Wow! What a busy weekend we have had! It was a whirlwind of activity and we are all pooped! Jayden went down for a late nap today around 4ish and slept until 7 when we forced him to wake up. He nibbled a little and had a glass of juice, but at his normal bedtime, he was asking to go to bed. He was really tired. I hope he is well and just tired and not sick. I guess we will find out soon enough though. Ellie had a nice long nap today too. I hope she goes to bed soon and decides to sleep all night. It will be nice to get ourselves on a regular schedule again.

Ahh well...it will just have to wait. We have construction starting tomorrow....

Life's a beach!

Today we went to the beach! What fun! We drove out to Capitola and spent some time soaking up the sun and the wind and the waves. Jayden had a blast running in the sand, collecting rocks and shells and sticks, and playing in the water. Grandma Tess had tons of fun taking pictures and more pictures and more pictures! Eliana enjoyed hanging out in Aunt Katie's and Uncle Wes's arms. I enjoyed not being the one to have to chase the toddler and hold the baby! :)

After we spent a good amount of time on the beach freezing our little butts off, we had lunch/dinner at Paradise Beach Grill. The food was good, but the service was seriously lacking! We must have been there for 20 minutes before the waitress started to bring out drinks and I never did get mine! I had to remind her that she didn't bring it. Then, she brought me a dirty glass....and the replacement drink was ALSO IN A DIRTY GLASS! You would think that she would have paid particular attention to the second glass! Oh well, like I said...the food was good.

We strolled past the stores where Aunt Katie bought Eliana the cutest bathing suit! Like she needed it! When I get her in it, I will take pictures and post for your "awwww" ing pleasure.

The day must have been quite stimulating for both kids because even though they were exhausted, they didn't sleep on the ride home. Eliana screamed all the way home. I think she just didn't like her carseat, but she may have been hungry. If so, she surely didn't eat as much as I would have expected when we finally got home. And, Jayden talked all the way home! He did get quite whiny at times, but it was hard to relax with Ellie carrying on so and his carseat in the truck is not very comfortable. Needless to say, we were all glad to be home.

Dave gave Jayden a bath while I let Ellie get some exercise (she was held almost all day!) in her jumpy chair and on the floor. Then, Jayden, desperate to get some TV time, fell asleep on the couch and I just put Eliana down in her bed. I hope they sleep all night! Dave and I are still up, but I don't think we will last much longer! At least, I won't!

Hopefully, pictures tomorrow!

Here fishy, fishy, fishy, fishy!

Yesterday we had a really big day! Because Dave's brother and his wife came to visit, we went to the aquarium. That always makes for a big day for us. I don't really know why it takes ALL day, but it does. Anyway, we made an early start at 9:00am for breakfast with the gang. Jayden sat next to Grandma Tess and Uncle Wes and Aunt Katie played with Ellie. Then we piled up in the cars (girls in one and boys in the other) and headed down to Monterey.

The aquarium was not very crowded except in the area with the little kids place ... splash zone I think they call it. Jayden was not terribly interested in the touch pools. He did like to look, but he didn't want to touch anything and the more everyone asked him if he wanted to, the more he DIDN'T want to. We all enjoyed the Jelly Fish display (which I understand is leaving in August) and the shark exhibit was nice. The best part was the tuna tank with the sea turtle. He was just hanging out at the window and giving us all a really nice view of him. It was a surprise because every other time I've been there, he has been really elusive.

I remember that the last time we took Jayden down to the aquarium, he was calling all the animals "shee-shees" because he couldn't wrap his tongue around the "f" for "fishies" and had a very limited vocabulary. Yesterday, he was trying out all the words, "Jellyfish, tenticles, shark, turtle, kelp, crab, penguin..." He was a veritable library of marine vocabulary.

After lunch at the FishHopper (at the end of the pier on Cannery Row), Katie, Eliana, and I visited the silver shop (they have some really pretty things there), while the others went down to the beach. Jayden managed to get soaked to his waist so we stripped him down and wrapped him in my sweatshirt. He stayed there nice and snug for all of 5 minutes until we got to the candy store and he just HAD to get out! He was the cutest thing running around the store in his diaper and filling up his bucket with candy. I wish we had gotten a picture of that!

Speaking of pictures....since Jayden is so fond of taking them, the battery in my camera lasted for only 30 minutes of our trip! So, I don't have many pictures, but I will get them from Grandma Tess who brought her brand new camera (the Rebel or somthing like that).

Anyhow, at this point it is needless to say, but...both kids were sound asleep long before we got back on the freeway to come home and they slept like...umm...babies ;). Jayden actually slept from 7ish pm until about 5 am (when he came to me for the second time in the night only this time he was NOT going back to sleep). Eliana in true form, woke up several times hungry. I don't know why she won't sleep through the night anymore...she did it for about a week or two in December and hasn't done it since! The book says she is supposed to sleep through at 3 months! Gonna have to bring that up at her dr appt next month.

So....we've been busy...wonder what we will get to today!

Getting caught up!

What a great weekend! Dave and I really like playing an online interactive game (Everquest II) but there is usually so little time to play together that we feel dissatisfied with our version of "quality" time. But, we made special plans this weekend to play and play and play. SOE (Sony Online Experience) has been working hard at changes in the game to make room for a new expansion on the upper end. Because of this, they offered a special "double-experience weekend". So, we played all weekend long. I feel ready to face the day today (of course it is only 9:30am) and get an active start on our week.

A set-back to that active start is that Jayden is coughing now. Since we have been sick in this house (ok....I have been sick) since February 2, I am concerned that he may have a bacterial infection now. We will be seeing our favorite pediatrician in a couple of hours to check things out. Maybe my upbeat motivated attitude will help me to get some cleaning done around the house! I can see how that would lead to the possible health of my household. I haven't gotten ANYTHING done since the beginning of the month and the house is a MESS!!! Julie, I NEED YOU!

Speaking of Julie, I can't wait to see your new house! I suspect that by this time you are all moved in and LOVING it! There is something about moving into your own home....oh yeah! It's yours! :)

Ok....what about the kids? Jayden has been learning to take pictures. He LOVES to play with my camera. He takes 30 pictures at a time and wants to do this 2-3 times a day. Some of his pictures come out good, but many many of them are of things like his toys, the TV, coke cans (he makes us look really bad), and the couch. He is working on framing though. Sometimes he can even get the thing he wants to take the picture of inside the frame and it comes out. Other times, he say "taking picture Ellie" and he gets her sleeve. I seem to be inept at adding images or else I would post them here for you.


And Just for fun...here is one of Jayden:

But, now Ellie! She is getting good at sitting up. If I sit her, she can stay that way for a couple of minutes before she folds over in half. She is rolling over on a regular basis...."Mama, I want to be on my tummy!!" For every play time, sleep, and yes...diaper changes too! She is so full of personality! I love watching her play and interact with us. She thinks Jayden is all that and a bag of chips! She will watch him play and stare in admiration of her big brother. When he plays with her she is full of smiles and giggles. It's fun to watch them together. She also likes to watch me play EQII (see above) and she is chewing on EVERYTHING! No teeth yet! I thought she was going to pop them out early based on the one showing, but it has since receded into the gums again and there is no sign of any new teeth. (I am just as glad too...as I said...she chews on EVERYTHING!)

Well, I am not sure what I have forgotten, so....what ever it is, you will find out tomorrow or the next day! :)

No-News is Boring.

Today we had our first real outing since I got the cold from hell. I am still a bit congested and have a headache for the third (or fourth) day in a row, but we needed to get out and I couldn't just keep hiding Jayden inside. He needs to get out among his peeps if you know what I mean! :)

So we had lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. As usual, we passed an enormous amount of time lollygagging over a myriad of foods only a few of which actually got eaten. But, Jayden suprised me and ate more vegetables than I have ever seen him eat! He dipped them all in ranch dressing which, as some of you may know, is his favorite way of eating absolutely everything! What really surprised me, though, was that as soon as we got out of the car, he was asking for the ice cream....but, when he finally got it, he took 2 bites and was done! I think he was just enjoying being with the other kids so much that he didn't want to waste time eating anymore.

I relished this opportunity of going out to get Eliana dressed up in a cute little denim dress that I bought her at Osh Kosh on Friday....ok, I went shopping on Friday, so today was a second outing for us. She was STYLIN' in her new duds and her StrideRite shoes! Yes, I finally did it! I spent the money to buy the expensive shoes! But, in my defense, they were on 50% off sale and I bought her a size too big so they can wear them longer! Also, my MIL paid for Ellie's shoes and I paid for Jayden's. That was a convincer too...I would not have bought them both shoes there even at those prices! Maybe when they are older and will stay in the same size for a year or so, but not now!

Speaking of fashion, you may have noticed that I added a new link to the link list. PoisonedSweets is a friend of mine and she has the coolest clothes. I am not sure I would wear them if I had the body it takes to pull them off, but I wouldn't know where to buy 'em anyway. I just think some of them are great and then again...some of them are so out there, I wonder what she was thinking! :)

Until next time...

Poopy-Head is on the mend!

The good news is that I FINALLY feel healthy(ish) again. I am still congested, but at least it isn't debilitating as it was last week. I couldn't breathe during the day or at night. I couldn't sleep. It was awful. But, I am feeling much better.

The bad news is that Jayden called me a Poopy-Head the other day! I asked him where he learned that and he said, "hmmm...Let me think....I dunno!"

Sick, sick, sick, and not sick!

Dave, Eliana, and I are all sick. Well, Ellie started it with a drippy nose on Wednesday. Dave and I picked it up yesterday morning. Now, Dave and I are pretty miserable, but Ellie seems to have shaken the worst of it. Jayden seems to be immune to it.....THANK GOD!

I wonder if one of Jayden's grandparents would like to take him to the Discovery Museum tomorrow....That would be soooo nice!

Until I feel better,
Lynda