Backyard Swimming

Last week it got warm enough in the mild Bay Area climate to blow up the backyard pool and let the kids splash around.

Now, if it is warm enough to swim, then it is too warm to be in the not air-conditioned house. I'm not complaining, just saying the hours between 2 and 6 can get pretty uncomfortable inside.

Of course, it wasn't warm enough to actually warm the pool water enough (even though it had sat in the sun all day), but the kids didn't seem to mind.  They just kept swimming, blue lips, chill bumps and all.

The three older boys dove right in and laughed, squealed and splashed around immediately.

Colin was a little more timid. So, I thought I would give him a little help and put him in the pool.

Wrong idea.

After a little time, he put himself in the pool and had a great time.  It just needed to be his idea.

In fact he was the last one out. All the other kids had given into the need to be wrapped up in a warm towel and this kid just kept going. Eventually we lured him out with dinner.

Ava Grace maintained her distance. Wise girl.

And look, ruffles!

Of course, the next day it was too cold and windy to swim again, but that didn't stop the kids from asking 500 times to get in the pool.

We are supposed to hit 88 degrees this week, so I think we will get another shot.

Because it sure is fun.

{Pool provided by Uncle Matt and Aunt Ally, good call folks}

I'm Surrounded

Mommy's bed was the place to be for rest time today.

To my right.

To my left.

(he doesn't sleep, but the stillness is important) 

Oh, these fleeting moments.  One day they will not find there peace and calm beside me. Today I was given a gift.

The Boardwalk

We will visit again.



There was a train.



Amazing rides to watch.









And if you don't actually ride anything, it's all free!

Santa Cruz Beach

This is the one where Eli walks down the boardwalk in his underwear....



Saturday we made the short trip down to Santa Cruz to actually touch the Pacific Ocean.





The boys were squealing with joy.  It was so exciting.





Note the pants.  You are probably thinking, pants? on the beach? what was this mom thinking?

Let me tell you, it was cold.  We were comfortable up on the boardwalk, but down by the water it was cold.  We could have used our jackets. There were crazy people in swimsuits, but they were, well, crazy.

The boys were not bothered by the cold.  They walked right into the waves with little regard for the wind or temperature.  They got quite a bit wetter than I expected.  I had extra pants in the car, so it was fine. Everyone got to have their fun.

We enjoyed the waves for a while and then headed back to the boardwalk to clean up.  They have places to wash off your feet and get a little cleaned up.  So we get up there and have 6 little feet and legs to wash off.

Jason had started with Eli and moved on to Walker, I was cleaning off Colin.  You know that moment where you turn you back for a second.  Well, Eli was behind me on a bench with two strangers and...

Jason turns around and says, "Why doesn't Eli have any pants on?"

And there he sits, on a bench in his underwear.  His pants were wet, so it only seemed logical to him to take them off.  The hundreds of people around didn't bother him one bit.  Luckily the man sitting next to him was a dad and just laughed and made a few jokes.

So we get him re-pants we walked off to grab on boardwalk treats for the ride home.

Eli chose cotton candy and Walker chose a snow cone. Jason took them to buy their treats and I took Colin to the bathroom to wash his (very dirty) hands and face.

When I walked out of the restroom to see Eli walking toward us, Jason beside him, holding a bag of cotton candy as tall has him, with his pants around his ankles.

It seems his skinny little waist couldn't hold up the weight of the wet pants, and his hands were far to busy eating cotton candy to worry about holding up his pants.  And Jason just didn't notice.

That was easily one of the funniest moments of my life. I so wish I would have taken a picture before I notified Jason to pull up his pants.  I mean, he was already walking down the board walk, pants down, so the embarrassment had happened. What would have been a few more seconds?

Anyway, the beach was fun and cotton candy is good.



Oh, and in case you are concerned that Colin didn't get a treat, the cotton candy was a three foot bag so was plenty to share.



He approves.

The Birth-Day

There were presents


For new outside play




There was playing in Daddy's office


There were eggless cupcakes (the cream cheese frosting was easily the best part, and all Colin ate)


There were birthday cards


All read upside down, of course


And much joy at our 2 year old.

Not a Baby Anymore

"Baby" Colin has turned 2. Quietly as night turned to day he woke up with the big boy age of 2.  It sounds so old for my little teddy bear.

Today their will be new toys (for a new sandbox), pizza (his favorite), and eggless chocolate cupcakes (I'm hoping the frosting will cover the general lack of flavor).

There will be much celebrating and remembering today as we watch this little boy grow before our very eyes.

Before we left Alabama we had an early celebration with the family.



So, really it is like he gets 2 parties.  2 Celebrations for 2 years old. Seems fair.

On turning 1.

On 2 years ago.

Parks - Bay Area Style

We have been doing some park hoping around here.  The weather is gorgeous, and what else have we to do?

Some things are the same as the parks before the move -

There is sliding.


And some safety sliding.


And there is swinging.


And there are things that different -

There is sand at every park. EVERY PARK.  Rain is rare so at least the sand is dry, but it is still sand.

I am getting better about dumping out their shoes before we leave, but I've vacuumed up plenty of piles of sand so far. And bath night is needed every night; sand, sand, everywhere.

There are palm trees or as Eli calls them, "beach trees."  The boys keep on asking why they are everywhere when we can't actually see the beach from where we are.


A lot of the parks have these huge steep concrete slides.  You are supposed to bring a piece of cardboard and slide down really fast.



Thus far, I have been able to keep Colin from going down one.  I feel those days are numbered.

The boys have loved being able to walk to a local neighborhood park.  I never thought I would cross six lanes of traffic with 3 kids with confidence, but we have made the trip everyday this week.

Also, not a lot of moms at the park.  Plenty of nannies and grandparents, but moms are rare and only out after dinner.

We are learning the ropes and finding every corner of this area to play in.