Air Travel

The night before we left on our beach vacation, the kids and I went out for a quick bite of dinner. Noah has recently gotten back into the habit of holding a pen and paper while going about his business, so there was one readily available when I decided to create my off the cuff list of rules of airline travel.

 Rule #1 - Buckle your seatbelt. This has been an issue for Noah on past flights, but this time... Not even a little bit.

 Rule #2 - Don't kick the seat in front of you. Again, a major issue in the past, but not this trip! Emma on the other hand did not adhere to rule number 2. My kids seriously have freakishly strong legs. Sorry Mr. twenty-something sitting in front of us.

 Rule #3 - Eat Snacks. Done. Emma even enjoyed her first lollipop. It was desperate times, people.

 Rule #4 - Watch a Show. The DVD player unfortunately died during Scooby Doo about 20 minutes before we needed to turn off our approved electronic devices. He bounced back from the disappointment very quickly with a Sponge Bob book that unfortunately had the exclamatory word, "Crashtastic!" Fortunately, no one seemed to really notice. Emma on the other hand again did not adhere to this rule. Emma doesn't ever watch TV, and even Baby Einstein couldn't suck her in on this flight.

 Rule #5 - Stay Seated. Again, Noah was a rock star. Emma on the other hand was so not interested in staying seated. Let's just say that while exiting the plan, I told all passengers within a two row radius, "I promise... it was way worse for me than it was for you." Yay for short flights and awesome big brothers!

Two cute kiddos ready for air travel.

Noah was so excited for his trip.  Thanks to Daddy for snapping this cute picture of me and my boy!

Baby Emma was definitely a tag team effort while in air.  What ever happened to the days of reading a magazine during the flight?

Emma's first flight.  I think by the time Noah was 13 months old, he'd flown about 10 times.  Definitely has more practice at this than little sis!

Emma - 13 Months

I took this picture the other morning because aren't babies in the BEST mood when they wake up, and isn't she so stinkin' cute with the worst case of bed head ever.  I would like to say that I fix it and things improve, but it is always falling out of bows and ponies.  She always ends up being a bit of a mess about mid-day, although, I think Momma can take a bit of the blame for that part.  One day I will learn to remember that extra set of clothes that I always put by the front door.  Usually, at some point during our daily adventures, she ends up either without pants thanks to some sort of spill and a totally messy shirt thanks to Momma's refusal to put on a bib the end result is either a half naked baby or a new outfit from Target.  Aahhh... a life on the road!

I love Emma at thirteen months.  She is so independent, so talkative, so friendly, and so in everyone else's business.  Her favorite words are still "this" and "crocs," and she loves to wave and say, "hiiii."  She wants to feed herself and walk everywhere.  She loves to play in Noah's room and outside where she nine times out of ten veers straight for the roller coaster.  She eats anything I put in front of her and just today, she had a turkey sandwich with mayo, tomato, avocado and pickles.  I've given her a sip of my diet coke a time or two, and she is always begging me for some.  She drinks out of big girl straws and is as much of a drink/snack sniper as her brother.  She still has only two teeth, but it hasn't stopped her from enjoying mealtime.  She is such a happy baby until the hour of about 4:30, then she fusses until I finally put her to bed around 6:00 PM, but she sleeps all night and always longer than her brother.  If you ask her what the duck says, she'll say, "quack quack."  She loves her crocs and will bring them to me to put on her.  She follows one-step directions very easily and is becoming such a good listener.  I did find out today that she is a bit rough with babies her own age, so we are going to have to work on playing well with others.  She has so much personality for such a little girl.  Love this little mess!

Booster Time

At 57 pounds and 3 feet 10 inches, it was about time Noah moved into a big boy carseat.  He was just a touch proud.

How did age five come so quickly?  And, I know his new seat is purple bordering on pink, but honestly, it was the only color they were selling at Target, and it sort of matches Emma's LSU britax.  It's an LSU booster, okay!

Pool Time with Friends

A few weekends ago, the kids and I met some friends at the pool in the late afternoon.  It was a really fun time until it wasn't, but now as I upload my pictures only happy memories remain!  Yay!!

Henry and Noah

Group shot at the pool! What did I expect making them look directly into the sun?!?

Emma and Molly

So many big boy things have come with age 5.  Here Noah is ready to go slide solo!

Waiting his turn at the top.

So much fun!

Sweet baby girl in her precious little suit.

Ready for some splashing.

Emma's signature move.  She gets up from a squat position by rocking her body back and forth.  Look Ma, no hands!

Holiday at the Beach - Photo Purge #3

Here are a few more of my favorites from the weekend!

Guess what little boy didn't want to wear his bathing suit to the beach, got soaking wet when he ran off the sand bar and took a nose dive into the water, pulled off his clothes, but finally agreed to keep on his underwear.  What the hay... it's G.I., bra!

Guess who loved the beach!

Noah & Andrew.  Super excited to hang with our cousin's cousins.  Yay for one big happy family!

Aunt Mo helping Noah over the pickers.

PaPa and Emma.  She is always grabbing and looking for PaPa's glasses tucked in his shirt.  Even when they aren't there, she points to his chest and says, "glasses."

Momma and Noah taking a break from the sun and getting crafty with Play-Doh.  Oh yeah... that's the solar system... Pluto included!

Grammy and Emma getting a little swing time.

Holiday at the Beach - Photo Purge #2

Noah: Mom, I want to go in the Gulf of Mexico.

Mom: "Noah, why dont' you go and play with your sister."

Noah: "I want to go in the Gulf of Mexico."

Blake: "I'll take him out to the end of the dock."

PaPa: "I'll watch Emma for you. (Big yawn.)"

Brooke: "I'll take him down the slide."

Noah: "I want to get out."

Morgan: "I'll pull him back onto the trampoline although he only weighs twenty pounds less than me."

Noah: "Momma, I think I'll hit the baby pools with Emma again."

Holiday at the Beach - Photo Purge #1

Between summer school sessions, the kids and I snuck in a trip home. After the fourth, but still a "holiday weekend," we followed the fam to the beach! What a fun and relaxing weekend. The kids love playing with all their cousins.

 

I went strictly iPhone on this trip... so here goes. On a daily basis, I drive 34 miles to and from school everyday, but driving 15 miles on a road like this seems so long!!

Noah said, "Look mom, we're going through the tree tunnel."  No interstates through these little towns!

 

At the beach!!

The kids taught Noah to play "freeze dance." He did so awesome and loved. I'll say it again, this kid can do anything as long as he knows the rules!

Emma was passed from arm to arm our entire visit, but Morgan wanted her the most.  Aunt Mo likes to call her the B.H. or baby hog. I think she is going to be an awesome big sister.

Her big sister Brooke made the comment that she'd never get to hold the new baby sister. She sure was able to sneak in her turn with Baby Em.