numbers.

It's been a busy week after being gone most of the time on a whirlwind trip. Here are a couple of stats from last week:

• Being in a car with a toddler: 4 hours, 8 hours, and 6 hours in 4 days. That included a trip to Chicago, then to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and back home again in good o'Indiana. (And that 8 hour trip? Audrey only slept the first 45 minutes).
• 6 taxi rides that added up to around $75.
• One super close call with getting our car towed, we literally watched the tow truck coming.
• One 45 minute city bus ride in the heart of Chicago while Audrey slept.
• One delicious way-too-expensive meal at Hard Rock Cafe to celebrate Andrew's birthday.
• One free trip to the Chicago Zoo. (With zero pictures because I forgot my SD card in the computer. I'm awesome like that.)
• Two stops at Cracker Barrel.
• Two-night stay with one of my super good friends, Susan, at her loft in Chi-town. (Thank you, Sooze, for your wonderful hospitality!)
• One night stay in a hotel that also included the fire alarm going off about midnight.
• One ceremony to watch my sister graduate from Basic Training.

 Two years ago, we traveled to Fort Leonard Wood to watch my brother graduate from Basic Training. And now, we returned to watch my sister graduate. Ironically, both years, I have been pregnant. I'm so proud of my sister for what she has accomplished. In the last year, she has quit her job to go back to school for nursing, joined the National Guard, and lost over 85 lbs.

Audrey and Jonathan loved the soldiers. And they especiallly loved yelling "Hiiiiii Hanni" when it was super quiet during the ceremony and Aunt Hannah was giving a speech.

And as if traveling all week wasn't enough, we moved Audrey to a big girl bed the night we returned. It has gone pretty much seamless. But I will share more on that tomorrow.

Grad-U-Wation.

Question: So what do you get at a graduation ceremony where you are suppose to shake hands when receiving your diploma, but the Swine Flu could be lurking nearby?

Answer: You get the Chancellor "fisting" at every graduate. [You know what I mean, right? The knuckle to knuckle thing]. It was hilarious.

But what I find more amusing is the fact that there was still skin to skin contact. You think the Chancellor at the Kelly School of Business would have had a brighter idea?

And I totally laughed out loud when the Chance [I can call him that because he is like a bud now since he "fists"], did a double knuckle fist with the diploma in his mouth. Yeah, I said, in. his. mouth.

Don't worry, we take all precautions at the University. [insert chuckle here]

At least it made the ceremony a tad bit more interesting to watch.

Afterwards, we had fun at good o'Applebees.

At least events like these are a fun excuse to totally dress up your baby. Audrey sported her hand-made IU hairband, an IU bib, and a Ralph Lauren dress with her cute cow print leggings.