Mommy’s Day Out

Today I felt like a stay at home mom, like I typically do on my off Fridays! It was quite wonderful spending the morning and afternoon with my little man! This morning was very special because Todd and I took J to see the Easter bunny! I couldn’t wait to see his reaction. Part of me knew he would be one brave little boy like he is with everything else, but there was also a very small p art that thought he could easily be petrified by the bunny! (I mean even I get overwhelmed looking at such a LARGE bunny!)

However, I should have known that Jayden wouldn’t cease to amaze me! He couldn’t wait for his turn to pat the bunny, per his favorite book Pat the Bunny! The photographer got him to smile by of course making load noises and banging on the arm rests of the chair! Who would have thought that anything loud or rough would make him giggle!

We met his girlfriend Emmy up at the mall as well! She was so sweet with the bunny and so beautiful in her white dress! We had so much fun watching them!

After visiting the bunny, Daddy headed off to work and Kristen and I took the little ones to the Dr. Phillips Splash Pad! It was the first trip of the summer and J couldn’t have been cuter in his new frog suit! (How I love dressing him for occasions and seasons!)

Both Jayden and Emmy absolutely adored the water! Jayden couldn’t stop running in circles and attempting to drink the water! His smile and giggle had me laughing the entire time!

We love this park and can’t wait to come back to have a play date with his friends over the summer!

Summer is Officially Here

After cleaning and a trip to Home Depot, we realized what an ideal day it was to break out Jayden’ swimsuit for the first time! It was the hottest day of the year and the sun was out shining bright! Todd and I couldn’t wait to break open Jayden’s new water ball for the first time! We weren’t quite sure how Jayden would react to the water at first. Would he be afraid, shy, cold……well quite the opposite! He was just laughing up a storm and running around it! I can’t wait till it gets even warmer and we can take him to the splash pad for the first time this year!

Hair Cut #3…...

Today we went for Jayden’s third hair cut! Many of you know about the first hair cut disaster. After that trauma, I have been very hesitant to get J’s hair cut. However, he began growing a mullet in the back so I knew I had to face the music!

For his last hair cut, I took no chances and brought him to my amazing stylist in Windermere! She of course did a fabulous job, so of course I took him back to her again! I told Allison that it was time to cut it short for the summer! (And that meant I could begin putting his hair in a Mohawk again!!)

She worked wonders and presented a very precious boy to me! How I love that beautiful face…….

A Play Date at Magic Kingdom!

Jayden thoroughly enjoys spending time with his “girlfriends”, especially when it happens to be at DISNEY! Our friends Melanie, Jeff and Ella had tickets to Magic Kingdom and they invited the Shappards to go with them. Since my wonderful uncle could get one extra person in, we invited Kristen and Emmy to join us since Kristen is close friends with Melanie also.

We met up with Kristen and Emmy ay the Polynesian Resort so we could ride the monorail over! The little ones were so excited to see each other again!  

Once we got into the park, we headed straight towards fantasy land! (We’ve found that when you have little ones, this is the place to go!) Before Melanie caught up with us, we were able to go on the Snow White ride. It was a shocker at how scary the ride was! Obviously not to me, but through the eyes of a one year old it sure is! Poor Jayden was glued to my arm and was half climbing on me! I don’t blame him I would have done the same thing….actually I think I would have cried! There were several parts where it was pitch black as you rode along!

After Snow White, we were against any more scary rides! We met up with Melanie, after a small misunderstanding (Since English is Melanie’s second language, she misunderstood us when we said we were by the carousal and she went to the tea cups. Lol, she said they both went around in circles!! J). After she finally made it over to the carousal we took the kiddos on and they adored the wind flying in their hair! (At least Jayden since the other two are light on the hair still!)

We also thought we would be adventurous and try People Movers. Now my family has raved about how soothing it is and sometimes a little one might fall asleep! So I thought…..Perfect, Jayden is in need of a nap! However, Jayden had different thoughts! He much rather sit next to his girlfriend Emmy and flirt with her!

We had such an incredible time watching the little ones see all of the Magic! Not only did the kids have fun, the big kids had fun too! Here's to many more wonderdul play dates in the future!

A Mother’s First Flower(s)

As a mother, I am coming to the realization that there are moments that sometimes take your breath away. Last Friday was one of those moments. Jayden was following his Daddy around outside and I went on the porch to check up on them during their “man time”. As I was about to walk out the screen door, I see Jayden toddling towards me. In his hand is not one, but two flowers off of Todd’s Tabebuia tree. He came right over to me with his eyes shining with love and gave me my first flowers. Now of course I have received flowers before, but never from my son. I thought I was going to turn into a puddle of tears right there!

Not only were the flowers significant because they were my first from Jayden, but they were also the first blooms off of Todd’s tree that Jayden and I gave him for his 40^th birthday. When we gave Todd his tree, he said that he couldn’t wait to measure Jayden’s growth next to it. I couldn’t believe my Little Man was growing already…..not in inches but in thoughtfulness and sweetness!

Jayden AKA “A 16 Month Year Old”

Tick, Tick, Tick….time is flying by and I feel powerless because I can’t stop it! My little man turned 16 months today! I never thought I would be one of those moms that when asked how old their child is that they respond using months and not years!!! My thought process is that by allowing myself the usage of months as a unit of measurement, I can hopelessly believe that strangers will now know he isn’t almost two! I mean if I said he was one they could assume that. And how dare strangers add more months to his age!! J I know it’s crazy, but I am attempting anything to keep him my little boy!

It just so happened that on this special day Todd and I decided to give Jayden his Radio Flyer wagon we had purchased for him a few weeks ago. He loved his buddy Xander’s and I was so excited to see his reaction when he got up from his nap!



He never disappoints me! He came right down the stairs and headed right over! He looked like a TODDLER in this wagon! (Not sure if this is what I was aiming for based on my above statements!) Todd and I strapped him in and took him for a ride around the neighborhood! Boy was he in his glory!!

Happy 16 Month Birthday J! Your mommy and daddy love you very much!

Time for Another LM Play Date!

I live for my LM Play Dates! Yes, it is fantastic that Jayden is able to interact with children his own age, but the best part is that I get to have girl talk with all of the other Mom’s!!! It’s uncanny to find not one woman/mom that you respect and have similar interests with, but six women! I am honored to have such strong and amazing women in my life and I truly appreciate all of the time I get to spend in their company!!



Erin was the official host for this play date and it turned out fabulous! The food was ideal, so Jayden told me J, and her home was beautiful! So beautiful that Jayden and Cooper wanted to touch all of the décor on Erin’s book shelves! (Erin’s daughter Cami is only 4 ½ months, so her house is not completely baby proofed yet!) However, both boys were quite good and didn’t touch anything after we told them no! (Thank goodness!)

        

        

       



The kids were so cute playing!! They’re all mobile, except for Cami, and the boys found it to be quite hilarious to chase each other into the hall and the dining room! They sure do make me giggle at times!

It is unbelievable how fast they are all growing up! Our little babies! Here is a group picture of our first play date and today’s play date……….

Top Left: Ella, Melanie, Xander & Olivia
Bottom Left: Cami, Erin, Emmy, Kristen, Cooper, Tara, Me & Jayden

 Jayden, Cooper, Ella & Zander

NOW....

THEN....

P.S. The Shappard Family is hosting the next play date! Pictures to come!

And the Sea World Adventures Continue

Even though we are slowly becoming regulars at Sea World, each time we go we create even more amazing memories! Today just might have been our best trip ever! (Lol, I say that every time!) We had planned to have a family day, but were thrilled when Kristen, Catherine and their little ones could join us!

Jayden & Jack

Jayden was insanely happy to follow Catherine’s two little guys around (Mac and Jack). He thought he was Hot Stuff going on the big boy ride, Ocean Commotion! While Catherine watched her precious 10 month old girl Sam, Todd volunteered to take all of the boys on the OC.  The Ocean Commotion is basically a large tug boat that is supposed to replicate the gentle rocking of the high seas! Ha, from my viewpoint it definitely wasn’t “gentle” rocking back –and-forth and side-to-side! However, the boys thought it was the best ride ever!

Mac, Jack, Jayden, Todd

After the Ocean Commotion, we talked the “cool” guys into going on more slow paced rides for the girls! So we headed on over to the Swishy Fishies tea cup ride and the Sea Carousel! They were all so cute that I couldn’t help but take a dozen pictures!

Mac, Catherine, Sam

The last ride we hit in the Shamus Happy Harbor area was the Flying Fiddler! Now of course the women and little ones under two did not go on this ride because it had “Flying” in the name! The ride is in the shape of a large fiddler crab and once the riders are strapped in, it lifts them off the ground more than 20 feet in the air! Todd accompanied both Mac and Jack and their faces were priceless! I think the funniest part of the entire ride was Jack’s face barley peering over the handle bars! Priceless!



Then, what better way to end our afternoon than at the Shark Encounter!!!!  We had yet to go with Jayden, so I was looking forward to seeing his reaction. I completely forgot how fascinating the exhibit was! There were aquariums and tanks everywhere as you rode through the exhibit! Jayden could not believe that there were sharks everywhere he turned his head!

What an amazing afternoon! Thank you to the Porter’s and the Colavecchio’s for giving us such an incredible day at Sea World!

P.S. Todd enjoed borrowing your baby girls!

Sam & Toddy



Emmy & Toddy