Zoo

Once again Jack and I met up with Julie and Stacy while they were on Spring Break. This time our destination was the Zoo. What an interesting day. Jack was in his usual super mood and refusing to walk. It was really hot outside so carrying him the whole day was out of the question and of course, I didn't bring a wagon for him. Stacy DID bring her wagon, but we were never with her or Julie because Jack kept stopping and laying on the ground and refusing to walk! Even when we'd catch up with them he still didn't want to ride in her wagon..."No Mommy carry me!" I swear...Jack thinks my belly is his personal seat!

Jack on the bench, Bowen on the ground and Charlotte behind the bench

Great picture of the four kids...but we got yelled at for having them on a rock. So supervised kids on a rock are not allowed...but unsupervised kids climbing fences are allowed...great policy

Jack "unsupervised" on a fence reflecting on the brown bear

It's Toby's windmill! (He was actually laying on the ground here, but I got him to move a little by telling him that was Toby's windmill!)

Counting how many hands tall he is

His first ride on the Zoo Train...that got him moving!

The Zoo is really geared towards families with little kids. They have a pretty cool splash park or sprinkler park and a little play ground area located right next to where families eat lunch. Which just beckons the kids all through meals. So after ours ate, we let them loose in the play ground area. Like I said it was a pretty hot day and the play ground area is one of the few areas not shaded in the zoo. But never fear...my kid found some shade in the play ground area...and it went brilliantly with his laying on the ground mode today. Good thinking Jack! Just next time, please tell Mommy when you're going to hide under the play gym...

31 weeks

Hello big belly! Jack likes to sit right where my hand is resting. Guess he's already letting Graham know who's boss!

Easter Egg Hunt

Today I took Jack to his first official Easter Egg Hunt! What an experience! Before the hunt began we met the Easter Bunny and found Julie who was bringing Lincoln and Charlotte. Julie's husband Clark came as well so he could take Charlotte in her age group and Julie come with me with the boys. It was pretty chilly outside when we first got there, so standing around holding a squirmy 22 month old while 7 months pregnant was not the most comfortable thing in the world to do! I had to hold Jack for quite a while as more and more people kept pouring into the park. Finally a looong ten minutes after the hunt was supposed to begin the officials blew the whistle to release the kids.

Now...I don't know about you...but I had visions of all these sweet little toddlers skipping merrily up to the eggs and putting them in their buckets and baskets all the while laughing with big smiles looking up at their parents adoringly... That's the way it's done on TV right?!

Oh man! I could not have been more wrong! I lost Julie in about 2.8 seconds. As soon as that whistle blew parents in the front row waiting ran out with their kids, so parents behind them had to pick up their kids and run in front of them to find eggs, so parents in the third row had to pick up their kids and run up in front of parents from the second row. Now the parents who were in the first row had scavengered all the eggs in their area, so they had to pick up their kids and run up to new eggs in front of the parents who were originally from the third row...and it just kept going...in this leap frog pattern of run, grab some eggs, grab your kid and run in front of the other parents.

Sadly...I admit I was one of the parents picking up and running! I was overwhelmed by a mob mentality! I wanted Jack's first egg hunt to be successful, so I had to make sure he was in an area where he could find some eggs...right!?

Meanwhile Julie is calmly following Lincoln around picking up random eggs that were left behind by the scavengers, I mean other parents and kids. When we met back up, she was laughing and telling Clark how fast I could run and how she and Lincoln got left behind. Julie is not going to let me live this one down...she says I'm "one of THOSE parents"...

Oh well...at least I got some candy out of it!

Spring Break Kick Off!

Even though I don't teach any longer, my life is still closely tied to school holidays. That's when MY friends are off work and we get to play! Two of my closest friends, Julie and Stacy, both teach at College Park. We were all pregnant at the same time and gave birth to our sons: Lincoln, Jack and Bowen. We've done a great job of getting these boys together (along with Lincoln's big sis Charlotte) faithfully for play dates when school is on break. Granted, until recently, play dates were really an excuse for us moms to get together and have lunch or sit and chat, but now the boys are getting to a very fun age as they are all about to turn two! So to kick off Julie and Stacy's spring break, we took the kids to the Children's Museum.

Lincoln and Bowen exploring the dinosaurs

Lincoln talking to someone on the phone in the "All Aboard" exhibit

Of course...we MUST play with some trains...because we don't get enough of THAT at home

Charlotte and Jack making some "glass" sculptures

Jack and Hale

Jack has a little buddy named Hale whom we met through Mother Connection at Clarian. Jack and Hale are about 3 weeks apart and get along so well. We often meet Hale and his mom Cassandra at Holiday Park and hike or play on the playground. It's been so nice out this week we took the boys there for some fresh air. I just enjoy seeing Jack run around with his friends so much! I hope you enjoy too.

Jack and Hale enjoying the fresh spring sun..Hale wouldn't get up

Jack trying to entice him

Trail running!

Just taking a little break

Good buddies

Eagle Creek

Jason went to a training at Eagle Creek's Discovery Center this week. He liked it so much we decided to take Jack there to "discover" some nature! LOL

Walking in with Daddy...I love these two!

Reaching in to touch some paper fish he was "fishing" for

There was a craw dad in this tank crawling around. It started coming toward Jason and Jack. Jason told Jack, "He's coming to get you!" and Jack started backing away from the tank saying "No! No!"

Of course Jack's favorite part of Discovery Center was checking out the big rocks outside!

A, B, C's

Here's another video. This one is of Jack identifying his letters. Some of them sound similar on video and some he gets confused on...but for not even being two yet...I have to say I think he's doing pretty good.

Wooo wooo!

So it's a little cheesy watching a video of us watching a video...but it drives home just how excited Jack gets over trains. You tube is our new best friend! He loves to watch videos of real trains. I love to watch him pump that little arm up and down and say wooo wooo!

24 weeks

I think I look smaller or misshapen here...but it is the best shot I got this week. I am getting huge!

Chuck E Cheese's

Our weekend at Steph's marked a first for us...it was Jack's first trip to Chuck E. Cheese's. I was so excited to take Jack here and have fun...but it was a complete mess. After trying to force Jack to eat and taking him outside for a time out 18 million times I learned several important things:

1) Never go to Chuck E Cheese's on a Saturday night

2) Never go to Chuck E Cheese's on said night and try to eat

3) Never go to Chuck E Cheese's when the kids outnumber the adults

4) Never go to Chuck E Cheese's and sit next to a train with a train addict

It will be a while before Jack and I go to Chuck E Cheese's again.

The only bit of pizza I could get him to eat. And as you can see...his face is all red and puffy from crying. We'd just come back in from one of the many time outs he got for crying and trying to climb over the booth seat to get to "the train".

Steph's angels sitting patiently

I finally caved and let him ride the train

He's got his arm around Chuck E...probably just told him what a mean, horrible mom he's got...

A small smile while riding the fire truck...his face is still all red and splotchy from crying