so much...so much

We have returned from our adventures and our return was almost as crazy as our adventures themselves. It's been a little tough getting back into work, Easter Church was a bit overwhelming and finally we've had some beautiful weather that we had to get outside and enjoy!
I think I have enough for about 5 blog postings so I'll split everything between a few days and give everyone an update on what we've been up to.
Most importantly Esme IS healthy again...even after my last update there was about four more days of vomiting. Just when I was about to throw up my hands and take her back to the ER it finally stopped. Luckily our babysitter's Mom is a pediatrician so she was talking me through things and reassuring me it would end and there was seemingly no reason for her prolonged vomiting, given the lack of other symptoms I was describing.
The only vestiges left from her long bout of illness is the severe attachment to me she developed while sick. I think I held her literally almost every moment for about four days straight, I've finally recovered from the sore muscles and sheer mental/emotional toll but Esme still has an idea that I need to be around at all times and preferably holding her most of the time, this is totally a new thing for her and I'm looking forward to it being a brief phase.
The other new phase we are experiencing is the terrible twos (already) her favorite word is "no" which she can say with a laugh or with serious conviction. she has also taken to throwing herself toward the ground if she's not getting what she wants. Usually I just gently lay her there and walk away (when we're not in a crowded public area) and that seems to be working pretty well.

So now onto some pictures and narrative from our fun adventures!

Esme's Godmother Aimee came to visit us for the weekend during her spring break, we had a great time hanging out, playing and seeing some Philadelphia sights (like Trader Joes for instance :) )

A few days before we left Esme's Godmother Sara came into town and we all got to have lunch and play a little together, lucky for us Sara, Kathleen and their new baby will be moving to NJ at the end of the summer so we have many more get-togethers to come!

The weekend before our trip Andrew and I got our first night away from Esme, thanks to Steve and Anna, and we went to Washington DC for the night, we had a great time, saw some sights and just relaxed!I think Steve, Anna and Esme may have had more fun than we did!

Andrew and I in front of the reflecting pool and Lincoln Memorial