Phoenix Children's Museum & Spirit Day

Since I have been off for the last month waiting for a new community to open at Shea, I have been trying to spend as much time as I can with Jaaten.  I have been so consumed with the boys this past year I wanted to try to spend time with Jaaten just the two of us before I go back to work.  One thing we did was go to the Phoenix Children's Museum.  What a great experience for kids.  We met my friend Rachael and her little guy, Kyce at the museum which was even better.  ;)

There were so many things for Jaaten to do she didn't know WHAT to do with herself.  There are 3 full floors of activities for small kids.  She just ran from activity to activity saying, "Mom, looooook!"

This was a neat table.  There is sand on top of the lit table you make pictures with...

 Jaaten loves Seek N Find books so we were at this for a while.  The clear circular bins are filled with toys, balls, etc.  There are 3 things in the frame on the wall that you are supposed to find in all the clutter.  Jaaten didn't want to leave until we found all of them. ;)

 Jaaten asked me for Play-Doh when we left...

 Rachael and Kyce at the play-doh table with Jaaten. ;)

 We stayed at this ice cream stand for a good.  Jaaten was making EVERYONE ice cream.

 

 They had a gift shop as you left...she asked for more dinosaurs and I caved!

 Today is Spirit Day at Jaaten's preschool so all the kids are supposed to wear their Lil Einsteins shirts.  It's a little big. ;)  Jaafe was taking her to school today for the first time so she was excited. ;)

Happy 1st Birthday, Hudson & Steel!! XOXO

One year ago TODAY these two very different, cute, sweet baby boys joined our family.  ;)  Jaafe and I were remembering what we were experiencing this time last year.  Although we were excited to meet the boys, the anticipation and then the complications that followed stressed our family and our hearts. ;)  Today we are appreciating that tough time is behind us and all of our babies are healthy.  ;)

We had a mini celebration last night.  Jaafe is out-of-town today for work so we celebrated a little early.  Jaaten had a little trouble understanding we were celebrating the boys' birthday and not hers.  She kept unwrapping as I was wrapping.  ;)

 Jaaten really wanted to "help" her brothers unwrap!

 Hudson

 Steel

 Hudson & Steel

 Steel & Hudson

 The boys were not sure what to make of the cupcake.  Steel ended up tearing his apart but Hudson just grinned at his. ;)

 Steel

 Hudson - He is my smiler of the group!!

 Dad brought Jaaten a caramel apple and she was silent for a short time.  I think she was assessing how excited she should be about an apple.  ;)  Before she saw the apple she must have asked for a cupcake 10 times!  Once she TASTED the apple she was silent again until it was gone!  I think she liked it.

 I took these pictures this morning so I would have a picture of them on their actual birthday.  Happy Birthday, Baby Boys!!  We love you.  ;)

 This is Week 3 for Jaaten at preschool and she loves it!!  I have to wait until right before we leave for school to tell her we are going to school.  Otherwise Jaaten is like a broken record until we physically walk out the door.  "I want to go to school, Mom."  'Let's go to school, Mom."  "It's time to go to school, Mom."  I'm haven't decided if she really likes school or really likes being away from her brothers!!

San Diego - Week 3

It took me a little while to get the pictures from our last week in San Diego together. Jaafe and I concluded 2 weeks would have been PLENTY for the kids at this age.  ;)  This last week we went to SeaWorld with Jaaten a couple more times, took walks in the super nice weather and went to the ocean looking for crabs. ;)

We took Jaaten to Shamu Rocks which is a night show at SeaWorld.  Jaaten loved seeing the huge killer whales jump in the air during the show.  It was hard to get a good picture of the show because it was so dark.  It was hard to get a good picture of her because she was dancing all around to the music!!  Before the show we rode this teacup like ride.

 Jaafe feeding Steel in backyard. ;)

 Jarrod came by the house one afternoon and took Jaaten just down the street to look for little ocean creatures.  Sure enough, he delivered!  Jaaten was so excited about the crabs they found!!

Jaaten loves Jarrod!!

 Hudson thinks he is so big sitting up in his bouncer after he has his bottle!!

 We went to the horse races at Del Mar the Wednesday before we left SD.  We went with our friends Jarrod, Ashlee and Kelly.  We had never been so it was really cool to see.  The first race we saw when we got there had a horse run across the finish line with no rider!!  He had fallen off during the race....wow!

This park was just a short walk down the street from where we were staying.  We walked to this park day and night.  It is so nice just listening to water break against the rock below.  The view wasn't bad either. ;)

 We took Jaaten to SeaWorld ONE last time during the day on the Friday before we left.  She never gets tired of seeing the same animals!!

 Right when we got home I put the boys on the floor to play while Jaafe unloaded their stuff (including their playpen) from the car.  The boys seemed so excited to see their long lost toys.  ;)  They were occupied with their "new" stuff for so long we didn't even need the playpen!!

 Steel and Hudson seemed so happy to be home!!  I took this picture later that evening...