Our Happy Place

We may have had to stop four times during our two-hour drive, 

making it a nearly three-hour drive.  

Because colic and carseats.

Bleh.

But we made it.  We took our new family of five the weekend June turned one month to one of our favorite places to do one of our favorite things, and even threw in a couple of extras like a walk around Purple Power Play in the Park where I had visions of getting a new photo of my three Wildcats with Willie.

Aaaaaaand it went exactly as I had made it out to be in my head.

Ha.

Varsity Donuts made up for it the next morning, and so did tailgating with our crew.

A group of fratastic dudes walked by as they were heading into the stadium, and told Andrew, "you have a newborn!".  Umm, yes.  Yes, we do.  I'm sure they thought that sounded miserable and compared our tailgate to theirs - ours almost entirely chugging waters instead of beers, sippy cups equaling solo cups.  Maybe there were a few similarities - spilled drinks everywhere (because toddlers think it's awesome to purposely pour out bottled water), someone passed out from drinking too much (June and her milk), a girl showing too much skin (Nelle's belly did hang out a bit from her cheerleading outfit), and some dude thinking he's the life of the party chanting K-S-U on an elevated surface in order to command the crowd (Ham of course).  

I'll take ours any day.

The girls and I only tailgated and hitched a ride with my parents, gracious enough to play taxi driver for us.  So, I missed Henry's expressions and comments as he arrived at the stadium that day.  And I didn't get to experience his awe as the team ran out, the band marched, and Willie made his way to the middle of the field.  

I have an idea of what it was for him (and Andrew), and it makes me smile.

Before I headed back into the air conditioning for the game, he stood on the tent weight, swinging himself back and forth with his eyes closed, his face warmed by the sun.  He would open them every once in a while to say a friendly family reunion hi! 

to people passing by.  

He was in his happy place.  

Mine too.

Even if that's the best family of five photo we can get.