Florida Fun!

A Traveling Parent's Dream

We may have been crazy, but less than three weeks after flying home from PA, we got on another airplane and headed back east to Florida!  Mike had a work conference that paid for his airfare, a rental car and a hotel room in Orlando... so it was just too good of an opportunity for us to pass up a visit with Gram and Pop!  The day after Addison's birthday, we got on a plane and spent the next couple days relaxing in The Villages.  Relaxing in TV means hot tub and pool time, drinking, eating, golf cart rides and enjoying just not having to do really anything at all if we didn't want to.  That doesn't stop Gram from planning fun activities to keep Andrew busy, though! 

 

Spa Oasis!

Despite being sunny, most of our visit wasn't exactly pool weather, but it definitely was hot tub weather! We did get in the pool a couple times, and Andrew took right to it after just a little initial convincing that it wasn't "too cold".  Addison didn't care - she wanted in the water, hot, cold or in-between!

Addison LOVES the water!  And her Pop!

Look at that cute suit!!



Addison loved splashing everyone too!

 

 

Golf Cart Selfies: 

Brrr... cuddling up in the back!

Rollin' with my Homey.



  

 

Andrew napping in the restaurant... Colonial Day was just so exciting!

 

World of Beer Date Night

 

Uncle Donald's Farm!

Mike left on Tuesday night to head up to Orlando for the conference, so Gram and Pop took us to Uncle Donald's Farm (not to be confused with Old McDonald's)! This farm was complete with a hayride and cow feeding, goat milking and baby goat feeding, a pony ride and a menagerie of animals for feeding and petting.

 



 

 

 

 

 

Gram getting in on the cow feeding action!

 

Milking a Goat!

 

 

Visit to an Alpaca Farm
So, Gram has a thing for Alpacas.  I feel like I don't need to say anything else.  The pictures speak for themselves.


Getting friendly with the Alpacas



Pop wasn't as interested in making friends...

A blue-eyed, Andrew-sized alpaca!

 



Petting "Tom" the Turkey.



 

Sea-World

So, although we had a great day... I would not recommend spending your money here.  For almost the same price as a ticket to Disney, we spent the day in an outdated, not super baby-friendly park.  If you want to see animals - go to a zoo (or Animal Kingdom).  If you want an amusement park with rides - go to Six Flags.  If you want something for toddlers - Magic Kingdom. Sea World just didn' do any one thing well, and although the Shamu show is still pretty amazing, it was really the main highlight.  Luckily,  I remembered my own rule of "Going to Amusement Parks with Children":  Ride a rollercoaster and get that adrenaline pumping as soon as you arrive. And luckily, Gram and Pop let Mike and I go off by ourselves for a few rides...much to Andrew's dismay.  He did NOT like Mommy and Daddy being on a roller coaster. 

Front of the line on the Manta - 5 minutes after getting into the park!

I know, it's a terrible shot.. but see the huge white blur on the bottom of my face?  That's my smile!



 

 

Addison's first ride!

 

 

 Shamu loved Addison!

 

Andrew, Pop and Mike rode these crazy "shell" cups.



Andrew had his first rollercoaster ride... and was not a fan.



Worn out.

As usual, the peace and relaxation of The Villages was much needed, and much appreciated.  If only trips to Florida weren't bookended with 6 hour plane rides... we would be making the trip much more frequently! 

Addison Is One! Wait, What?

How did this happen?  My baby is one?!  I literally feel like she's still a BABY.  It's that contradicting feeling of not believing it's been a year already, and also feeling like she's been with us forever.  But, with Addison, she's still very much my little one.  I'm not sure if it's because her extra feminine daintiness is exaggerated in comparison to her all boy, boisterous, older brother, or just the fact that she is smaller than he was at this age... but when I look at her little angel face, I do not see a one year old.  I see my little baby - just barely cutting her top two teeth, finally sprouting some more golden locks, and gaining more and more confidence on her little, fawn legs every day.  She is such a light in our lives, with a quick smile and warm laugh.  She loves to snuggle, and has never once made me question my very important role in her life (for those of you that remember... Andrew put "Mommy" waaayy down on the list of names to learn, much to my dismay).  She is very bright, but takes her time and does things on her terms.  She gives looks that could kill and she throws random tantrums that would make a terrible two look like a novice.  Yep, we're in trouble, but we wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

I'm one!!

We tried to make "The Big Day" special... it's not every day you have your FIRST birthday, after all.  Unfortunately, her birthday fell the day before we left for a week vacation in Florida, so celebrating clashed with packing, and birthday festivities were kept to a minimum.  Having mommy guilt about the big party her brother got for his first birthday, I tried to decorate a little bit, we wore party hats, opened presents and had cake for dessert.  She also got to wear a tu-tu to school and brought in cupcakes to celebrate with her new Big Girl class (and they let Andrew come down to the Toddler Room for the occasion).  We also celebrated once in Florida, with a huge pink cupcake and presents from Gram and Pop. 

Birthday Morning Fun!

Is this a book?

 

Hmm... it tastes like clothes!

Cupcakes in the Classroom:

 

After Dinner Celebration:

 

Party in The Villages! 

 

Andrew got a blue cupcake too!