San Diego - Sea World

why are penguins so cute?

Seriously?

and the dolphins? Amazing.

this guy thought it was all pretty cool.

and then we got to see Shamu!

 

 

And I got to hear, "Shamu, Shamu, Shamu!"  in the bathtub that night.

The rides were pretty fun too.

And again, it was great Aunt Laura was with us - being 6 months pregnant at an amusement park makes it a little less fun for me.

But I was happy to capture their smiling faces.

I don't think she stopped smiling.

 Until I had to tell her it was time to go.

Perhaps we did go on one ride too many.

Because I stopped smiling when Andrew puked in the car on the way home.  But what's a day at an amusement park without a good vomit-fest later?

San Diego - the Hotel life

Clean white sheets and towels.

snacks.

 

PBS Kids on the TV.

And an ottoman/table that can double as a dog cage.  Well, that was their favorite game to play with it.

Breakfast every morning was pretty nice too.

San Diego - Coronado Island

One of the first days we got to San Diego, Jan.5, we headed down to San Diego to see Aunt Laura.  It was about 75 degrees outside so we decided to head out to Coronado, check out the beach and the hotel and just wander around a bit.

Our first stop was the beach, it was also our last!  We spent several hours there.  And I kept getting asked if we brought beach stuff, bathing suits, toys, towels, etc.  I wasn't planning on it being so nice, but I think Alison would have stripped down and gone swimming if I had let her!

Unfortunately, Andrew was still suffereing from his sand-phobia and wouldn't let us put him down.

Thanks to Laura for holding him most of the time.  That kid is getting HEAVY.

Okay, I held him a little bit too.

A nice lady nearby lent us a towel and a few toys.  He acclimated himself a little better.  Experimenting at his own pace.

Finally getting a little sand on himself.  Secretly he was liking it.

The Hotel del Coronado was just down the beach from us.  It's such a cool building.

By the time we left, Laura and I were both too tired to hold him.  He finally let us put him down.  SUCCESS!!

He was so proud of himself!

And then we had to stay a little longer.

but hey, if it makes living near the beach easier this year.  I'm okay with that.

oh yes, there was a lot of sand throwing going on after that.

So the consensus is that it should always be 75 degrees and sunny on January 5.  And if you are near a beach?  That much better.

Andrew is 2!

It's weird to think it's been two years already.  Crazy how time flies.  He's grown up so much!

 

and he still can't hold up two fingers all by themselves....

How long does this song last?  I just want to blow out the candles.

Finally! It's about time!

good frosting - seriously.

Yay! An Airplane (please ignore the Jim Carrey cut.  It'll grow back.)

Elmo!!

and a belated birthday gift for Alison.

Up next - San Diego pictures! But first, here's what we woke up to this morning:

oh, and Alison likes to pretend she has a baby in HER tummy.  

She told me I would be surprised how little she is when she comes out.  But her's is coming in July, not May (which may actually end up being April if I get induced...)  She really put one of her dolls in there!

blizzard '09

Did you hear about the 'little' storm we had last weekend?

It started Friday night and this is what our car looked like in the morning.  By the time it stopped, about 24 hours later, we had around 18" of snow - the most in one storm since 1922!

Of course we promptly had to go out in it - while it was still coming down!

Andrew wasn't so sure about it, but he sure looks cute in that hat (thanks Megan and Brian! - does it look familiar?)

Now if we could ever just get a good picture of all of us together!

Andrew couldn't stop eating it.

Nick couldn't stop throwing it.

Poor Alison couldn't walk in it.

I'm about to fall, and won't be able to get up!

The next morning, you could barely see the tricycle poking out of the layer of snow.

Andrew thought it would be good to eat some more snow, while standing atop his 'castle'.

Alison couldn't get enough of it - it was practically up to her waist!

Andrew thought he would help shovel with his plastic beach hoe, but he decided to eat it instead.

Alison thought she'd have a snack too.

She has a big appetite.