Gatlinburg with the grandparents

That's it. That's the only picture you get. The Internet connection here requires patience that I don't possess; therefore, you'll have to wait for additional pictures upon our return.

So my apologies for the brief delay in a vacation update. The short of it is that we've had a wonderful trip, and Grant, as you can see, has proven yet again that he is, quite simply, the world's most magnificient child.

My parents arrived here in Gatlinburg on Monday, and we began our week with a lazy stroll along the main drag through town. Mostly we facilitated Grant taking two naps, since Grant's sleep was beginning to present Erin and me with marital difficulties we didn't wish to face. Monday evening we ate some tasty BBQ at a place called Bennett's; although truth be told, we had all eaten enough fudge, giant jellybeans, and assorted other teeth rottening substances to make dinner more of a chance to sit down than to really eat.

On Tuesday we took a leisurely drive into the Smoky Mountain National Park. As a kid, I have vivid memories of visiting a settlement within the park called Cades Cove. I distinctly remember two things about this particular place (and both of these are among my first memories...we're talking too early to like beef jerky...which in my case is very early...) Anyway, I distinctly remember there being approximately six years worth of cars lined up waiting to drive into Cades Cove. It seemed like it took forever. And second, I remember that the houses were wallpapered with newspapers, which as a small child seemed fascinating. Why my mother hadn't chosen the Arts & Leisure section for our kitchen was beyond me (although I'm now quite sure that it was because she had cut up every section of our newspapers to remove the coupons, and therefore, she rendered our newspapers unusable as wall coverings).

My return trip to Cades Cove was an enjoyable one. Luckily things haven't been all that busy down here, so we didn't get stuck in too massive a line of traffic. We were able to gain entrance to the area quite easily, but I was rather dismayed to find that all traces of newspaper wallpaper had been removed. I was saddened that my childhood memory will not be one recreated by my own children, but I'm sure they will find their own nuances to remember. Grant enjoyed riding around on his mommy's back throughout the settlement, and we were continually greeted by people oohing and ahhing over how adorable he is. He graciously afforded each of them an audience, as long as they were willing to allow him to suck off the remains of whatever might be lingering on their fingers. He's also quite fond of sucking the ends of tables, tableclothes, and random shopping carts. We try to stop this behavior as much as possible, but now that he has teeth, I'm only willing to fight with him until I'm bitten, at which point he can suck away.

Following Cades Cove we took a drive up the mountains to Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the Smokys. I had hiked up to the Dome on a previous occasion, but I was unable to see anything due to an incoming storm and fog. On this occasion, I decided to put Grant on my back for the journey. There was much snickering amongst the family as I suited up, but I assured everyone that Grant and I would make it to the top of the steep climb, and in my head, I knew that if I became winded or, heaven forbid, fell, that Grant would break my fall, so all is well.

As we made our ascent, Grant played his usual game of "grab the visible body part and pull until it comes loose." My ears now look like that of a college wrestler. He also decided that it would be fun to occasionally stick a foot in my ribs or otherwise tickle me on the way up. He had no idea the danger he was creating for himself, but I pressed onward. Various people clapped and cheered us on as we hiked up the mountain. I'm fairly certain they were clapping with a tone of "ain't no way in hell that fat boy is making the top with a baby on his back, but we'll encourage it in hopes of seeing a wicked fall." I defied them all and made it to the top...without stopping along the way. It was quite a feat, if I do say so myself. Grant seemed to enjoy the view from the top, although he spent the majority of it trying to remove a part of my neck with his bare hands.

After we had descended the mountain victorious, I removed Grant from the backpack and began to place him in his car seat. The poor little guy was soaked from head to toe...in my sweat. Seems he'd been pressed neatly against my back in such a way as to absorb the majority of my perspiration. He didn't seem to mind; although, we did go ahead and change him due to the unseemly stink.

I must also give credit to the rest of the family who all made the ascent on Clingman's Dome. Erin swore a lot and made many threatining remarks towards my father, fautling him for our trip up the Dome, but she made it up and back safely and quickly.

For dinner Tuesday night, we headed to the Smoky Mountain Brewery which provided better than average pub food and a series of their own delightful microbrews. Frankly I'd have drunk transmission fluid I was so dehydrated after the climb, but luckily, I was not forced to do so.

Today we took Grant and the grandparents to Dollywood for the day. I admit that I was skeptical about going to a country music based theme park, but in the end, it turned out to be quite lovely. My dad and I made what I'm sure are the usual Dolly Parton jokes throughout the day ("bet I know what they use for floats on the log flume"..."did we park in 32EE or 36DDD?"), and we saw several lovely shows along the way (none involving Dolly, I might add). Surprisingly the park had some very enjoyable roller coasters ("I wonder if there are any with two giant hills"), one of which I even dragged my dad onto. We tried to drag my mom onto one, but she insisted that she had shelled out $47.50 to traverse the park in her loafers and short pants to see a bird show, some guys sing, and watch Grant for the day. The poor woman didn't even eat! Amusement parks offend her sense of bargain greatly, plus you couldn't get her on a roller coaster with a cattle prod, so she enjoyed the time with Grant.

Grant was the consumate trooper throughout the day. He didn't fuss. He didn't whine. He didn't seem concerned that we took him out in 90 degree heat, missed all his naps, and didn't let him suck on a single park bench. He just smiled and talked and received his compliments from strangers with his usual flare. He truly was a gem, and I'm sure Erin and the grandparents will be talking about how amazing he was today for many years to come.

Tomorrow is our last full day in Gatlinburg, which is sad for me. Grant has truly developed a wonderful personality in the past week, and leaving him for work travel in the coming weeks is going to be even that much harder. Erin and I couldn't feel more blessed.