'Big City Life'

Warning: Longest Post I've Ever Made!!!

Wednesday

After work, we headed down to Denver for Elsie Anne's first baseball game ever... Cincinnati Reds vs Colorado Rockies!  The game started @ 6pm, so we knew we'd be pushing her bedtime.  Sure enough, EA was a trooper... she made no complaints + loved every minute of it!

Shawn's cousin Jenn lives in Denver + Aunt Alexis flew in for the game, so they both met us there!  Its always comforting to be around family, even if its just a short visit!

When you're @ the game w/ a toddler, you end up cheering for the HOME team, since she claps anytime the crowd does!  She was such a ham... "GO,GO,GO eeeds!" is what she would say!

Even on the walk home she stayed awake... too much going on for her to miss!  This pic is fuzzy, but a keeper none the less:)

That's right, you read correctly, we got to WALK HOME from the game!  Everyone knows how much I love my job w/out any perks, but this just couldn't get any better!  The Dudick's (Henry's family) were so generous to let us use their Downtown Condo for the Reds games + our 4th Anniversary!  So, we were cheesin' even after the Reds lost...

Thursday: Sept 9,2010... Happy 4th Anniversary to us!!

We were shocked that after EA went to bed @ 10:30pm, she still woke up @ 6:30am?!  So, we started our day a little groggy, but nothing a nice walk through the "big city" couldn't cure!  We ate breakfast + had some coffee @ a little hole-in-the-wall, then enjoyed all the new scenery through Elsie Anne's eyes!

EA loved going over all the "bigdes"!  There were bridges for cars, some for trains, + some for people!  She was captivated w/ everything we explained to her!

One of her favorites... this heart that lit up @ night, outside the Museum of Modern Art!  We walked by it almost everytime we came back to the "condo"!  The Dudick's condo is right behind it.  Also, check out the funny 'artwork' in the bottom left corner.  EA would say "uh,oh!" everytime she saw the car standing on it's hood!

Time for game #2... Aunt "Lex" got EA a treat... shaved ice!  She used the spoon for a bit, then discovered she'd get more of the juice if she used the straw!!  I never got a good shot of EA's Red's jersey that Alexis gave her, along w/ many other Cincinnati goodies, but you can see bits of it in this pic!

Well, Red's lost again, but we all had a great time anyway:)  EA watching the cars from the 'people bridge'!!

Enjoying the Condo balcony w/ beers + pizza!  Jenn + Alexis came back + hung-out for the evening!

Looking to the right from the balcony...

Looking to the left from the balcony... the train track, river, Speer Blvd, then Elitch Gardens w/ the Ferris Wheel!

Momma + EA got clean + cozy in jammies, watched the Ferris Wheel, read some books, and got EA to bed @ a reasonable time:)

Friday

We strolled around until we found the perfect brunch spot @ Mona's.  It was delicious + we loved our entertainment... EA's new 'silly face'!  She had sweet potato fries for the first time!

After our bellies were full + we had plenty of energy, we continued our walk along the river until we got to the Children's Museum!  Elsie Anne was in awe!  She picked carrots in the garden...

cooked lunch in the kitchen...

drove the firetruck w/ a fireman helmet...

got stuck in a HUGE bubble w/ Daddy...

...and so much more!  We will definitely be going back to the Museum, we didn't have time to do the dress-up or art areas!

Once EA had a nice nap, we headed back out for a stroll + dinner... We found this herd of buffalo stampeding along 16th Street Mall!

We listened + danced to this violinist...he was practicing + making a few bucks for the Children's Orchestra concert!!  What a sweet family... his Dad is hanging out by the light pole + got to watch my little ballerina enjoy the music!!

As we headed home, we stopped off @ the park right near the Condo!  EA happily spent the rest of her energy sliding, running, bouncing, climbing, etc!

Looking @ the opposite side of the Condo, from the park!  Everything we needed was right @ our fingertips! 

Back @ the Condo, we rested our tired legs!

Saturday

We slept in, packed up, cleaned up + went for our last walk in the Big City!  We found 'The Market', a wonderful breakfast + coffee shop that Anna had recommended, and it was DELISH!  I'm bummed we didn't have the camera b/c it had the best atmosphere, like an old time market!!

This was one of our favorite 'Family Getaways' to date!  Thank you so much Dudick's for making our 4th Anniversary so memorable!!!