Chattanooga

Our new little family took a short trip over the MLK holiday. (Hooray that Jon's job gets these little holidays off!) We very spontaneously scooted on up to Chattanooga Tennessee to go to the zoo and just enjoy some time together. We found this fantastic bed and breakfast in the Bluff View Art District. The Bluff View Inn is over 120 years old and sits right on the river. Jon has obviously watched too much TV and was up most of the night thinking he saw old civil war soldiers coming out of the walls. :) I was up all night too, but it was because of a grunting 2 week old next to me.



We got up there Sunday night, and just enjoyed walking around the town, exploring the art district and looking at all the lights along the river. Jack loved running "slow slow slow" and "fast fast fast". This is our new game when we need him to get speedy and he thinks it's hilarious.

Local bakery that supplies all the restaurants in the art district. Yuuum!

Walking around the sculpture garden.

The next morning, up long before the sun, we just enjoyed a slow morning and headed across the street to the most adorable coffee shop for our continental breakfast. After we savored our mugs of frothy hot chocolate, we headed out to walk around downtown. We opted not to go the aquarium, so we just went and walked around the outside. This place was a ghost town! It was so bizarre! Later that morning, we checked out and drove across the bridge to find a GF grocery store and bakery called 'A Bountiful Harvest'. After spending a bountiful bundle on GF cookies, we went over to check out the Chattanooga CHOO CHOO!! Jack looooooved it!! He climbed up in "Thomas" and had a blast turning all the knobs and screaming "choo choo!"

After driving in circles, despite our new GPS, we finally found the entrance to the blasted zoo. And let me just tell you, it's been a while since I've been to the zoo, but this one was frightening beyond reason. It was dirty, grungy and downright terrifying! The only thing separating the unsuspecting spectators from the ravenous cougar was a chain link fence. Jack was oblivious luckily and he loved talking to the monkeys. I was just so sad seeing these "wild" animals in these teeny weeny confinements with fake rocks and no room for exploration. Poor things. Just to document that Tucker and I were indeed on this trip, here's our one and only picture. Do I look like I'm in pain?? Well I was! Walking for 2 days and standing far too much with those blasted stitches was past taking it's toll on me.

Jack and the red pandas

Train passing right by! Jack was in heaven!
Our very own zoo creature to keep! :)

Our last stop before we headed home was the National Cemetery. We just reverently drove through and admired the beauty of the land and paid our respects to those who have fought and died for our country.

We had a great time and Tucker was such a little trooper! We are adjusting getting along with a new little one, and the hardest thing at this point is keeping Jack under control. Ever since Tucker was born, Jack has been waking up between 5 and 6 in the morning. This is almost 2 hours earlier than normal for him, so we're all completely dying!!! I'm up with Tuck around 4, so needless to say, I never get to go back to sleep after that. Major crapiness. If anyone has any advice for that, please let me know!

Here's my little man at one week old!