Mom's night for Caiden

At Caiden's school we had a mom's night this week -coinciding with Mother's Day that happened last weekend I suppose. Which by the way was great -we went to brunch at one of our favorite dinner spots, Monello, in Little Italy. Then family nap time (since Marc and I stayed out pretty late the night before). I got flowers and balloons and Caiden kept asking me, "Are you so happy, Mom?!?!"

Back to mom's night. After dinner Caiden and I headed to school and they greeted us with a paper flower boutonniere that the kids made. We walked around and he showed me all the different toys and stations in the classroom that he likes to play with. Then we had some strawberry dessert and the kids sang some songs for us. Caiden had so much fun and he kept saying he wants to do mom's night all the time.

I LOVE his teachers -Miss Lisa and Miss Kimberly. They were the perfect fit for him especially it being his first year. They are just the sweetest and kookiest ladies. 

Staycation-ish at the Great Wolf Lodge

We haven't done much out of the norm in the past few months. Caiden started "sports" practice on Monday mornings. This consists of two weeks of soccer, then two weeks of football, then two weeks of t-ball (which he's on now), then basketball and track and field. I think he's enjoying this a lot more than just soccer week after week. And when he finished gymnastics last month he said he didn't want to do it again. He's really learning how to run fast and follow directions from the coach so well.

He also is going into his last couple months of school. He's enjoying it more and more every day. Up until a month ago he would run into my arms when I pick him up. Now he stays put in circle time and just smiles at me until the teacher finishes the story.

So with just doing the same old thing week after week we went to the Great Wolf Lodge about an hour away this weekend. They opened a couple of months ago and have been advertising heavily with some sweet discounts so we went. We all had a blast! I think the most fun was had by the adults going on the water slide where the floor drops from under you and you are free falling for a second or two! So intense!

Caiden equally had a blast. He was in heaven. He loved every single water slide he was big enough for -even the one we snuck him on that was clearly out of his league and you had to be about 5 inches taller. He kept asking to go on it again and again but after the second time they said he couldn't go anymore. 

He never wanted to leave and it was a challenge getting him to leave the water park every day. Grace was too young (Caiden is probably the earliest age that makes sense to take them) but she hung in there even though the life jackets are such a pain for her to wear so you end up carrying her around and holding her in all the pools. She could go down a couple of the smaller water slides in the baby/toddler area and she loved it. 

There was an arcade and mini bowling alley at the hotel. Bowling went something like this...

 ....me running after Grace down the alley or her high jacking a ball and tossing it where it shouldn't be.

Easter weekend 2016

Boy are holidays getting more and more intense! Caiden had a BLAST doing all things festive for Easter this weekend. When Marc got home from work on Friday we colored eggs. Caiden was so patient waiting for the eggs to color and so careful as he worked with each one.

Grace on the other hand just wanted her hands in everything. We tried to keep her as far away as possible.

I'll never forget this picture. When I was boiling the eggs one of them cracked and when Marc got home he ate it. Caiden was so confused and sad when he couldn't find the last egg to color. When we told him that Marc ate it he didn't believe us. He was looking at Marc's stomach and asking us over and over again what happened to it and how do you eat an egg like this. He was so sad in this picture and kept pointing to the open spot.

On Saturday morning we went to our neighborhood egg "sweep". 

Grace's egg hunt was first and she was a champ! She was picking up two at a time, throwing them in her basket then on to the next. 

Caiden's was pretty intense...he was in the 3-5 age group so there were some big kids going for the eggs.  He did really good though but at one point got a bit too close to the Easter bunny and then just stood there and stared at him and didn't move.

After that we drove up to Orange County to visit some family. Caiden got a sword balloon at the morning festivities and proceeded to poke us in the head the entire drive up.

Easter morning was a success! Caiden saw his Easter basket right away and his favorite thing was the teenage mutant ninja turtle dive sticks. He hasn't put them down since.

They ate breakfast then we told them that the Easter bunny left some eggs outside. Caiden was so excited but after his first egg he dropped his basket and then proceeded to just open the egg, throw it on the ground, get the goodies inside the egg then move on to the next. Grace on the other hand held her basket so daintily on her arm and collected the eggs and put them inside. She LOVES holding on to the basket. We spent a few days playing hide and seek with the Easter eggs and now I'm trying to collect them all around the house and store them away until next year!

We did Brunch at the Santaluz Club with the Taylors and Colemans. It was one of the best brunches I've been to. An entire room dedicated to desserts, plus crab legs and shrimp, five different kinds of meat ready to cut, a pasta station, omelet station and tons of other food! Grace had a blast dancing to the live music and was terrified of the Easter bunny. 

And the best family photo we could get!