Heading to Texas

Well...we're off to Texas tomorrow for a fun family vacation.  We're meeting up with the Texas Smiths and the Carolina Smiths for a week of family fun in the sun.  This will be Noah's first airplane ride and he is SUPER excited.  About a month ago, we made a paper chain to count down the days until we went on a plane.  

  

Bubs loves to tear off a chain every night and count how many more days until we leave.  Last night, he was so excited to tell me that we only have two days left.

{Ok...I just noticed that Bubs is wearing the exact same shirt in both pictures...he certainly LOVES him some ocean animals}

Our flight leaves at 5:25 in the A.M. which means we will need to be at the airport by 4:25 in the A.M. which means we'll have to leave our house by 4:00 {still in the A.M.} to get to the airport and park which means I'll need to get up around 3:00 {in the EEK A.M.}.  

Wish us luck on our {three} legs to Texas!  Please pray that all our flights are on time and we make our connections in San Francisco and Dallas.  We've got plenty of books, stickers, iPad, and treats packed for Mr. Man.  He travels quite well in the car so hopefully he will do well on the plane.

We can't wait for all the cousins to be together again!!!!  

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Kc and I decided to surprise Noah on Saturday and head over to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for the day.  When we told Bubs about the special trip we were going to take in the morning, he ran all around the living room, climbed up on the sofa, and did a headstand.  Funny guy!

We woke up bright and early in the hopes that Bubs would sleep a bit in the car on the way over.  Ha!  Mr. Man was SO EXCITED that when I picked him up out of bed {ever so gently} he looked at me and said, "Hi.  We're going to the Aquarium today!". 

 

Being members of the Aquarium, we get to go inside an hour early.  Bubs just loves to say "Hi" to all the scuba divers who are cleaning out the tanks.  The divers are always so kind and patient and take the time to wave and show off a bit for my Little Man.

Noah was really into touching EVERYTHING he could get his hands on.  Almost every tank and exhibit has some sort of sculpture or decoration around it and Bubs couldn't wait to find them.  Who want's to touch a real starfish {all cold and wet} when you play with a brass one to your heart's content.

 

After visiting the sharks, octopus, starfish, and kelp forest, we headed up to the Splash Zone which is designed specifically for children.  Bubs loved the tank with Nemo {a clownfish}, Dory {a blue tang}, and Gill {an archer fish}. 

What he loved most of all, however, were the tidal pools.  There were plastic starfish and sea anemones to play with and Bubs was in pure heaven.

Notice Daddy-O in the background holding Squirt.

Noah would "collect" all the starfish and sea anemones he could find and line them up along the edge of the tidal pool.

Then he would knock them into the water one by one.  He thought it was wickedly funny!

 

He stopped just long enough for me to take a quick picture with his treasure.

 

 

Once we finished in the tidal pools, we headed around the corner to an area that the kiddos can climb around and go in and out of tunnels.  Bubs loved the larger than life clam and kept asking me where the pearl was. 

He loves reading The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big, Big Dark by Deborah Diesen.  In the story, Ms. Clam looses her pearl and Mr. Fish decides to help her find it.  It is a sweet story and Noah loves to point out every time my jewelry has pearls on it.  Mr. Man was quite perplexed as to why this clam did not have a pearl.

Our Little Man is growing up quite a bit...although...he's not quite as tall as a blue whale.

Of course we had to take the traditional picture in the tidal wave tunnel.

July 2012

 August 2011

December 2011

Bubs had such an amazing time at the Aquarium that he fell asleep about two minutes after we got into the car.  He slept the entire ride home.

Legos

Bubs has really started to love building things with his Lego Duplo blocks.  He has gotten quite creative and loves to build our house, Nana and PopRo's house, Target, the grocery store, and the swimming pool. 

A few weeks ago, he got a farm set to go with the Legos he currently has. 

 

 Well...now Bubs has been building farms...and sheep pens...and pigsties...and barns...

Potty Training

Well...we've entered into the dangerous world of potty training.  We actually attempted several months ago, but Bubs just wasn't ready.  I decided not to push him...and Kc assured me that he wouldn't be a 17 year-old boy still wearing diapers.  

So...here we are again, and I must admit that Noah is doing quite well.  The Big Boy Underwear Fairy came one night and took all of Bubs' diapers and replaced them with fun underwear.  When Noah woke-up, he was super excited to put them on.

Noah understood what to do quickly, but occasionally had problems stopping what he was doing and running to the potty.  I must admit that there were some days that both Noah and I were quite frustrated but luckily they were sprinkled between fantastic potty days and Kc kept reminding me that Potty Training is a process.

Bubs has had several days in a row without any accidents and while I know this process is not over, I am excited at how well he is doing.

Champion Swimmer

A few weeks ago, Noah had his final swimming lesson.  He's grown so much since his very first day.  He is truly a little fish right now. 

He can swim the length of the pool, rolling over to catch a breath,

jump off the diving board,

and even go down the big slide.

As a special treat, I even got to go into the pool with Bubs and learn from Mrs. Becky.

 

Noah loves his "gold metal" and frequently asks to wear it.

 

My Little Champion Swimmer!