Thursday, May 23, 2013

The Disneyland Leg of our vacation

After several days in Long Beach the entire family headed to Disneyland.  What a great time we had.  One of my favorite vacations.

First let me tell you all about our very eventful flight to LAX.  I had all of mine and the girls stuff packed days before we left, car seats loaded and stroller ready to go.  I know my cousins all think I'm a scatterbrained moron, but I do actually have some organizational and pre-planning skills.


  • Steve waited until the last minute to pack, which is really unlike him, but he was ready to go on time.
  • The plan was for him to drop me and all of our luggage off at the terminal so that we would not have to lug all of our bags, 2 car seats and a stroller on the shuttle bus.  Somehow he dropped me and all of our sh** off at the wrong terminal.  It was a lot of fun lugging all of our stuff and Ava to the train to get to the correct terminal.  Lots of mumbling, cursing and fumbling later I was at the correct terminal.
  • We were the very last ones to board our flight.  We got the girls seats installed successfully on the plane and we were all ready to go.
  • We sat on the runway for 2 hours waiting for the rain to stop.
  • During that 2 hours the girls did most of the activities I had brought for them and ate all of the snacks I had packed.
  • Once it was time for take off the A-hole in front of me refused to put his seat back up and apparently his e-mail was more important than my families safety.  Let's just say I almost stabbed him in the back of his head with a plastic fork for being so disrespectful. 
  • Once the food tray finally made it to us, Steve ordered a sandwich.  The flight attendant asked me what I wanted and I asked for the classic snack box.  This is the snack box with all of the children's snacks in it (goldfish, applesauce, carrots, crackers and yogurt).  She then proceeds to tell me oh no wait this guy is first.  
  • Takes the old guy with a giant beer gut's order.  He was sitting in front of Steve.  He orders the classic snack box.  She sells it to him.  Then she turns to me, I place my order again and she says "sorry honey that man just bought the last classic snack box.  I asked what they had left and she said nothing, everything is sold out. Do you want a granola bar?  fumes coming out of my ears at this point!!!
  • I spend the next 20 minutes staring daggers into said old guy while he devours his obviously for small children snacks while my two small children starve.   I was starving too, but who cares about that.
  • The rest of the flight was uneventful.  The girls did fabulous, Brynn napped and Ava played quietly while starving.
  • Once we landed I realized that one of the girls red markers had fallen into my lap without a lid.  So my FAVORITE jeans were not only stained with red ink, but the marker had oh so conveniently leaked all over the crotch of my jeans, so I got to walk through LAX with a giant red stain on my crotch.  That was fun and not at all humiliating.
The flight home was much less eventful, but they did separate us.  The girls are great travelers!  So proud of my babies.  One of our bags was over the weight limit and they wanted to charge us $100 to check it. We got it all sorted out thought thank goodness. Steve's mom asked how the checking bags in and getting through security went and he said "oh fine, just a little bit of screaming, cursing, blaming and finger pointing but we are all good now and eating lunch"  LOL that man is funny!  

As for Disneyland, Ava is fearless and rides everything she can get her little hiney on.  Brynn loves rides, but made sure that she sat in my lap and had my hand available to cover her eyes anytime she got scared.  She never cried, never fussed just put my hand over her eyes and she was all good.  

We had a character dinner at Goofy's kitchen and a breakfast with Minnie.  We actually got a picture package with professional pictures taken throughout the park, but here I will post the ones we took on our own.  We had a great family vacation and I was very sad when it was over. Several times Ava said "This is the BEST day EVER"  The first day we had a magic morning so we got into Disney an hour before the park opened.  We rode the dumbo ride first and then the tea cups.  We rode almost every ride, got to see Minnie and Mikey's house and meet all kinds of Disney characters.  

Off to the pool 


Peter Pan Ride

Minnie's House

Brynny having Tea in Minnie's kitchen- She matches!

My little snow white and the actual snow white

Nap time at Disney







This one in Pooh Country after we rode Winnie the Pooh's ride twice-Brynn's favorite

First cotton candy ever

Houston we have landed

Ava met Peter Pan!






Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Brynn Elise at 2 years old

At 2 years old Brynn is talking in full sentences and can communicate with us 100% verbally.  She's still a good eater but is a little pickier about what she eats.  She is still off the pacifier but I do let her have it at night every now and then.  In the morning I make her hand it over and she's really good about it. 

She is really thinning out now that she's getting older and she is a very happy toddler.  Steve tells everyone how funny it is that she and Ava are so different when they get angry.  Ava throws an epic tantrum, screaming and crying and all drama.  When Brynn gets upset, she goes silent, drops whatever she has in her hand and starts swinging and hitting.  If she doesn't start swinging she'll drop whatever is in her hand and drop to the ground and pout or cry.  She also likes to go around and throw everything in sight on the floor as if she's punishing you.

She still loves Caillou and watching TV in our bed at night before bedtime.  It makes her soooo happy to snuggle up in our bed at night.  Unlike her sister she is willing to share most of the time.  Ava on the other hand can not stand for Brynn to have anything.  Whatever Brynn has, Ava wants.  Sometimes Brynn will give her a run for her money but most of the time she'll just hand it over to shut Ava up.

She is still THE biggest mess maker on earth. 

Brynn loves being naked, hates diaper changes and getting dressed.  She runs around the house naked laughing and yelling "yook I naked, I naked!"
She loves bath time and playing in the back yard.  She likes to go around the yard and point out dog poop for us to scoop and then says "bye bye poo poo"
She also loves to dance and do "ballet" like big sis. 






Sunday, May 12, 2013

The Long Beach leg of our vacation

2 hour wait on the runway was pretty brutal.  The girls were very well behaved though.

On the runway waiting to take off

In Long Beach enjoying the weather

FAIL


Playing on the beach after a tandum bike ride

Gigi and Papi's crib


Feeding the birds on the beach



Places to go, people to see...