Back up, rewind.

The weekend Jack was in the hospital we had planned a lot of sight seeing between my house and Lake Placid.  Most of that was put to the side, but we did stop at a few places on the way to Lake Placid before Jack became ill.

Our first stop was the highest peak in New Jersey. You can see the highest peak in the distance behind Lilly.

Some people in our party were disappointed that you could drive to the highest peak and that it took no effort or skill to ascend the highest peak in New Jersey.  Other people in our party were happy to not have to hike with small children in flip flops.  Okay, so maybe I was the only one in flip flops.

Even though we all drove to the highest peak in New Jersey, we still climbed a wall and stood as high as we could get. That will teach New Jersey to make their highest peak easily accessible.

At this point the children were done with standing on the wall for pictures.  You can start to see their expressions changing.

Lilly took the camera bag and moved on.

My dad informed us that there is always a marker at the highest peak in any state.  Luckily some man, who was having a phone conversation, unintentionally found the marker while on the phone.  He had just bent over to examine it while talking on the phone and we all ran over to him.  He informed us he didn't even know he had found something significant.  He clearly did not have much respect for New Jersey, highest peaks, OR geological markers.

Lilly has a sixth sense about these things.

She probably would have found it on her own.

After we ascended the highest peak in New Jersey we made our way through New York.  Our next stop was Albany, NY where Jim met up with his former co-worker who is now the Commissioner of Health for the state of New York.  We had lunch right next door to the former home of Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick.  We entertained the children through a long lunch by reading excerpts of Moby Dick.  At least that was my intention, somehow they ended up watching Toy Story on the iPad.

After Albany we drove the rest of the way to Lake Placid.  Right outside of Lake Placid is a small restaurant called "Noon Mark Diner."  Jim's friend, the Commissioner of Health, told him it was THE best place to get pie in the state of New York.  That is a serious statement coming from the Commissioner of Health.

Jim agreed that it was the best pie in the state of New York.  In fact, he claimed that it was the best pie he  had ever had, period.  With the exception of his own apple pie he made 2 years ago with apples from our neighbor's tree.  He and Lilly, along with my father, returned two additional times over the weekend to eat the pie.  I actually did not eat the pie because I was hungry for regular food.  Jack saw the sign for ice cream and would only have ice cream.

I took this picture of Jack because he was so cranky eating his ice cream that he drove away some other customers and I thought it was quite adorable.  Just a few hours later he started in with his allergic reaction.

 I might have to whisper it in the night that I am the luckiest mother because I got to bring my beautiful baby home from a hospital stay.  I can't say it out loud during the day light, it's much too painful. I hold him and Lilly a little tighter and kiss them a little more.  Sometimes at night I sneak into Jack's room and hold him while he is sleeping.  He doesn't fight me or wriggle away when he sleeps.  During the day I even ask him "Can't you please pretend to be a baby, please?? Just let me hold you."  He doesn't let me.  He kicks and screams and begs to grow up too quickly.  I hope I tell my children enough how we love them so.