All our bags are packed!

We are all packed up and ready to go on our annual two week vacation to the most beautiful, relaxing place in the world...Northern Michigan!  The land of Lake Michigan, cherries, fudge, sand dunes, sunsets and most importantly, spectacular weather!  We leave early in the morning and are so excited!!!

Shark Weekend at the Houston Aquarium

I've learned to love Houston...I'll admit, it has taken a while, but this midwestern small town girl sure loves the big city!  It has so much to offer - so when we heard Shark Weekend was taking place at the aquarium, we jumped at the chance!  Will is infatuated with all types of animals (living and extinct) including sharks.  So we headed downtown with Nana Rosie and Papa Max for a fun filled day!

Here they are with Great Sharky Shark...

Check out these two eels...they are so cool and Will loved them!

Every time we go to the aquarium, the show stopper is the train ride...because you actually go THROUGH a SHARK TUNNEL!!!

And of course...we always ride the carousel.

Thanks Nana Rosie and Papa Max for coming with us...we had tons of fun!

Bath Time and The Toddler Straight Jacket

One of the things that makes Billy the best dad in the universe is bath time.  While we usually alternate nights of who gets to put Will to bed, every night since Will was born, Billy has given him a bath.  This has given me time to make Christmas stockings, shower, scrapbook, blog and more (sleep).  In fact, the only times he has not is when he was out of town or sick!

To date, I estimate Billy has given Will somewhere around 1,180 baths (accounting for 2 travel weeks a year and an estimated 5 sick days).  They really have the best time together and sometimes give the whole bathroom a 'bath' in the process.  

But bath time is becoming more and more interesting and I find myself participating (watching) much more often :)  For example, the cute little light blinking fish, squishy toys and bubble baths have gone by the wayside.  Now is the time for colored water (thank you Crayola Color Bath Dropz), sting rays and sharks.  Will's little imagination goes into over drive as he pretends the sharks are racing, or looking for prey.  

 

But nowadays, the fun doesn't end with the bath.  Now Billy and Will engage in what Billy has coined The Straight Jacket.  

He wraps Will up in his towel as tight as he can and Will proceeds to waddle in to his room.

Will then attempts to escape the straight jacket by using every unorthodox means possible of bending (in this case backwards)...writhing...rolling...flailing...and of course frustrated giggles here and there...

Until finally he is free and it is time for pajamas and a story.   

I wonder what the two of them will think of next!

The Movie Matinee That Almost Wasn't

Saturday was movie matinee day...Will and I were going to meet his BFF Dylan and Dylan's mom Stephanie at the movies to see Cars II.  Will and I arrived first, bought our tickets (and Junior Mints) and waited for Dylan and Steph to show...when they arrived, the movie was (gasp) sold out!  (Sold out...really?  This movie has been out for over a month!)  The boys were devastated...they both knew within seconds that they would not be able to see the movie together.  

As we parted ways, Steph tried to talk Dylan into seeing another movie while I carried Will (sobbing at this point) into the theater.  We finally got settled in our seat (yes, singular 'seat'...Will tried to sit in the seat by himself and was folded up in seconds like an accordian...he's just too light!).  I managed to calm him down after a few moments with some snacks I snuck in :).  We watched a few trailers and just as the movie was about to start, guess who showed up?!?!  Dylan and Steph!  And there were two seats next to us!  

As the movie started, I leaned over to ask Steph how they were able to get in to the sold out showing...her (casual) response:  "Oh, I just bought tickets to Winnie the Pooh and snuck in".  

HAHAHA!  I officially nominate her for coolest mom of the month!

I think the boys really liked the movie...although Will said his "favorite part of the day was running up and down the stairs with Dylan after the movie was over". 

Meet Dylan...

Dylan is Will's best friend.  

At school, they are so inseparable, we have been told they are purposely separated by the staff during snacks/meals and nap time.  The funny thing is, they couldn't be more different!  Will is quiet and mellow while Dylan is about as rambunctious as one could get at three years old.  

Their differences aside, they absolutely adore each other.  

Will talks about Dylan incessantly after school, telling detailed tales about their 'super friend' escapades on the playground and Dylan never lets Will leave before getting a hug (and sometimes a kiss haha!)

This weekend, we headed out to the (beautiful) country north of our house to have a play date with Dylan.  They had a blast together!

Whether it was chilling out in Dylan's room...

 Off roading or swimming...

 
Painting...

Or just relaxing after a long day of playing...

Next month - we'll meet up at our house!  We can't wait!

Our Little Patriot

Well, there were no fireworks to be had in north Houston this year.

Having only two rainy days since October of 2010, the city officially declared any fireworks to be a hazard to all and a full burn ban was placed into effect.  

But that didn't deter us from having a great weekend!  Our weekend started out with a bang (yes, pun intended) with a parade at Will's school.  Not much for fanfare, Will, as usual, quietly proceeded through the parade, singing the song just loud enough not to get too much attention from all the family members. 

We then logged roughly 15 hours at the pool over our three day weekend.  Will is an absolute fish!  He loves the water, and is working very hard on his swimming and diving for rings.  

Then this afternoon, Will fizzled out (again, pun intended) with a low grade fever...but not before I was able to get some 4th of July pictures of our "Captain America" and a little tribute (see video below) to our brave founding father's for allowing us to have the freedoms we hold so dear.  

God Bless the Troops and God Bless America!

Two For One

As a mom, I have to say I love a good bargain....so when my dear friend Ann had her baby (whose name by the way will be Ann Elizabeth - what a sweet name!) shower in Austin this weekend, I jumped at the chance to bring the whole family and make a weekend out of it!

Especially when Billy discovered there was a fabulous dinosaur park in Bastrop!  www.thedinopark.com

FABULOUS place, I must say - for anyone who has little dino lovers like Will - this place is great, plus it is about one mile from quite possibly the most fabulous resort - Hyatt Lost Pines Resort.  

Next time we go to Austin, we are DEFINITELY staying here :)

http://lostpines.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp?null

Will had a great time - I don't think I have ever seen him so excited.  

He was literally running so fast through the trails he was almost falling over.  

It was very difficult to get him to settle down for pictures so you'll notice his expression is, um, a little distracted in each of the below pictures haha!

Will was convinced this was a Pachycephalosaurus, but the sign says it is a Stegoceras.   Never one to doubt the wicked knowledge of my own son, I Googled Stegoceras only to find that it is, in fact, of the Infraorder, Pachycephalosaurus!  

My son is a genius!

This is one of his favorites: Coelophysis...thanks to Aunt Stacy regifting some retro Jurassic Park toys from her own childhood - he has two of these in the man cave.

This picture was forced - he isn't too interested in the plant eaters, except when playing herbivores versus carnivores...and yes, he knows that T-Rex's rival was Triceratops while Allosaurus fought Stegosaurus...we may have a little nerd on our hands.

This is Iguanadon...another poor plant eater who was basically defenseless, aside from his giant thumb claws...

Yay!  My favorite - Stegosaurus!

Here is another one of his favorites (because it was one of the smallest dinosaurs) - Compsognathus

And of course, last but not least, T-Rex...

Very, very cool, and very, very big!

Next we were off to dig for fossils...we had tons of fun and found all sorts of fossils from skulls, to claws to teeth!

What a perfect weekend!  There were only two things I wasn't too thrilled about:

1)  Due to my poor planning (so unlike me!) we were unprepared in the food department and had to stop for fast food...this marks Will's FIRST fast food experience EVER.  I shiver at the thought!  Thankfully, he opted for the sliced apples and milk only :)  That's my boy!  Fast food is GROSS!

2)  And of course, we had to hit the gift shop at the dino park, which resulted in a slight temper tantrum after Will determined that buying one of his newest favorites, Acrocanthosaurus, just wasn't enough.

In an effort to get him in the car without the owners calling CPS on us, I finally gave up the fight, and bought him another dino. 

BYCTWD

BYCTWD=BRING YOUR CHILD TO WORK DAY!

And boy did we have fun! 

First, Will had to get checked in, complete with badge, booking and fingerprinting.

Next we were off to the firing range...

After some practice, we received a very important phone call and had to go out to a crime scene to dust for prints...

After a hard days work, it was time for a puppet show (including Will's favorite Super Friend, The Flash - much to our surprise!) and some quality time with snakes!

Will, thank you for 'working' so hard with me today!  

You can come to work with me any day you want!

Spoiled....Rotten

Some people say I spoil Will...well, maybe you are right.
But after such a great two weeks of swim lessons - he deserved it!
Don't worry mom and dad, after days like this we brush our teeth extra hard and long to remove all the sugar bugs!

How to Beat the Heat? Y.M.C.A.

One of my fondest memories from my childhood is time spent at the Y.M.C.A.
Whether it was swimming, basketball or gymnastics (actually, I don't think I liked that much) I remember always having so much fun there and enjoying all the programs they had to offer.  Well, needless to say, we are members of the Y.M.C.A. here and have been exposing Will to basically every possible activity.

Lately, we have been setting record temperatures here in Houston - and I am actually happy it is finally warm because we have started another round of swim lessons.  I think Will and I have participated in 5 or 6 "mommy and me" swim programs over the last three years....but this time things were going to be different....this time, Will was going to go in by himself *gasp*!

At first Will was quite skeptical of the whole situation...

But he soon became comfortable with his swim instructor and before I knew it, he had forgotten all about me!  He was too busy impressing her by working on his floating....

 His paddling and kicking....

And putting his entire face in the water haha!

He was completely purple from head to toe - a little toddler popsicle by the end.

But I have to say, I'm so proud of how he did today!

Only six more sessions left!