Branson Vacay- Days 1 & 2

I think the pictures will speak for themselves but to stop all your suspense, we had an AMAZING vacation!!! The kids were wonderful, Reese and Dono got along so well and played together like I have never seen, the weather was great, everyone was healthy (for the most part) and I could not have wished it to go any better. Without further ado I will recap the trip.

Thurs Aug 22- Day 1: My parents and sister met us at the house at 10am and we all set off pretty dang on time. We stopped at Lebanon to eat and for a potty break and after that stop the kids actually both took naps until we got to Branson.  We all stayed in a 3 bedroom condo right off of the lake and it was beautiful! Before we were even unpacked the kids were begging to hit the pool so we obliged. Only when I was about to get Reese dressed for swimming did I realize that of all of the things to forget, I forgot to pack her any swimsuits. So homegirl got to go swimming in some undies and a t-shirt while the grandparents ran out for an emergency swimsuit shopping spree. She did not care in the least.

The kids loved the pool! We practically had the whole thing to ourselves for almost every day so it was awesome! As it turns out, Reese is a natural swimmer! This is the first time she swam in a big pool with only her floaties on and she did awesome! Swam all over by herself and was calm as could be. She would flutter kick and actually get herself places in a hurry. Then sometimes she would dolphin kick and use her hands to propel her, it was amazing! She has never even had A lesson before. My parents said I was a natural too so I am taking the credit. She even could float on her back and on her stomach as calm as could be.

Her brother on the other hand, well, his initial swimming attempts looked more like a drowning dog. (see below).

He improved pretty fast over the several days that we went swimming but the start was pretty funny especially because Reese was so dang good at it.  Before long they were both jumping in to the water unassisted. It was fun.

That night we went down to Branson Landing, which we had never been to before and ate dinner and walked along the lake (which actually looks more like a river). As it was cooling off and turning to night a fog grew over the water and it was absolutely beautiful. We had bar-b-q, which made my dad happy, and Dono and I got to see a man catch a trout, which made Dono happy. Then we watched a fire and water show and headed home to get some rest for our big day #2.

Friday- Second # 2

We woke up all bright and early the next day, excited for our first Day at Silver Dollar City. We got there before the park opened and ate breakfast at the restaurant inside the park, which it totes the way to go to beat the crowds and make your tummy happy (although not well prepared to ride lots of roller coasters right away). First stop after breakfast was the old trusty "flooded mine" ride, an oldie but a goodie. Next stop was the kiddie ride area where Reese was measured and came out to be 35 inches and 3/4. Ahhhhh! A quarter inch too short to ride most of the rides. Dang. Even so everyone had a great time. They both loved the frogs and the caterpillars and butterfly ride.

Donovan got to ride the kid rollercoaster, the elephants, the small pirate ship and this big pirate ship with me while Reese went some more rounds on the frogs and butterflies. We had a great time.

Reese got several (I think it was 5) turns on the Carousel, a favorite of hers and a non-favorite of Donovan's (he usually refuses to ride or only will go on the bench, which is comical as he will go on Roller coasters).

Next was the "American Plunge". It was a favorite last year and since Reese is over 34 inches this year, she could go too. We went 2 times, the first with everyone sans my mom, the next Jenna sat out too. The kids loved it and we liked that we got wet enough that it cooled us all down considerably from the low 90s heat. My dad was in the back both rides and ended up getting completely soaked. He was a good sport about it though and took it like a (wet) champ.

This is my favorite picture of my sister Jenna since one taken during my wedding (6.5 yrs ago). Too funny. This was in "grandfathers mansion" in which everything is all wonky. I refused to go in it this year as it made me feel drunk last year.

Tom and Jenna got to break off from the rest of our group and try out some big kid rides. They were disappointed as the big wooden roller coaster they were excited to try was having problems so they didn't get to ride it.

By 2 both kids were exhausted. Dono was sleeping in the stroller while Reese had tuckered herself out from a fit she threw. So we headed back to the house for some more swimming.

There are many pluses to traveling with my parents but one of the best is that they are the best kind of paparazzi. I love these awesome shots my dad got of the kids jumping in the water.

Didn't you love that form? By the end of swimming day 2 both kids were wearing their goggles and putting their faces in the water (Reese more so than Donovan). It was fun and a nice cool down from a hot day.

More vacation recap to come!

Big changes!

Turns out if you don't update the blog in a month (practically) you accumulate big things to talk about. None bigger than how big our baby girl has gotten!  There are two big updates on Reese.

Update #1. She is potty trained!!!! Home girl pretty much did it herself. Around the first week of July she started really showing some interest in wearing only underwear so we tried it out for a little and she did pretty well. By the next weekend, when we had my grandparents wedding anniversary get together, she was wearing her underwear all day and doing great! She even chose that Saturday the 13th of July at the party to poop on the potty the first time. It was pretty dang exciting. Ever since then she really hasn't looked back. She still wears diapers for naps and bedtime and has an accident several times a week but overall she is doing really well. She usually has her accidents when she is playing and having fun and we forget to ask her to go so I place the blame on us too.

Reese working on her "puter" in her big girl underwear.

Update #2. She got her ears pierced! She is such a girly girl and wanted to wear clip on earrings but those things always made her ears so red that she looked like she was gonna lose circulation and eventually her whole ear if she wore them too long.  So I talked to her about getting her ears pierced and she was game. We took her on Sunday, July 28th and made it a whole family trip.  There was a 20ish yr old girl getting her ears done when we got there so Reese got to watch that first. Then it was her turn. She sat up in that big stool all by herself just like a big girl. Then they cleaned off her ears and we made the marks where they would go and then they pierced the first ear and Reese didn't even flinch. After the second one was done she teared up and reached and asked for me but that was it. The tears were over before they could even fall!!! She was an all star! Donovan told her she was so beautiful after it and told her she looked like a "wedding girl" (aka bride since she was wearing a white dress).

These first two pictures are the before pictures. No idea why she did the weird face above.

This is the cutie in the big old chair waiting for the big event. I wish we had a picture of the whole scene. She looked like such a shrimp in that chair.

Finished product and a happy camper. She requested the biggest butterfly earrings you could get for her first earrings but her daddy and I over ruled and told her to go with something a little less noticeable since she has to keep these in for the first 6-8 weeks.

She's been really good about us cleaning them twice a day for her too. And for the most part she leaves them alone. The first night before we went to bed she asked me to take them out and the next day at Grammie's she asked her to take them out before she took a bath. I think she was just confused as we always have her take all accessories off for those events before.  Once we told her it was ok for both sleeping and baths she was fine with it.

I just can't believe how big she is getting! I blinked my eyes and now she is all grown up!

"Mom, come see where I am sitting!"

Yes those are swim goggles on her head. Just a quick blog to let you all know we are still alive and doing well, More meaningful blog to come shortly.

New experiences

This weekend was full of new experiences! Saturday was the day I have been waiting for since Donovan turned three. It was his first trip to the movie theater!!! I am not 100% sure he was really ready, but I was so I kinda forced it on him. Plus I knew he would have a great time. We went and saw "Monsters University" as it has been out for over a month now and I thought it would be pretty dead in the theater in case we had loud kids or had to leave early. We went with Dono's bestie Ian and his mom as it was Ian's first time at the movies too. Here are the little tykes posing in front of a "Turbo" advertisement. There weren't and "Monsters" posters still up.  The boys were really excited! We went to a 10:00 show. Perfect for the 4 yr old crowd.

We made sure to get some refreshments to keep the boys happy. They got popcorn, M&Ms, fruit snacks and a slushie. Luckily 4 yr olds can't eat all that so I got to help too.  This was Dono waiting for the show to start. He refused to relax and sit back in his seat. For every preview he would ask, "Is this the movie mom?"

Pretty whited out but still a fun one of me and Dono in the dark, waiting for the main event. Can you tell how happy I was to be back in the theater seeing a movie?

The boys did really well and both made it though the movie! Ian would ask questions in his regular loud voice so that was funny. Dono spent about half the time on my lap and jumped pretty high at one point but didn't really get upset about anything. This was the boys afterwards.

We already have the next movie for the boys to go see all planned out for them.  I think they will agree to it as long as they get to hang out together.

Then on Sunday we got this awesome opportunity to go to the cardinals game and sit in a suite. One of Tom's friends from college was in town for his 35th birthday and his (apparently awesome) wife got him the suite as a present. So a bunch of us and kids were invited and Tom and I jumped at the chance to go as a family because, hey, free tickets! And plus we figured this would be the best way to ease Reese into the baseball atmosphere. It was her first cardinals game!

She was pumped! Walking around the stadium to get our tickets before the game she leaned up to my ear and said "I am a baseball girl!"  Dono requested the below picture by Dizzy Dean's statue, but then some people were there by the time we got back with my phone to take a pic so we settled on the Ozzie Smith one instead.

After we got our tickets it was straight to the build a bear store. I envisioned both kids making a Fredbird for YEARS now but they had other plans. Dono wanted a cardinal bird, which I was totally fine with, and Reese wanted a flipping Hello Kitty. Seriously. Couldn't even sway her with the clydesdale.  But alas I let her get it because above all I like my little girl to be happy and happy she was. Then it was up to the suite for more playing with Ian, free food and baseball.

Reese got to partake in some Cotton candy on behalf of Ian's daddy. She was in heaven.

About mid game (just as the Cardinals were about to score all their runs) the kids decided they wanted to go to the kids area and play. As we were almost there we ran into FREDBIRD!!!!!! Reese was so excited! She was a little hesitant at first but then stood there like a champ and then NEVER STOPPED TALKING ABOUT HIM THE REST OF THE GAME!  It went a little something like this:

Reese: "I saw Fredbird. I want to see Fredbird again. Where is Fredbird? Fredbird was missing me. I want to go see Fredbird again. Fredbird was missing me. I not want Fredbird to come in my crib. I not want Fredbird to come in my house. Fredbird was missing me. Where is Fredbird?"

I finally had to tell her that Fredbird was resting or taking a nap so that she gave me a break asking where he was and if she could go see him. Everytime we saw him in the crowd she would point and get all excited like she saw a celebrity. Who knew she could love that bird so much.

Here are the three amigo's on the way to the play place. A little blurry but still cute.

Overall the kids did really well, especially considering neither of them got a nap that day. We ended up staying for the end of the game (although we were walking out as they made the last out) and hitting the team store for some new cardinals shirts. And the cardinals even pulled off a win! It was a very fun and enjoyable game, as far as those go with a 2 and a 4 yo. Tom and I joke that next game when we have to go sit in the cheap seats and there are no new shirts or stuffed animals gotten, the kids will get a real taste of what baseball games are like and be pissed. Guess we should not have started with such a high bar.

65th wedding anniversary

Last weekend was completely awesome! The whole B family traveled in from far and wide to celebrate my grandparents 65th, yes 65th, wedding anniversary. We love our B family and truly treasure these rare opportunities when we all get together. It went by too fast but lots of fun was had in the three short days we had with everyone.

My cousin Anne and her family of 5 and my cousin Laura came down Thursday night and stayed with us until Sunday. The kids played together great and us adults love the hang out time so it was wonderful. Friday I took off work and we all (minus Tom, sad face) went to the Zoo.  We had a wonderful time and got to see the new baby elephant!  We extended the zoo trip with a picnic in forest park before we went home and crashed for naps.

Here are the kids (minus baby Gavin) in front of the chimpanzees. Dylan, Dono, Reese and Claire.

Playing at the children's zoo.

Dono getting his pants wet in the splash area so he would slide down the slide faster. It was good in theory but did not pan out how he expected.

Riding on the train. When one of the ladies took the kids tickets she said "thank you gentlemen" which had them cracking up. She said it again at the next stop to which the boys cracked up and said, "thank you gentle lady!" They really cracked themselves up.

Friday night we went to my parents and hung out with the family. I think we counted there was about 30 plus people there that night. The kids swam in a blow up pool for a long time, then played down stairs and us adults actually got to enjoy ourselves and talk to other adults for the most part. It was amazing!

Saturday morning was doughnuts and a little bit of a sleep in. Reese slept til 8:45!!!! Which is totally a record. Turns out she sleeps past 6 if you keep her up til 10:45 and run her completely ragged outside all day.

Baby Gavin. He is a full year younger than Reese and wears the same size diapers and is as heavy if not more than her. He loves food.

After breakfast we all packed up and went to where my cousin Katie boards her horse Blackjack. The kids really got a kick out of seeing and petting him.

Then she broke out the owner of the stable's pony, Dudley, and the kids helped her get him ready for pony rides. She figured a pony was more their speed and this nervous mother was more than appreciative of that.

Dono and Dylan managed to sneak in a totally unprovoked man hug.

Reese got to go first as we went from youngest to oldest and man was she pumped! She was not shy or hesitant at all. She was real concerned when her foot would not stay in one of the stirrups about 1/3 of the way through but she got over that after I got it back in. She just wanted to be riding the pony all right and stuff.

Then it was Dylan and then Dono's turn. Here sister is watching her brother.

He also was loving life.  Could not have been happier or prouder to be up there.

Notice both kids had to wear their cowboy/girl boots? I loved it!

Running to go see the horses in the pasture. 

Gavin even got in on the action but had to wear Reese's pink helmet. He still rocked it though.

I love this picture of Donovan sauntering back. Looks like a little cowboy.

After pony rides we headed back, got freshened up and headed to the main event, a luncheon for my grandparents. We all had a lovely meal and time visiting. Reese took a 45 min nap on my shoulder, woke up for a quick meal and then we were off again for my parents house. The kids swam and played on the slip n'slide for hours and hours and hours.  They started at about 3:30 and took a couple breaks in between but did not stop swimming until 8:30, and Donovan was the last one to stop! Had the other kids kept going he would have as well!  Again, another great day of visiting and playing and fun. We didn't get home until about 10 again that night and my kids were still wide awake the weirdos.  Luckily it was another 8:45 wake up call for Reese Sunday morning. We could definitely get used to that! This was the kids on Sunday morning before they had to leave.  Sad :(

We are already ready for our next big B get together. I guess someone has to get married!  Happy wedding anniversary Grandma and Grandpa! What a great example you have set for all of us! A high bar to reach for sure!