My New Favorite Baby and a Birthday Surprise

I do not advertise over the Internet when I am planning a trip just in case my stalker is reading this blog or checking my facebook status.  But now that I am back, I can tell you that we had a lovely long weekend away in North Carolina visiting family and my BFF's new baby Claire.  It is indeed a very special thing when someone you love has a baby.  All of us thought little Claire was rather fabulous...

Emma loved her.

Sophie did too.

I had a difficult time sharing her.

Lili liked Claire, of course, but she was even more smitten with this Coconut Macaroon;

And George had tons of fun playing Pac Man with Claire's Dad.

Imagine four days in Greensboro with five Carsons in one hotel room.  It hardly gets much better.  Every night was like a slumber party with our toddler wide eyed and bushy tailed until eleven o'clock.  Everyone had their toenails painted an exotic color (including Dad), and we also experimented with temporary body tattoos.  The love that my tramp stamp declared was true blue, I tell you.  We also managed to indulge in some Krispy Kremes hot off the conveyor belt, dine with the adoring seniors at Friends Home West, and savor a Chik-Fil-a Breakfast.  Michigan does NOT know what it's missing!

And as if that weren't enough fun, we also succeeded in pulling of a fantastic birthday surprise for my mom with a small party of fifteen of her biggest fans.

And that, my friends, is a great weekend!