isn't seen in any of these (he was behind the lens). But he had a great time, too! He actually did a research project on the New River while at Carolina, so it is special to him. We took many trips there, with our beloved Oni, years ago, so we love it there!
Thank you so much naenae and grandpa for inviting us along on your trip and for taking such good care of our girl. And thank you grams and grandpa for taking care of Lilly and Louis and making our trip possible. It was a great Labor Day weekend!
PS: Above is a photo of you from last year's Labor Day weekend. Ah!!! You were so tiny. And squishy! More photos from that girls' weekend at the beach are right here.
