March Vacation Madness :)

We had the total joy of taking the kids to Florida for a week! Can I tell you just how great it was to be just the 4 of us for a whole week?? It was A.W.E.S.O.M.E... Here are some of the scenes from behind our first vacation as a family of 4 :)

The kids did GREAT on the plane going down. Truly amazing...

...LM says to SC "See? this is an airplane and that is the wing. Isn't that cool?"...

 My parents are great adventurers and so, as a result, I traveled "a ton" as a kid and growing up (all things being relative, it felt like a lot, but who knows if it really was :))... As an adult, and with Jeff, we have had some incredible traveling adventures and my parents have also continued their awesome adventures... And so I've always dreamed we would be a family who traveled a lot... I've seen lots of parents on planes and in airports and have always felt bad when they are stressed and there are not fun times happening... So, my goal has been to be the calm, non stressed parent who enjoys the adventure with her kids... and hopefully by staying calm and enjoying, they will learn to enjoy the thrill of travel, too! For our first 2 kid on a plane trip,  I really think we did that -- and the kids were troopers and did all they could to enjoy the experience too!!

...SC and Mama in the Orlando Airport...around 11pm...

We had a timeshare through RCI that we stayed in.. It was a 1 BR condo with a patio that overlooked a bunch of greenery and then across the highway was EPCOT.. It was a great place, with a fantastic pool, and yahoo for us - EPCOT had fireworks almost every single night! Wine & fireworks after the kidlets were asleep was a totally unexpected bonus :)

It was a lot of "Firsts" on this vacation..

...LM First Mini-Golf Experience...

He was so serious about the game (and we were NOT serious.... we had taken a bet before we got out of the car how far we'd actually make it into the course... neither of us really "won" because LM outlasted us way further than either of us expected!) LOL..

...SC didn't care so much about the putter or it rolling along the green...

She was just happy to take the balls out of the hole for us and would often try to pick up a ball on the green and put it in the hole, just so she could take it out!!
I must admit, this little "tidbit" of summer made me realize how much fun I am going to have dressing her this summer :) Something about girl clothes in winter (or maybe it was just the "newly mom to 2 fog?") but I just wasn't that into it... But boy did I have fun packing and then changing her lil outfits in FLA!

... My Gang...

This was actually early on when neither were sure what on earth was going on...

We also took the kids out to dinner one night... we are not big "dine out" people at all at home... Maybe J and I go out to dinner 3x/year? And took LM maybe 2 or 3 times total in the last year? Call us homebodies. Call us people who were saving saving saving for a 2nd Russian adoption... Call us people who have/had a strong willed, dramatic toddler and not all of our rare dinners out as a family were filled with smiles and flowery memories! LOL....Whatever. Anyway - we went to Joe's Crabshack!! I do not know how we managed to go without getting a family photo of us, but it was SC first time out to dinner at all, and she loved it!! Both kids did GREAT actually... made us think we should eat out more :) Of course it helped that Joe's had a playground for entertainment! ha ha.

...Papa Escortin' his Lil Princess into her First Restaurant...

The kids also made some major strides in their relationship...Between all of us in 1 bedroom, and most nights all of us ending up in that cozy king bed, plus maybe LM's realization of "hey, i guess if they are bringing this kid along on vacations, too, she really is staying"... who knows? But either way, it was fun to see them start to play more directly with one another without any screaming, pushing, or parent referreeing...

..."here, you can have it big brother"... "no, that is OK, SC, you can have it..."

My Lil Chip n Dale's... :)

The condo had a huge jacuzzi tub as part of the 1 luxurious bedroom... Needless to say, it was the location of several VERY fun baths... and who can take a bath in a jacuzzi without...

... Spiderman Bubble Bath & Jets on HIGH!...

I have never seen that many bubbles in one place at one time!!

We did lug her island "counter surfing'/ "o bartender" stool along with us.. AKA "hanging feeding chair" as the place didn't have high chairs...

... Aren't I just adorable in this hat my mom keeps putting on my head?...

Many many many many thanks to an old friend and co-worker -- I had called her because she lives in FLA (which we realized W. Palm was just too far for visiting -- next time!).... anyway -- I had hoped maybe we could get there or she could get up to Orlando... Much to our absolute delight and total surprise, her SIL was able to get us into Sea World, our FAV place in FLA.. for FREE!!

We were and still are incredibly grateful!!! It was amazing and we never could have gone to a theme park without that help this round financially... We had a great time there!!

....SC "Come On Papa, build me a Sand Sculpture"...

..My men checking out the sharks...

...Our only photo evidencing that our entire family was there, together! :)

.. I just LOVE Seaworld... 

It amazes me what you can teach incredibly large animals to do...

And how much the performing animals seemed to be very loved...

Aside from these major outings, literally all else we did was going to the pool every single day..
LM LOVED IT... and to be honest, I think that full 6 days, several of which had more swimming than anything else... He basically taught himself to swim that day with the help of his old boddy Nicholas...

 ...LM underwater on one of his "Hunts"...

 ...Two Old Buddies RE-Unite"...

We were so grateful 3 years ago to share our adoption journey with another family..... And to have stayed in touch and grown our friendship... This is the 2nd time we have met them in FLA.. and the boys literally connect with one another right away. Literally. From the moment they see each other until we pry them away, they are inseparable... And to me, it is no coincidence now. I know our LM well enough to know he is very very shy, regardless who warm and welcoming, the other parents are... So to watch him basically brush us off his "I am shy" routine to auto play with Nicholas was really great!!

Heading home... never fun to pack up and leave, but it too was part of the adventure..

  ...Our Lil Traveler... So cute - all ready to roll!...

...Loving the Rail Train...

While unconventional for our posting "ends", I couldn't help but use this next  picture for our "5 O'Clock Somewhere" shot this post...

 

... It's 5 O'clock Somewhere...

...this moment warmed my heart at the time... 

LM completely self-initiated coming up and 

taking his sister's hand to hep keep her safe in the airport...

.. and I am grateful to J for capturing it..

It was truly the first overtly brotherly "I will help you take care of my sister in public" move ever...

The moment itself was beyond Heart warming.. 

...it continues to warm my heart and give me hope that we are on the right trail... and these 2 children will love one another and support each other...

.. and thanks to the photo it will continue to be a moment that is heartwarming....over and over...

It was a moment I hope my mind never forgets :)