Beach trip

Ok, so Patrick has been super busy between preparing for classes he has been teaching or preparing for the annual trade show. My mom and I went for a quick trip to Sarasota this past weekend to visit GiGi(My Grandma)and Aunt Jan. We didn't get any pics of that trip though. Since Daddy has really been busy, he was in need of some QT time with the family. He decided a trip to the beach would suit us fine. So we packed it up headed off.
It was just what the Dr. ordered. We had such a great time. Although our previous trips to the beach were tons of fun they were also combined with chaos. All of which ended in us carrying two heavy babies along with a TON of beach gear. I would not trade those experiences for the world. The one that sticks out most in my mind is when the kids weren't walking but they were crawling everywhere. It was time to leave and I put Parker and Sydney on the blanket and then proceeded to pick up our beach umbrella. Well actually the beach umbrella almost picked me up. The wind caught it and I almost flew away like Mary Poppins. Meanwhile, Parker and Sydney headed off in different directions. It took me five minutes to get it closed while Patrick waved off the polite beachgoer who offered to come my way and help. I laughed so hard I cried. Anyway, this beach trip was quite different. It was the first trip where the kids were able to carry their own gear. Whewee it was nice. They didn't eat any sand and were very interested in collecting shells on our walk down the beach. Parker was son interested, he had to pick up EVERY SINGLE SHELL he saw along the way. HAHAHAHA! I had to capture it on camera. Patrick and I just can't believe how big they are now. Check out are almost two year olds!

My 32nd B-day

February 7th was my 32nd bday. We had planned to go to Animal Kingdom but the days leading up to it the the kids were sick with colds. When we woke up that morning, we were not sure if we would make it out there ir not. By mid-morning, we decided to make a go of it. We are so happy we did. Thanks to my cousin , Kelly, we were able to spend the day at Animal Kingdom and then ended the day with the fireworks at Magic Kingdom. Parker and Sydney really enjoyed the Lion King show and by the end were singing along(or trying to). After that they had a chance to meet Minnie and Goofy. This time Sydney was so excited to meet them and so sad to say goodbye. They also really enjoyed the safari ride, where we saw rhinos, giraffes, a lion, elephants, and hippos.

***HONK HONK

Our trip to NH

OK, so I am starting this post at 9:57 pm on Sunday night(2/1) watching the end of the Super Bowl(so I don't really know whats going on but I like the commercials). Anyway there is no telling how long it will take me to actually get this posted so lets begin.

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I have been in desperate need of a vacation for a long time. So the problem was Patrick just wasn't ready to take his vacation yet. Since he started his job in May 2007 he only has one week to take and it just wasn't the right time. My mom was on board for getting away, now we just had to figure where to go. Family in Idaho, family in Wisconsin, friend in California, friends in NH. Kids fly for free until they are two. All my mommy friends recommended that Jet Blue was the only way to fly with the kids. With more leg room, free luggage, unlimited snacks and TVS with DirectTV in every seat. So I started looking at travel times and prices. We figured out the best fit for us was a trip to NH to visit The Hackworths..Erica, Dwight, and Bryce. We could also try to sneak a visit with one of my old girlfriends Sherelle who now lives in Boston(less than an hour away from Erica).

So on January 17th at 6:20am my mom , the kids and I departed OIA for -8 degrees Boston's Logan Airport. What were we thinking? The flight was not full so between us all we had two rows-6 seats. The kids were so good. I had packed a bag of goodies and toys just in case things did not go well, but they were great , Before we knew it, we were landing in Boston and when we arrived, it was 8 degrees. Yippee!! Erica and Bryce met us when we were exiting security. We made the trek from the airport to The Hackworth's home in NH. Thank goodness for third row seating(and good friends who get everything from carseats to pack-n-plays to snow suits for our visit).

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*Mommy and Parker ready for take off! Wish Daddy was with us

*Nana and Sydney ready for take off!

*Big girl on her first airplane.

*Big boy on his first flight.

*Here is a video of the kids on their first flight. They were so in awe over everything.

The first morning we woke up and it was snowing. It was so pretty. It had been so long since I had actually seen it snow.

*Here is some video of that first morning in NH.

It continued to snow all day that day. Parker could hardly contain himself. Every other word out of his mouth was snow. We had been reading about snow for weeks and talked about how we would play in it and here it was staring him right in the face and he couldn't even do anything with it. So with no naps and me and my mom with no prior experience with dressing kids for playing in the snow we went for it. Boy was it a disaster. Our first mistake was getting the kids dressed first and then us. By the time we were all ready togo out and play they were so hot. Sydney was borrowing a pair of Bryces boots(Bryce is 4 1/2-Sydney not yet 2). So she could barely walk. As soon as we stepped foot in the snow both kids took face dives into it. Needlesss to say not happy. Then gloves were falling off and hands were in the snow. Onnx(The Hackworths 85 lb Doberman puppy)was so excited to have us outside in the snow with him that he was just running back and forth knocking over kids. It was utter chaos..not at all how I imagined their first time in the snow would be. But then again are things ever as we imagined are they?

The next day, Sherelle came for a visit and Dwight was there too so we had more hands on deck. We found a better pair of boots for Syd to wear and we go them dressed faster and after we were ready to go. They enjoyed it so much more. Sydney was happy sitting and trying to make snow balls. Parker went sledding with Bryce.

Sorry some of these videos require a little head tilt to the left. I learned my lesson but Erica actually took these little clips so blame her. HAHA. They were too cute not to share.

Throughout the week we kept pretty busy. One day we went to watch Bryce's gymnastic class. Very cute! We went to the library for storytime and a craft. We went to a great hands-on Children's Museum where the kids were able to drive a submarine, dig for fossils and dinosaur bones, play music, try on masks, drive a boat, play mailman(or mail woman), etc. It was so much fun. Another day we went to a place called Bounce-U where they have a whole warehouse full of blown up slides and bounce houses. We(my mom and I)learned how to play on the Wii and actually got pretty good at the bowling game. We had such a great time.

Thursday night was a long one...Sydney had a stomach bug and was up very sick all night. Four pajama changes for her, two for me, and 6 in the morning, we finally got a little shut eye but not for long as Parker was ready to get up by 7:15.

The next day, we had her eat light and thanked God that it happened Thursday night and not on our way back to Orlando. Our next prayer was that Parker would not get sick.

Friday night our last night in NH, Sherelle and her fiance Kevin came over. More good times with friends that night.

Saturday was a day of packing and getting ready for a trek back home. We knew ahead of time that this flight would be pretty close to full so would not be as cushy of a ride. On the ride to the airport I was in the back seat between the girls(Bryce and Syd). I felt nausous and figured I was feeling carsick. I don't even know what carsick feels like but it is kind of hilly and I am not used to riding in the center of the backseat and then add in the nerves of our upcoming flight.

So we made it the airport and onto the airplane. The flight was packed. Thankfully, there were some very nice or some very smart people who asked the flight attendant if they could find another spot for them so that my mom the kids and I could have the whole row to ourselves. As soon as we sat down, I knew that I would get sick before the flight was over. So I grabbed a barf bag and prayed for the best. About a half hour or so into the flight, I got sick for the first time. IT was all over after that. The next 2 1/2 hours were spent back and forth to the bathroom. As I was getting sick in the bathroom, I could hear Parker giving my mom such a hard time and there was nothing I could do about. We landed in Orlando and I was still getting sick. I heard the flight attendants offer to help my mom with the carry ons as she took the kids off the plane. I heard the piloy say something about the next flight which was for San Juan. I swear I thought I would die in an airplane bathroom on the way to San Juan. Patrick was so excited to see us that he met us at the security checkpoint. Thank goodness because I was so weak I didnt have the energy to tote anything. All I could do to stay upright was to use the stroller as a walker. My mom's ride picked her up. Patrick and I contiuned walking towards the parking garage when I just couldnt go anymore, so Patrick had to take the luggage and the kids to the car and then came back to pick me up. I continued to be sick throughout the night. The next day I was done getting sick but felt like I had been hit by a truck so Patrick spent the day taking care of the kids. Thank you, honey!

Alright so it only took me 9 days to get this one finished.

Achoo!

Ok, so the last six nights Parker or Sydney have been up throughout the night...coughing, sneezing, and crying. Patrick and I take turns getting up(most of the time).

It begins to wear on you especially when we all seem to have caught the cold too.
Anyway, this morning around 5am, I was up with Parker--one of the many times he had been up--it was my turn. Well, as I was getting Parker his drink of water, I sneezed and what happened next made all the sleepless nights worthwhile.

He looked at me and said, "Bless you, Mommy, Bless you."

Just had to share

So yesterday we went to pick up Parker and Sydney from the nursery after church and I had a proud Mommy moment. The woman who was working in the nursery said, "I just have to tell you that your little girl has the best manners I have ever seen. She says "please" and "thank you" for everything." Not bad for a 22 month old.
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We have certain songs that we sing to the kids all the time. Some with the real words and others just made up for fun. Well, I have been singing the oldies song, "Sweet Pea" by Tommy Roe to Sydney since the day she was born. That's my song to her. Of course I make up some of my own lyrics. This is how I sing it.."I went to a dance just the other night when I saw girl there she was out of sight. I asked a friend of mine who she could be, we don't her name, just call her Sweet Pea. Oh Sweet Pea, oh won't you come dance with me, come on come on come one and dance with Mommy." Sydney got to a point where she would fill in certain parts of the song when I would sing it to her. Anyway, the other day I started to sing it when Parker chimed in. He started singing the song. This is the way he sings it, "Oh Sweet Pea, mumble, mumble, mumble, on and on and on and mmmm with Mommy." It is so cute.
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Parker has really been showing off his smarts lately. The other day he surprised us by picking up some shape magnets and naming them without being asked to. He says square, circle, and triangle. That's how Parker is though..surprising us all the time. Out of no where he lets you in on something he knows.
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Sydney has become quite the dancer these days. Anytime, anywhere she hears music, she just stops right then and there and starts dancing. She gets so into it. Shaking those hips and moving her arms back and forth. She has turned into such a little girl. She is no longer my baby girl. She giggles and acts silly. She has gotten very good at getting dressed and undressed. She likes to put her shoes on and take her shoes off, take them off and put them back on. Speaking of getting dressed. She LOVES playing dress up. She only has a couple little dress up skirts but she loves putting them on and wearing them all day. What a little princess.
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Parker has become such a great brother. All be it for less than a minute, he still is her "big" brother. He is so sweet to Sydney. He is always so thoughful when it comes to her. If he gets his drink, he gets "Syn" her drink too.(that's what he calls her, Syn). If he picks up a toy, he gets a toy for her too. If he finds a leave on the ground, he gets one for her too. It so sweet to see their relationship growing and changing everyday.