OK, I'm going to backtrack to the very first day of our Florida Trip. Anyone confused yet? We left on Sunday, and caught a late afternoon flight to Florida, getting us in in the evening. Michael and Wesley were kind enough to pick us up from the airport for what was a very fun vacation.
Maura at the airport. Lest you think that my child has suddenly started posing for the camera after months of non-posing, let me set you straight. As most of you know, I recently got a new digital camera that has a really large, beautiful view screen. Well, I'm not the only one who enjoys it! Maura LOVES to look at pictures of herself on the screen. Every single time I get the camera out and try to use it, she starts waving her hand and saying, "Turn around with it." I rarely get a photo of her looking at the camera anymore without her looking beeseachingly like, "Please, let me see it!" Here, she was loving looking out at the planes at the airport. She was delighted that we would be flying on the "blue plane."
Maura at the end of the long flight. She was really, really good during the flight and hardly made a peep. We were really lucky to be on fairly empty flights both times, so Maura got her own seat. I don't really know what I would have done if I had actually had to hold her. We would have both been really exhausted! As soon as we landed, I pointed out the palm trees and told her we were in Florida. She didn't believe me and kept asking when we were going to get to Florida to see alligators.
Maura and Wesley enjoying the Pack and Play. These guys loved to get into the playyard and jump and play. They were so funny together. I think Maura finally found someone to match her energy level and that's hard to do!! I think it's so funny how toddlers will completely ignore each other most of the time, then have moments of affection for each other. Maura got a hug and didn't look at all excited, until...
He REALLY hugged her. Such a cute reaction!! Most of the time these guys got along pretty well--we had occasional spats, but nothing major.
On Monday morning, we got up and enjoyed playing outside in the yard for awhile. It was so much fun to just sit outside and enjoy the sunshine and the nice weather. Maura, who has been inside nearly all winter, was loving being able to run around. Wesley has a really nice backyard with a cool playhouse. They both enjoyed it--here he's guarding the door.
Look at my girl in shorts!! It was so much fun to pull out the summer clothes and sandals. Maura was particularly fond of these sandals all summer and she was really excited to get to wear them again in Florida. What a cutie!
Climbing up and sliding down. As adults, if we had an equivalently sized slide, I'm not sure that any of us could do it more than a few times without being exhausted! These guys could have done this for hours! We played for awhile, then headed for the beach.
If you will recall, my child has always been a beach bum. Think back to some of the posts from October that show her frolicking in the water and joyfully playing in the sand. She's loved the beach on both of the previous occasions when we've visited. WELL, I'm not sure if it was fatigue or pure contrariness, but she decided against the beach on this occasion. I put her down near the water's edge and she stood like she'd grown roots!
Here's Wesley trying to convince her how much fun she could be having. He's loving every minute of this!
Wesley's done trying to convince. He's just into leading by example at this point. I love this picture. We had a great beach day, especially for Feburary, but the water was COLD! Hannah got to experience the temperature extreme when she took a rather involuntary and impromptu swim in it. Wesley had a beach ball to play with that blew out of his hands about .2 seconds after he got it to the water. Well, the wind caught it and it started swiftly blowing out to sea. Wesley flipped out and Hannah, being the great mommy that she is, took off into the surf after it. The water was a LOT deeper than it looked and she really had to swim for it. She spent an incredible amount of time in the water fetching this ball for her little guy. I had to give her props. If it had been up to me, we would have been waving "bye-bye" to the beach ball!
Maura finally braving the water and finding out it's not so bad after all!
She even had a little fun playing in it!
We tried to interest them in playing in the sand. Again, I have a child who loves sand, generally. We spent nearly the entire summer in the sandbox and she ate the sand on several occasions. This picture was about all the time in the sand that she was interested in. Soon after this, she got sand in her beach shoes and she was all done playing. She wanted to be held from that point on.
Hannah and Anna Kate. Anna Kate was just happy to be there, as long as she was being held. She's such a momma's girl and she was just so excited every time Hannah got back from one of our many trips to the car.
This is where Maura spend the majority of her beach time--in my lap. I did put on a bathing suit against my better judgement. I look obviously pregnant at this point, so I guess no one really expects you to look great in a swimsuit, but still, it's hard not to be self concious.
Hannah and I thought these pictures were hilarious. Maura was very much enjoying sitting in a beach chair and watching all the goings on. Wesley must have thought she really looked like she was having a good time, so he climbed up to join her. These pictures so clearly illustrate the oblivious male. He's not worried about the feelings of the female nearby, he's just having a great time. Meanwhile, Maura is in extreme distress!
"I think I'll take a drink now. Hey, where are you going??!?"
Eventually we got the kids changed and headed up the road to a playground. The funniest part of them playing on the playground was that Maura managed to find some sand under the swingset and had a great time playing and walking in it. Go figure.
Wesley enjoying the slide.
We stopped for dinner at Chick-fil-A after the beach. These kiddos were hungry and tired! Maura got to enjoy her first big girl ice cream cone, and enjoy it she did! She was so sticky, sandy and sweaty afterwards! Anna Kate looked on with great longing. She paid VERY close attention to Maura the whole time she was downing the ice cream. Someday sweet girl! It was a great beach day and we finally got home at about 10:30. Maura was so exhausted that she went to bed minus a bath--I couldn't believe I was putting her to bed so dirty, but she was demonstrating that she could not be awake a second longer. As you can see, she survived!! We had so much fun!
Maura at the airport. Lest you think that my child has suddenly started posing for the camera after months of non-posing, let me set you straight. As most of you know, I recently got a new digital camera that has a really large, beautiful view screen. Well, I'm not the only one who enjoys it! Maura LOVES to look at pictures of herself on the screen. Every single time I get the camera out and try to use it, she starts waving her hand and saying, "Turn around with it." I rarely get a photo of her looking at the camera anymore without her looking beeseachingly like, "Please, let me see it!" Here, she was loving looking out at the planes at the airport. She was delighted that we would be flying on the "blue plane."
Maura at the end of the long flight. She was really, really good during the flight and hardly made a peep. We were really lucky to be on fairly empty flights both times, so Maura got her own seat. I don't really know what I would have done if I had actually had to hold her. We would have both been really exhausted! As soon as we landed, I pointed out the palm trees and told her we were in Florida. She didn't believe me and kept asking when we were going to get to Florida to see alligators.
Maura and Wesley enjoying the Pack and Play. These guys loved to get into the playyard and jump and play. They were so funny together. I think Maura finally found someone to match her energy level and that's hard to do!! I think it's so funny how toddlers will completely ignore each other most of the time, then have moments of affection for each other. Maura got a hug and didn't look at all excited, until...
He REALLY hugged her. Such a cute reaction!! Most of the time these guys got along pretty well--we had occasional spats, but nothing major.
On Monday morning, we got up and enjoyed playing outside in the yard for awhile. It was so much fun to just sit outside and enjoy the sunshine and the nice weather. Maura, who has been inside nearly all winter, was loving being able to run around. Wesley has a really nice backyard with a cool playhouse. They both enjoyed it--here he's guarding the door.
Look at my girl in shorts!! It was so much fun to pull out the summer clothes and sandals. Maura was particularly fond of these sandals all summer and she was really excited to get to wear them again in Florida. What a cutie!
Climbing up and sliding down. As adults, if we had an equivalently sized slide, I'm not sure that any of us could do it more than a few times without being exhausted! These guys could have done this for hours! We played for awhile, then headed for the beach.
If you will recall, my child has always been a beach bum. Think back to some of the posts from October that show her frolicking in the water and joyfully playing in the sand. She's loved the beach on both of the previous occasions when we've visited. WELL, I'm not sure if it was fatigue or pure contrariness, but she decided against the beach on this occasion. I put her down near the water's edge and she stood like she'd grown roots!
Here's Wesley trying to convince her how much fun she could be having. He's loving every minute of this!
Wesley's done trying to convince. He's just into leading by example at this point. I love this picture. We had a great beach day, especially for Feburary, but the water was COLD! Hannah got to experience the temperature extreme when she took a rather involuntary and impromptu swim in it. Wesley had a beach ball to play with that blew out of his hands about .2 seconds after he got it to the water. Well, the wind caught it and it started swiftly blowing out to sea. Wesley flipped out and Hannah, being the great mommy that she is, took off into the surf after it. The water was a LOT deeper than it looked and she really had to swim for it. She spent an incredible amount of time in the water fetching this ball for her little guy. I had to give her props. If it had been up to me, we would have been waving "bye-bye" to the beach ball!
Maura finally braving the water and finding out it's not so bad after all!
She even had a little fun playing in it!
We tried to interest them in playing in the sand. Again, I have a child who loves sand, generally. We spent nearly the entire summer in the sandbox and she ate the sand on several occasions. This picture was about all the time in the sand that she was interested in. Soon after this, she got sand in her beach shoes and she was all done playing. She wanted to be held from that point on.
Hannah and Anna Kate. Anna Kate was just happy to be there, as long as she was being held. She's such a momma's girl and she was just so excited every time Hannah got back from one of our many trips to the car.
This is where Maura spend the majority of her beach time--in my lap. I did put on a bathing suit against my better judgement. I look obviously pregnant at this point, so I guess no one really expects you to look great in a swimsuit, but still, it's hard not to be self concious.
Hannah and I thought these pictures were hilarious. Maura was very much enjoying sitting in a beach chair and watching all the goings on. Wesley must have thought she really looked like she was having a good time, so he climbed up to join her. These pictures so clearly illustrate the oblivious male. He's not worried about the feelings of the female nearby, he's just having a great time. Meanwhile, Maura is in extreme distress!
"I think I'll take a drink now. Hey, where are you going??!?"
Eventually we got the kids changed and headed up the road to a playground. The funniest part of them playing on the playground was that Maura managed to find some sand under the swingset and had a great time playing and walking in it. Go figure.
Wesley enjoying the slide.
We stopped for dinner at Chick-fil-A after the beach. These kiddos were hungry and tired! Maura got to enjoy her first big girl ice cream cone, and enjoy it she did! She was so sticky, sandy and sweaty afterwards! Anna Kate looked on with great longing. She paid VERY close attention to Maura the whole time she was downing the ice cream. Someday sweet girl! It was a great beach day and we finally got home at about 10:30. Maura was so exhausted that she went to bed minus a bath--I couldn't believe I was putting her to bed so dirty, but she was demonstrating that she could not be awake a second longer. As you can see, she survived!! We had so much fun!
1 comment:
Wesley is SO excited about seeing these pics of Maura that he's crawling onto my lap yelling to see them again... this is going to be a short comment!
Can't wait to see you guys in just a few days! Wesley has been asking for Maura's castle and we keep telling him it's Maura's birthday present. Now every time we're in the garage he says, "Happy Birthday, Maura!!"
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