Day 2- Paris

This might really be just Day 1, but in my mind it is day 2 so that is what I will go with.

After leaving our luggage at the hotel we were off to see the City of Lights! Our first stop was the Arc de Triomphe followed by a walk down the famous Champs Elysees. We took our time on our walk and made a stop at a cute pastry shop where we enjoyed wonderful french pastries. Our walk ended at the  Tuileries Gardens. We walked around for a bit and then figured out where we were going next. The weather was perfect and we really just took our time and enjoyed everything that was around us.

  Kade was sad because I wouldn't let him play in the fountain, such a mean mom :(

We walked across the river and went to Invalides, where Napoleon's tomb is. We ate lunch in their cafeteria, not by choice but because it was convenient and we were hungry.

 Jet lag was starting to get the best of this little guy.

After Invalides, we headed back to our hotel in hopes that the reservation thing was figured out. When we got their they were still working on it, and it turned out that the people we booked through booked us at their sister hotel. After waiting for a bit, all worked out and we stayed at the hotel we were at. After spending some time resting in our room, we cleaned up as best we could (still no bags :) and went out to see the Eiffel Tower and eat dinner. It was a perfect evening, but we were so exhausted that it didn't last too long. We were ALL ready for bed!

Family photo take #1

Take #2

 Take #3- 30 hours with no sleep, we were beginning to meltdown.

Day 1- Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

I decided to break our trip up by day so I didn't miss anything and that way I can post more pictures :)

Our first day was spent traveling. We made it to Paris after a grand total of 16 hours of travel. I have to say that even though Bryan and I were miserable (Kade didn't have his own seat and our long flight was full so he was in our laps for 8 hours of the long day) Kade did really well. He was so tired and fought going to sleep for about an hour, but once he was out he slept for about 5 hours of the 8 so not too terrible, we were just really uncomfortable! Once me finally made it to Paris we were so relieved to be off the airplane. We made it through customs really fast (you get special treatment when you are traveling with a toddler/with a stroller/while pregnant :) Everything was smooth sailing, or so we thought.

We headed up to baggage claim, and our bags never made it. Luckily we carried everything on that we possible could, but Bryan and I had checked our bags so all of our stuff was missing. We went to talk to someone about it and our bags were left in North Carolina (we had a layover there) They promised they would be on the next flight to Paris but that meant they wouldn't make it until 8am the next day. That meant another 24 hours in the same clothes, and we weren't too hopeful that they would actually make it then. But we decided not to let it get us down. We found the train and headed into town to go find our hotel.

After several train/metro changes and a short walk we made it to our hotel. We went to check in and they couldn't find our reservations. Luckily I was super organized (everything was printed off and put in a folder in the order that we would need it so I knew exactly where this was, slightly OCD?) and I had the paper with our confirmation number on it. They said they said they were going to contact our booking agent and see what happened. At this time it is probably 9am Paris time and the company we booked through didn't open until 8am eastern time. With the time difference and everything factored in we wouldn't be able to know anything for about 6 hours. So we left our luggage and headed out to explore Paris stinky, tired, with no place to stay. At least we are always up for an adventure!

My hubby said it best after this all happened, "We might not have any clothes or a place to stay, but hell we are in Paris who cares!"

I couldn't have said it better myself :)

Big Boy Bed

This past weekend we decided to bite the bullet and move Kade out of the crib and into a big boy bed. I was very apprehensive but I knew that it had to be done. I wanted Kade really used to the bed before Ella arrives because we didn't want to have to buy another crib. So Sunday night marked the first night in the big bed and I don't know what I was so nervous about. Kade slept like a CHAMP! He didn't get up once even when we put him to bed, just laid there until he fell asleep and didn't get up the next day until 7:30! I on the other hand stayed up all night staring at the monitor :) His nap on Monday was a 4 HOUR nap, and as of right now it is almost 8am Tuesday morning and he is still crashed out! His bed must be really comfy!! He made this transition like it was no big deal, and he actually loves his big bed. Anytime we are in his room he either climbs on it or points and says "Ade's bed!" I am waiting to take pictures of his new "big" room until it is all finished. I need some more things for the walls, etc. But here are a few from his first night :) He loved that we now get to lay in his bed with him to read his bedtime books :)

Dear Kade,

Today you woke up shouting MAMA in your best Italian accent. We love that a lot of your words come out sounding Italian. We think that you do this because you visited Italy while you were still in my belly. It must have rubbed off on you a little. When I went in your room to get you, you starting running in place as fast as you could and shouting MAMA some more. You make me feel like a rock star!

This morning you wanted waffles for breakfast. Even though you say it "awfuls" you really love when you get to have waffles for breakfast. You always want to sit on the counter to watch the "awfuls" in the toaster and when they are done and pop out you giggle so hard. It makes me laugh too. Today you were a little impatient though and kept wanting to touch the toaster, and I had to keep reminding you that it was probably hot.

After breakfast you immediately want to watch "ickey" (Mickey Mouse.) I let you watch two episodes in the morning while I get dressed and have my coffee. This morning in "ickey," Minnie Mouse lost her bunny and you said "OH NO!" over and over until she found it. It was so cute!

Today is Tuesday and you have your Little Gym class at 10am. We loaded up and went to the gym. You love little gym and have been doing it for over a year now. You know the routine of the class and finally have fun participating. When it is time to explore, you always go to the bars first. You recently learned how to hang from the bars all by yourself. And today you almost made your toes touch the bars. I know that you are getting stronger and will probably be able to do it in the next few weeks.

After class, we went to Sonic to get a drink. You only get water but you are so excited when you get to have your own drink.

Before we went home we stopped by to get you a haircut. You don't like getting your haircut very much, a lot of the times you cry but today you didn't cry at all. You are getting so big! You got to eat a sucker and watch Mickey Mouse while she cut your hair. When she was finished you sure looked handsome.

You started to get tired so we headed home for lunch.  Today you ate English muffin pizzas. They are one of your favorites. When I am making them you shout "ZAZA!" That is your word for pizza. No one else your probably understand this one, but I do! You love it when I turn on the oven light so you can watch them cook. When the timer went off today you started to yell my name, just wanted to remind me that they were finished.

After lunch, you picked out a book for me to read before you nap. You picked one of your favorites, "The five little pumpkins." It is a Halloween book, but we keep it out year round because you love it so much. I love watching you go to your bookshelf and pick out books to read. You choose so carefully. You will pull several out look at them and put them back before you decide on the one that you want me to read.

When I put you down for your nap, you told me night night. Then you asked for Blue, you beloved lovey. I told you night night and that I loved you and you told me "wuv you" back. You just started saying this and it melts my heart every time.

I love you so much sweet boy. I love that I am your mommy and that I get to spend my days with you.

XOXO
Mama!

Brag

I know that this is probably not my first post to brag on my son and it definitely won't be the last. I am his mother and I can't help it :) It is normal for a parent to think their kid is a genius right? Tonight after I gave Kade a bath he was laying on his changing table and I was lubing him up with lotion. And out of NO WHERE Kade started to count. It sounded a little like this:

"one, two, free, four"

several words that didn't sound like anything

then, "six"

several more words that didn't sound like anything

and finally, "nine, TEN!" (yes ten was said proudly and louder than the rest.

I sat there and didn't quite know what to think, then I started yelling for Bryan. He came in the room and we asked Kade to count and he did the exact same thing AGAIN! We were so excited and dancing all around the room! I couldn't believe it. I am thinking that K knows a lot more than he leads on! Bryan was so excited he call Meme and Gdad to tell them! (Yup, we are THOSE annoying parents.)

We tried several times to get it on camera, but Kade freaks out every time we pull the camera out. He gets really quiet, smiles, and puts his face up really close to the lens. All of our home videos consist of Kade's forehead :) We did get him to sort of count, he said "one, two, free, two, one" A little backwards but we will take it!

He is so fun at this age, I love that he is talking all the time and busting out with things I didn't even know he was capable of. :)

As a side note, I haven't really even worked with him on counting. I think I have maybe twice and he wasn't interested at all so I stopped. But when he is in time out we count to thirty out loud. That is the only thing we can think of where he learned this. Learning while being disciplined, YES!

Soc Ball

Today Kade got to wear his rain boots out to lunch and he was PROUD to do so. After his nap, he was playing in his room and I could hear him in him getting frustrated. I went to go check on him and the sweet boy was trying so hard to get his rain boots back on. So I put them on and he wore them all afternoon.  Later, when Bryan got home they started playing "soccer" complete with the rain boots. When we asked Kade what the soccer ball was, he replied "soc ball" So I grabbed a few pictures of my boys playing soc ball.

Easter 2011

Easter this year was very low key. The Saturday before we went to Nanny and Pappy's new house for our family get together. It was fun as always. And the kids even got to test out their new pool! It was still a little cold for my taste but Hailey, Ashlyn, and Kade didn't think so and they spent the day swimming! On actual Easter, we woke up early to see what the Bunny left. He was excited that "choo-choo's" made it in to the basket! We then put on our Sunday best and went to church. The service was great and we weren't called out to come pick up Kade from the nursery! Yes!! After church, we went to lunch and then came home for naps and resting. When Kade woke up we dyed some Easter eggs, which Kade totally got and did them all by himself! After a little bit of play time outside, we loaded up and went to ihop for dinner. I know, I win the mom/wife of the year award, but I was exhausted after a busy weekend and didn't feel like cooking. Plus, you can never go wrong with ihop for this breakfast loving family! It was such a great day and I love love love holidays so much more now that I am a parent! It is crazy to think that this time next year we will have a 2.5 year old and a 7 month old! How fun!