vacation is truly over

Esme and Dada share an introspective moment in the swing

Well... it's about time I wrapped up the stories of our travels to Minnesota so I can do a better job moving us on with everyday life here in Philly.

The second part of our trip we were in the Twin Cities with Grandpa and Grandma Bette.
We had a great time with playdates this whole vacation. We met two new friends in Grand Marais, Leiv & Ella who Esme still talks about. And while we were in the Twin Cities we had two playdates with a friend from college who has two little boys. (If I were not the world's worst picture taker I would have documented proof of these playdates but alas and alack...)

Here's a naked Esme playing "in" the sprinkler
(this mostly involved thwarting the sprinkler from actually hitting her body in any way)

Esme watching Word World and cuddling TC

This picture requires the full story... TC is the Minnesota Twins mascot. We met him at the 30th Anniversary Party for El Burrito Mercado (A Mexican Market) in St. Paul. Esme was smitten the moment she saw him and spent the whole afternoon watching TC longingly and pointing. The hillarious part of these baby crushes is that she, of course, won't go near TC.
She did however spend the next week cuddling, kissing and patting the autographed TC picture that she carried everywhere with her!!

Grandpa and Grandma Bette bought Esme a stuffed TC on our way to the airport that has now replaced the rather frayed picture (thank goodness)!!

This is the super yummy corn from El Burrito Mercado
Butter, the Mexican version of sour cream, Cotija cheese and cayenne --A-Mazing!!!

Esme made herself a cozy little bed in the window seat

We went to the Minnesota Zoo, which has a working family farm,
where the goats were way too scary to actually touch but were lots of fun to visit!

Another zoo picture (not sure why some of these are so small)
Notice Grandpa Ernie the explorer in the corner there...
"Dr. Livingston I presume?"

Just thought you'd all appreciate that scrunch face faze has not yet passed!

Susannah and I spent the obligatory day shopping for clothes, her asking for my help and then refusing to buy anything I recommend...you know just like we were actually sisters :)
Luckily Grandma Bette came along and leant a hand with Esme...she also snapped these great pictures as Esme discovered the mannequins inside Old Navy. It was truly hillarious to see her decide these were her new best friends. The fascination carried on through the next few stores...results documented below...

I had to save this for last as it is my favorite picture.
You can just tell Esme feels so sad for her new headless friend...