Happy Birthday Lauren!

Forgive the lack of posts this past week or so - nothing really interesting has been happening around here. That is until this past weekend when we celebrated a very special birthday of a very special sister.

Lauren turned 21 last Thursday so we all traveled over to Cincinnati for a celebration weekend. We were all there, including Kayla who told Lauren she wasn't coming, but showed up and surprised her anyways. It was a good weekend complete with lots of time together, gifts, beer (the girl is 21 now after all!) and lots of loving on baby Liam. For her actual celebration Lauren wanted to go to a German restaurant across the river in Kentucky. A lot of the extended family came and it was a great time, minus the almost two hour wait to be seated (thank you party of 90 who came in before us to a restaurant that doesn't take reservations...). Liam did pretty well until the end when he fell apart and we had to leave. Thankfully it was really loud in there so no one could hear him screaming. He did however wear a look of terror most of the evening. I think it was a bit overwhelming for him.

However, we would not have missed celebrating with Lauren for anything! We love you Lauren.

The birthday girl with her favorite nephew.

Another highlight of the weekend was taking Liam to meet his great-grandfather, Robert Bedinghaus. This is a really special picture of four generations of Bedinghaus men.

Of course Roctopus had to travel with us.

Our little family on our way to dinner. We somehow often manage to color coordinate without trying...

In honor of his aunt Lauren's birthday Liam wore his "My Aunt Rocks" shirt. It is almost too small for him and it really should say "My Aunts Rock!"

Yes folks, this is how I stay so skinny. Bouncing this kid to sleep in a very noisy restaurant lobby while waiting to be seated. It took a loonnggg time, but it worked eventually for a little while.

Aunties and Mama and Liam make a happy family.