11 weeks.

Dear Holly,

You met all of your great-grandparents in one weekend, in the midst of our family’s 1^st road trip as a family of four; in which we drove from Nashville to Atlanta.

Granted, you were asleep during 95% of the drive, in the 2016 Toyota Highlander. But you woke up just in time to meet everyone and were able to get your picture made with them.

First we drove through my hometown of Fort Payne, Alabama; where you met your Mexican great-grandmother, Lola Mendez Metallo; whose parents moved here from Michoacán, Mexico and settled in Buffalo, New York. I’m pretty sure she thought it was a dream that we stopped by, as we kept it a complete surprise we were coming.

She was married to my Italian grandfather Albert Metallo, whose father moved here from southern Italy and settled in Kenosha, Wisconsin. I wish you could have met him too, but you were born about 8 years too late to meet him.

We stayed the night at Nonna and Papa’s house that night. Your cousin Calla brought some leftover fireworks for Uncle Andrew to light and shoot off in the front yard, while I helped supervise for safety.

It was quite a show. You were never once scared by the noise or the minor explosions. In fact, you took it all in with a straight face the entire time.

We spent the next couple of days in Atlanta, where visited the Atlanta Aquarium as well as the Delta Flight Museum. On the way back home though, we stopped by Flintstone, Georgia, right outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee, so you could meet my dad’s (Papa’s) parents; which is who we get our last name from.

Since we were just passing through and didn’t know what time we’d get there, it was a quick visit; as opposed to having a big family reunion. We’ll have to save that for a day when we aren’t in transition.

Your Great-Aunt Rosa was there though, as she kept your brother Jack busy as she wrestled him.

I’m so glad you were able to meet your great-parents this past weekend. You are quite a big deal to them!

Love,

Daddy