Buffalo Visit - Summer 2009

We typically fly to Buffalo around Christmas time so that we can see most, if not all members of my side of the family in the short period of time that we can get off during the holidays. However, this year will be the first year ever that we're not going to be able to go back to Buffalo or Pittsburgh for the Holidays, because mid-November marks the beginning of my third trimester of pregnancy, and flying is not recommended in the third trimester and Christmas Eve is exactly one month to my due date.

So...this summer we decided that RJ and I would take some time and see some family and we did just that. RJ got to spend some quality time with Grammie, Grandpa, Aunt Amy (who flew up from South Carolina) and his Great Grandparents too.

RJ was pretty much spoiled by everyone. He was on a permanent sugar high from his daily ice cream cone from Grammie. I suppose these are the kinds of things that children get away with when they don't see their Grandparents very often!

Also, we got a chance to do some of the things that there's rarely time and/or the right weather for.

Grandpa, Aunt Amy, and I took RJ to the Buffalo Zoo so he could see the animals. He was particularly enthralled with the elephants and the otters. It was interesting for us adults too because the elephants were having a little scuffle while we were watching them. The one elephant tried to hit the other one with its trunk. I can't say that I've ever seen that before. While the animals are always a hit, RJ was also very happy to have a chance to ride the train and the carousel and play on the playground while we were there.

We also went to the Taste of Lancaster with Aunt Amy and Grammie, where RJ's big thrill was getting to see a modified bobcat pick up garbage cans. He called it a digger and was even more thrilled when he got to see it parked as we were walking to the car.

Aunt Amy, RJ, and I also met Grandpa for some playing and trail walking at Steigelmeier (a.k.a. Losson) Park. It was pretty fun watching RJ play on the same playground that I remember being put in when I was a kid and running away from us on the same trails that I explored as a kid.

Grammie, RJ and I also went to the Taste of Williamsville one night. RJ completely downed some cucumber gazpacho (it was amazing) and scallops and really enjoyed getting to climb into the fire truck driver's seat and play with the fire hose (the fire fighters had a wooden house with trap door "fire" to shoot the water at with the hose). He also nearly gave Grammie a heart attack because I let him play in the bounce house with the rowdy big kids and climb the jungle gym. Sadly, I don't have any pictures of this, but Grammie might on her phone.

Grammie and I also took RJ to the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester. RJ really liked playing in the white pearl "sand"box, playing with the slinkies, the race cars, and a ball pulley thing that let him pull a rope making a ball go up and then fall out on various metal tracks all suspended from the ceiling. I think he was confused by the infinity mirrors, but it made for a cool picture.

Also, for our gastronomical delights (in addition to loads of ice cream from Anderson's, Frosty's, and Antoinette's), we got some Texas Red Hots (a.k.a. Slime Dogs), Roast beef from Anderson's, and some tastes from various restaurants in Lancaster and Williamsville at their respective "Taste of..." events. We also got some real yummy homemade meals. Thank you to everyone for taking good care of us while we were in Buffalo!

If you click on any of the pictures, you will be linked to all our Buffalo Summer 2009 pictures.