Sunday, March 21, 2010

Returning home from Great Wolf

This is the example of model babysitting. I was in the living room folding laundry when I hear a "mama, where are you?" I answered him and then all I heard was a thump. Apparently on trying to crawl over Aunt Yinsey he slipped and hit the floor and I found him laid out on his back just in shock. He was totally fine, just super sleepy and spacing out watching sesame street.






Saturday, March 20, 2010

Great Wolf Lodge-Friday

We just picked up Aunt Yinsey from the airport and headed to Applebees for some lunch before heading over to the Great Wolf Lodge. Brenden was not confined to a high chair and they gave us a giant corner booth...so we boxed him in and let him have fun. He colored for awhile, ate a ton of french fries, he is a Garrett after all, and eventually conned his Auntie to take him over to see the horse...keeping in mind he has a hard time saying the S sound in horse...very special. Auntie Yinsey also gave him an adorable plush whale and pucker fish...she explained to him that it was a Pucker fish... he also has a hard time pronouncing P's all the time and sometimes it has an F sound to it...you do the math and figure out how our 2 hours in the car went...Aunt Yinsey, we love having you here!

Claire learning to sit up all by herself...such a strong little girl for 5 months!

As usual, captivated by her big brother...they just laugh and laugh at each other, only because the other one is laughing. These are the days I need to remember when sibling rivalry sets in in a couple years...or months...

We've arrived at the water park...little Hugh Hephner is ready to go in his fancy robe...

Claire slept for the first 2 hours down there...



Playing with her Grandpa...Papa...he managed to drag him over to the area where a little bucket of water conveniently dumps on your head if you stand in just the right spot...crafty little 2 year old.


Getting water squirted on him by Papa...pretty funny to watch

no nap eventually won out and he crashed on his G-mama when she offered a warm cuddly towel. He took a 30 min power nap and went at it all over again!

Claire's 5 min of fun in the water...she wasn't too thrilled, but looked awfully cute. Lets face it, a 5 month old in the water is mostly just for the photo opps...


Most of our crew...we were still missing Todd and Aunt Heather who arrived in time for dinner later that evening.

Grandma with her favorite little boy in the world...she would never spoil him...never :)

that little power nap re-charged his batteries long enough to torture his aunt Yinsey who was stretching out on the floor...he took his chance and attacked!

when all else fails, curl up with Papa in a chair and read books...



Audrey holding Claire...they are very sweet together and I see many more of these pictures in the coming years.



Great Wolf Lodge-Saturday

Day 2 at Great Wolf Lodge...such a fun place. Brenden was a little more timid day 2 since there were more people around then the day before. Once they opened up the pool with the snake and beaver, he got in and loosened right up. This was Todd's first experience in a water park and his first time going down a water slide...at the age of 43...he loved it!

One of the many pools...before they opened it up...it was overrun with kids about 5 min later.

Aunt Yinsey


That bucket at the very top dumped over every few minutes and a MASSIVE amount of water splashes down on you if you are anywhere nearby.

Riding on the wiggling snake...


We didn't even bother with the bathing suit today and clothes were not an option as it was so insanely warm down in the waterpark area.


finally mama got to get in the water and play with her adorable son...

great arm workout...28 pounds soaking wet is heavy!



cute little baby belly...

we sat on the wrong wave runner, ours didn't squirt very far but the others did and all the little boys kept spraying us in the face...


He desperately wanted to go down the slide, but the rules don't allow children to sit on the laps of parents. I waited at the bottom for him but...

That was as far as he went...dug in those little heels on the side and daddy had to pull him back up...

both mama and Brenden running out of steam...

taking a break...

Andrea holding Claire who was letting us know she was done with the stroller...

watching the giant bucket of water dump on unsuspecting children...



Great Uncle Dave and Aunt Carol

We went for a much overdue visit to Todd's Aunt Carol and Uncle Dave. They only live 20 minutes away, but we haven't seen them since summer time. Todd's cousin Pat and his wife Melissa came with their adorable little boy Grifen. Brenden and Grifen are 2nd cousins and the holiday babies of the family. Brenden was born on Christmas Eve 2007 and Grifen came along on Thanksgiving 11 months later. It's so sweet watching them start to play together and we can't wait to watch this friendship grow over the years. Claire spent most of her time being cuddled by her Great Aunt Carol and Melissa.

Grifen, checking out the competition...this was his territory and Brenden was loving playing with all the new toys! Grifen was a very good sport about sharing and showing us all his secret hiding places in the wall mailbox and under the big rug.

the only picture I managed to get with the faces of both boys, classic that neither of them are looking at me!


Playing catch with Great Aunt Carol!

Snuggling with his Great Uncle Dave...so sweet...

Cousin Melissa spoiling Claire...

Storytime