Birthdays shouldn't count after 39.

This past weekend we went to Nashville to see Rob's Aunt Denise, Uncle Doug, their kids Matt and Campbell, and Grandma McMillan! 

It was Grandma McMillan's 86th birthday, and she had never met Emerald!  Plus, Doug and Denise are really just one baby step away from being gourmet chefs.  We all enjoyed an amazing dinner at their house. AND their oldest son Campbell wants to be a chef when he grows up, so he loves playing around in the kitchen-I have to say I might have felt a little threatened when he told me he makes his own fondant.  Really? I didn't know anyone did that in the real world.

It was a super easy trip, because it's only about a 2.5 hour drive, and we only went for one night.  So we only had to pack and haul half our house instead of the whole thing.  

This was the first of THREE CONSECUTIVE WEEKEND TRIPS.  

We always love visiting the McMillan clan, and don't see them nearly enough for how close they live to us.

Looking forward to seeing Granny Mans this weekend (and the rest of the group, of course) for her 80th! 

Grandma McMillan meets Em for the first time. 

I put a headband on the child (for the first time ever) so she would look cute.

Grandma's first words:  "WHY do people always put things on the children's heads?"

Guess that was a fail.

Em plays on the floor and GreyGrey the cat stands vigil.

No one loves babies more than Denise's dad does.

His words upon meeting Em: "Ooooh, I'll never love brown eyes again!!" 

His daughter has brown eyes, FYI.

Em was getting sleepy but stayed up just long enough to see Grandma blow out the candles.

Me:  Grandma, let's take your picture with Rob and the baby!

Grandma:  Okay.  But I can't smile because I have a horrible dentist.

(Doug is a dentist and does all the family dental work, FYI)

We brought a carrot cake because we heard Grandma loves them.  She does love them.

Even if they come from Publix.

Sunday morning:  Cambell entertains on the guitar, Em plays on the floor, and Doug makes breakfast.

And I walk around drinking coffee and generally looking like this.

I maintain that Em makes me look cuter somehow.

In addition to being an aspiring chef, Campbell also knows his way around some legos.  

This thing he built (a city I guess?) is completely made from legos!

We went for a walk in the afternoon to show Emerald the swans.

But then Rob got attacked by one...

On the way out of town, a photo op with the family.