We went to Missouri this past weekend, for my friend Ed's wedding. It was a good trip, and Avery was fantastic. I will just narrate the pictures, as there are a lot of them, and it would be a long story otherwise.
We set out around 1:30 or so, and Avery fell asleep until a diaper change an hour past Columbus. She and Megan hung out in the back until Indianapolis, where we walked around in a Kroger for a while, up and down the aisles.
After Indy, we headed west again, stopping at a nature area somewhere in Indiana, where we had a picnic. After that, it was time to sleep. Avery fussed more than usual, but we suspect it was because she couldn't roll around as much as she was used to. We arrived in Columbia about 12:30 EST.
The next morning we got up and looked around Columbia a little, including stopping at a park for some exercise and some swinging. After that, it was time for lunch and a nap. We went to the rehearsal, after driving around the Missouri River bottoms for a while as Avery napped in the back. After a little fussing during the rehearsal dinner, it was time for bed.
The next morning, we went to Rock Bridge State Park, where we saw the rock bridge and walked on a board walk.
While walking down another trail, we saw a turtle, and Avery was fascinated, and tried to follow the turtle into the underbrush.
Avery and her mother walked on the trail, sacrificing some purple socks to the soil.
After the park, we decided to go for a swim. We took Avery for a swim the day before, in our arms, and she loved it. After the rehearsal dinner the day before, we got her a floaty, and she enjoyed another afternoon swim.
Some post wedding pictures, including the view from the
Les Bourgeois Winery and Vineyards overlook.
Photographed by Ben Garvin
Photographed by Ben Garvin
It was about 10:30 when we got back to the hotel, and Avery was tired. She seemed to like the grotesquely overstuffed pillows in the rather filthy Days Inn we stayed at.
The next morning we surveyed the scene outside the room, where drunken buffoons had scattered beer containers across the parking lot.
While we were getting ready to go, Avery parked herself by the door and entertained herself with a plastic water bottle.
On the way back, we stopped at the Gateway Arch. The downpour we had driven through on the edge of St. Louis caught up to us just as we got to the arch, and after huddling under some trees, we huddled under the arch. Avery was not impressed. She did like the stuffed animals in the museum though especially the Buffalo.
Overall, it was a good trip. Avery was very good. She had a lot of fun, and was ok with being in the car for so long. The wedding was beautiful, and Avery enjoyed the action. It was a grand adventure for all of us.
