Dallas Summer Fun

We traveled to Dallas to spend a few fun summer days with Nana & Papa D in July. This is right about the time it started getting super hot! So we beat the heat by visiting the mall, lots of yummy restaurants, and our favorite, the Dallas Aquarium. This was our first visit to the aquarium and I think we all want to go back soon!

Our little guy had no problems feeding the nice birdies. The problem was, he wanted another turn! Fearless!

Papa D "walking" his youngest grandson. Actually, I think LJ walked Papa D...all over that aquarium!!!

I just had to include this picture. My hubby has a knack for catching me in mid-sentence, A LOT. Maybe it's because I talk a little?

Awwww. I love this picture. I won't be able to pick this guy up much longer.

Monkeys looking at animals.

Such a CUTE picture! This waterfall was gorgeous. We took several pics at this location...

Sweet brothers hanging out..............................and mom & dad in a picture ALONE!

Need I say anything?

The funniest thing about this picture is that J was actually scared of these nice folks. LJ, not so much.

The infamous shark tank. This is the view from above, looking down into the shark infested waters and into the tunnel of people below. This was the final resting place for LJ's beloved paci.

Dinos and Grandmas and Molars, Oh My!

So because I'm a slacker and forgot my camera (but at least had the video camera at the museum), these are all pictures from my phone. And the camera on my phone is severely lacking, especially in low light. Oh well - we had a great long weekend that started with the boys and I traveling to Stockdale for Grandma's 86th birthday, and a visit to the Dino exhibit at The Witte Museum.

L was not afraid of any of the dinos, even though they all moved and "talked". Actually, he seemed to prefer the bigger ones! It was a great exhibit and is apparently very popular. Loads of kids were there, but Ghee, the boys and I still really enjoyed ourselves.

Mom has pictures of my boys and nieces with the bday girl on her camera, but I liked this one, since LJ was talking to her. I think between my two boys and the girls, Grandma M. scored about 100 hugs. I was so, so happy we were able to actually celebrate with her on her birthday. We love her more than all the stars in the sky, all the sand on the beach, all the grass on the earth...you get it.

 On Saturday, we actually ran errands as a family!!! It was kinda exciting b/c the hubby and I have been using every free weekend and evening to work on the swing set/fort (which only has a wheel and binoculars to be added, and some final touch up to the stain and it will be D-O-N-E!) It was a great day, took care of some things to get J ready for kinder and tried out a new burger joint. L thought feeding dad fries was too much fun.

 Later on Saturday, J and I headed down to Wimberley to visit my Granny at my Aunt's house. Of course, when we heard the pool was "open" we made sure we packed our suits. Poor LJ and Daddy stayed at home, as our little dude started running fever. More on that below, but first, isn't this a beautiful pool? Their house sits on 5 acres (I think) just a few miles outside of Wimberley. You can literally see deer, roadrunners, all kinds of birds, etc., just looking out the living room window. The flip side - dad killed a scorpion while J and I were in the pool, and I'm willing to bet there were snakes close by. Ahhh, mother nature.

I had to include this picture. So as I mentioned, L hasn't been feeling well for a couple of weeks. Come and go fever, sniffles, and MOLARS. We actually had to go to the doc on his birthday, which is when I took this picture (made sure he didn't have chicken pox...whew, dodged that one!). One of the pediatrician's there is a Star Wars fanatic, and my tot had a great time exploring (think action figures hanging from the ceiling and all over the walls!) We go back tomorrow for his 2 year well check, and I'm praying my doc will have some sort of miracle up his sleeve to make these darn molars come through! The past 2 days have been miserable for him...crying while awake, while asleep...all the time. At least the worst didn't hit him until after his birthday. I think it's time to break out the whiskey! No, not for him. For mama!!! ;)

Post-Party Fun

The party may have ended, but the fun didn't stop! The birthday boy was dressed up in one of the cutest presents he received, so the grandparents could see all the cuteness before heading home.

Here's Woody McD!!! The cutest cowboy in the west! I hope this costume will still fit in October - how nice to not have to think about what to dress him up as for Halloween!!!

And here he is again in his Woody pj's. We can't decide which look we think is cuter???

Not wanting to be left out, big brother put on his new Buzz pj's (thanks Ghee & Papa) and posed with his Buzz action figure.

THEN, he put on his new Buzz wings. This smart little boy scavenged coins from around the house, dug through Nana & Papa D's car for more coins, got even more coins from Ghee's purse, then made up the rest from his allowance money and I think getting a couple more dollars here and there from grandparents. In just two short weeks, he had enough to buy the wings! I think my fundraising abilities have rubbed off on him!!! HA!

Confusion in the McD house! J was a SUPER GREAT big brother and let LJ try on his wings. Hmmm, a Buzz and Woody hybrid - maybe we just came across an idea for the 4th movie???

Even though this is a "June" picture, since this post is all about looking like the main characters from that toy movie, here is a picture I took of the boys right before seeing #3 on June 23rd. We met Steph, Caitlin and Ty at the movie theater, and I was SHOCKED because not only did my youngest watch the whole movie, but he sat in the booster in his own seat the entire time (give or take the last few minutes when he jumped into my lap, only to go right back to the booster!) Such a big boy!!! They both LOVED it and J keeps asking when we can buy the DVD!

Born on the 2nd of July

And it's PARTY TIME! As you can see, our little birthday boy was very into his party this year. I have TONS of pictures of him with all kinds of smiles...so much fun to look through! Thanks to everyone who made the trip for our intimate gathering. We kept it small on purpose this year, and I think it made it so much fun for LJ. While we sure missed our cousins and very pregnant Aunt Janai, we thought of them and ate some dirt in their honor!

Aunt Tina makes me laugh. And buys me big blocks, which I LOVE!

I could get used to this. Nana's quilts are the best for snuggling.

Sing to me people! LJ didn't mind the singing, wanted to take the dump truck and cones off the cake, and then...

...wanted nothing to do with it!!! BRING ME OREOS!!!

There we go...oreoes make it ALL better!!! I still want to thank my Ghee, for making my special dairy & egg-free cake. The guests that tried it thought it was pretty darn good for not having those seemingly important ingredients!!!

Trouble on the left (including Jill hiding behind Brady...HA!)...

...and trouble on the right! Oh, who am I kidding? Are these not the prettiest girls you've ever seen?!?

Stacking my blocks, loving my party - this is the life!

Look at my big boy backpack! I wore it for a while as I kept opening presents. It will be perfect for preschool in the fall...or to hold all my new Toy Story presents!

Laughing some more...can't get enough of these pictures.

Take THAT you crazy pinata. After at least two turns by our little party guests, EK finally decapitated the dump truck. That was one tough pinata!

It was mostly dry enough for the kids to swing a little by the end of the party. Although we will never complain about rain in the summer (since we don't ever see it here this time of year) it did delay the completion of our new fort/swing set. More pictures to come once it's done, but the kids were still able to climb, slide and swing a bit. LJ is a big fan of his car swing...especially when big brother is pushing him. I love these boys with my whole heart.

What better place to take a post-party rest than on Syd? Melts my heart.

What a great day. And it didn't end here. More to come with post-party costume pictures...we had a real-life re-enactment of Toy Story at our house that evening! Thanks goodness my "girls" stole me away for dinner and a movie. Since I get to live it every day, the break was much appreciated. :)

My Baby is TWO!

I am SURE everyone is so tired of hearing me say it...but I CANNOT BELIEVE HE IS TWO!!! Even though Friday was bittersweet, it was a wonderful day, followed by a fabulous weekend, so I have nothing but joy in my heart. Hubby and I are so very blessed, and here is one of the two biggest reasons why...

Our precious son, the morning of his 2nd birthday. Bet you can't guess what he's watching??? Here's a hint: it ends in "2"!

For dinner that night, we celebrated with a candle and some oreos.

We also gave him his sidetable drawer, filled with handy dandy notebooks. As you can tell, he LOVED it. I have it in his room right now, and both yesterday and today, he woke up talking to it. Success!!!!

I absolutely love the look of joy on his face in the photo. Even though I look sweaty, and had been cleaning all day, and shuttling back and forth from our pediatrician downtown at the last minute, I do like how happy I look. I know when I'm older, I won't care that I didn't have make-up on...I'll remember what a great day we had and the look on my lovebug's face when he saw this table for the first time. That will be all that matters.

Well, that and that I love my husband enough to have cropped him out of this picture. Let's just say he wasn't saying "cheese" at this moment!!!