After staying an extra night in the Waterfront Place hotel in Morgantown, WV, we packed it up and headed home to Buffalo. I had actually packed the Jeep in the evening after the kids went to bed, anticipating our 530am (Transformers) roll out.
Because we’d stayed the extra night and were arriving home on Wednesday, there were no extra adventure stops to speak of. I had to be home by 1100am to get changed and head into class to teach from 1230p-330p that afternoon.
So we drove about the 4.5 hours with just two stops, gas and breakfast in Pittsburgh, PA and a bathroom break/snack stop at Krispy Kreme in Erie, PA. We made it home about 1030am.
It was nice to get home, but we did really enjoy our road trip with the kids. It was a blast, and in truth, once we got into the swing of the routine, a little driving, some stops, a hotel stay, etc., we really enjoyed ourselves. It’s got us thinking about some weekend adventures with the kids this summer. 
They certainly let us know that the trip was well worth it. As we drove each day, they’d talk about sights they’d seen the previous day, and how they’d like to return. That really let us that it was worth it.
And since turning 4, Wil has really loved the idea of being 4. “I can do this because I’m 4 now. I couldn’t do it when I was 3.” While it was a simple birthday in the hotel, it was wonderful. And Wil loved riding his scooter through the hotel whenever we’d go to the lounge or to the restaurant downstairs. I told him it was his birthday, so he could ride it indoors to all the places we went.
My favorite 4 moment though, really came the night before, as I layed in bed with Wil. He wanted to stay awake instead of going to sleep. And I had the chance to “reflect” with Wil on something. I whispered to him as we lay there looking at each other and talking, “you know what, Wil? This is the last night you will ever spend as a 3-year-old. Tomorrow, when you wake up, it will be your birthday, and you will be 4. You will never go to sleep again as a 3-year-old after tonight. It’s your last time to be 3.”
That thought wasn’t lost on Wil. He was excited about turning 4, and leaving 3 behind, and soon closed his eyes and fell asleep. But the thought sure landed heavy on me, and I was glad that, as we lay there, we both had the chance to reflect on the fact that it was the last night ever that he would fall asleep as a 3-year-old. We sometimes forget to stop and recognize these things.
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