Another Day At The Park

In case no one could tell, the pictures from the last post about the bowling alley birthday party would hopefully have appeared to be of a better quality than had been posted. There is a reason. New camera. The last one crapped out and I needed something that I didn't feel limited my creativity.

Today I got the chance to actually use my new camera in the outdoors. I had been doing some reading up on different things about taking photos with the features available with a quality camera, but couldn't do much with the poor lighting of indoors. Below are some of the pictures from a trip to the park with my parents who came down for the weekend. Some are quite funny. Enjoy.

Look at those matchy-matchy girls!

I like this one a lot.

Seems Belle has her eye on my dad.

But, my mother has a serious chat about how my dad can't be running around with dolls.

Palm-head

Bowling at Bedroxx

The kids were invited to a birthday party on Saturday at a bowling ally called Bedroxx. This party was for a co-worker of Derek's 3 year old girl named Caprice. The little girls first met back in August when we went bowling for a company event. Maeley thought she was so cool because she had a Tinker Bell doll. Plus she had a basket filled will stickers of the Disney princesses. This time she really enjoyed herself and Chase helped her bowl too.

Derek helping the kids bowl

Derek took this picture. I think it's really cool, even though Chase moved a little and it looks like he has two ears.

What a handsome boy!

Maeley waiting for her bowling ball.

The birthday girl, Caprice.

Zoe pics

I can't believe that Zoe is almost 3 months old. She's not a newborn any longer. Time is going by so quickly and our kids are growing up. Zoe has changed so much recently I thought I'd better post new pictures of her. She is smiling all the time now, yet somehow I haven't been able to capture it on my camera. Well there's more than one reason for that. Our camera has been acting up lately and the auto focus is not focusing correctly therefore we are getting blurry pictures. I have a few pictures where she is smiling but they turned out fuzzy. Its really annoying me.

What a cutie!

See slighly blurry, but oh well.

Isn't that smile funny? Maeley loves Zoe and Zoe loves her back.

I just can't get enought of this cutie!

Hanging out with Dad during the Cardinals game Sunday

Maeley's attempt at potty training Chase

Earlier this week while I was nursing Zoe I heard Maeley and Chase down the hall. I didn't bother to ask what they were doing because they sounded like they were having fun. When I finished feeding Zoe I went to investigate and this is what I found.

Maeley positioned the stool at the toilet, got out the toddler toilet seat, and even took off his pants and diaper so he could use the potty. She apparently must have been demonstrating due to her lack of pants.

Maeley explaining to Chase to sit on the toilet seat.

"Okay, what am I supposed to do now, nothing is happening?"

This is what I imagine Chase was thinking.

I really don't think he's ready to begin potty training yet. However he is very interested when Maeley goes. By the look of it he will have lots of encouragement from his big sis.

Chase's 18 month checkup

Chase's 18 month stats:

Weight: 24lbs 9oz. (between the 25th and 50th percentile)
Height: 32in. (50th percentile)
Head: 45.5cm (5th percentile)

I love well checkups. It's exciting to see how much they are growing. Chase sure is slimming down. I'm most surprised at his head circumference. To me his head feels huge, but I can't be too surprised I fit into kids hats. Yesterday was his first day in nursery. We've been waiting and waiting and now its finally here. He did NOT do well! First of all our church time has changed so he's hungry and tired. He cried so much they insisted on one of us staying with him. Derek ended up staying the entire time because he wouldn't stop crying. When it was time to clean up he would help but he was crying while he did it. He usually enjoys cleaning up. Then when it came time to snack time he didn't want anything to do with it. If you know Chase, you know he is always ready to eat. I came into nursery the last 20 minutes because Zoe began crying in Relief Society. At the end when they started doing the bubbles was the only time he almost smiled. Poor kid. Hopefully it won't be too much longer before he goes without any problem.

Chase enjoying his new car given to him by Grandad and Grandma Jones

Disneyland Part 5: Day 3

We had an early entry pass into Toon Town so we took advantage of it. Right when we got there Minnie, Goofy and Donald were around to get pictures with. Surprisingly, Chase was not afraid of them. I think because he enjoys watching the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse show. After that we found some breakfast and then headed over to California Adventure again. We took Maeley to see Playhouse Disney Live. After that we headed back to the hotel so Chase could nap. Derek got some one on one time with Maeley. They went to the pool where Maeley apparently went down the small slide about a hundred times and then went for ice cream. I was able to take a short nap while they were out. Wahoo!

Chase, Derek, Goofy and Maeley

Derek, Chase, Donald and Maeley


Chase with dad

Chase with mommy

Maeley washing the dishes at Minnie's house

Maeley and Parker in Toon Town

Zoe trying to see out of her beanie that is a little big.

Derek with Chase and Zoe during Play House Disney Live

(If you look hard enough you can see Grandma, Phil, Stephanie, Parker and Braden)

Maeley and I

Maeley with her arms up and me

(Maeley keeps telling me I should have put my hands up)

The last day was New Year's Eve, so how did we spend the evening? Well we had dinner reservations for 6 o'clock which ended up not happening until a quarter to 7. Unfortunately, that was feeding time for Zoe. I feed her right there at the restaurant table. That is completely out of my comfort zone and I hope never to do that again. I'd rather be home than breast feed in public let alone at a restaurant table. Well Maeley was complaining that her legs hurt and had me rub them. She then wanted me to hold her and soon fell asleep in my arms before the food was even brought to our table. We went straight to our room after dinner which was about 8. The kids went to sleep right away, even Zoe. Derek and I unintentionally feel asleep before 9. We were awoken by the first set of fireworks about 9:30 and got up to brush our teeth. We woke up again to the sounds of fireworks and midnight but both had no energy to get out of bed. It turns out that the fog was so thick you couldn't even see them from our room anyways.

The ride home wasn't as easy as the ride there. Derek's sister Kim came with us. Zoe cried on and off from Blythe until we got back to Derek's parents house. I think she was just tired of sitting in the car seat for 5 days. Sorry, Kim, you had to listen to Zoe scream for so long and thanks for helping keep Chase entertained.

Disneyland Part 4: Day 2

Day 2 we spent the day at California Adventure. For the first ride of the day we went straight to the new Toy Story "Midway Mania" ride. That was a blast. Stephanie and I took advantage of the baby swap program and went on the ride together after our husbands got off and they took our babies from us. Later we watched the Aladdin show and the Pixar parade.

Marc, Maeley and Kari

(I realize the picture is a little fuzzy, but oh well)

Chase and Derek

Chase looks so darn cute in the 3D glasses.

Blaine and Marylee

Chase with Tama (grandma)

Marc, Maeley and Parker on the carousel

Chase with his balloon.

So again a fuzzy picture but I just had to post a picture with him and his balloon. He carries this balloon everywhere still, even a week later. I'm afraid of the fit he will throw when it deflates.
Thanks Blaine!

Derek and Zoe

Lightning McQueen of course

Monsters Inc. in the Pixar parade

Toy Story 2, Jessie and Woody are playing the game like in the new ride

The castle all lit up. You can't tell in this picture but it was pretty foggy. Marc and Kari offered to stay in our room while we went out for the night. We had a few hours to play before the park closed. We met up with Phil and Stephanie and rode Space Mountain, Pirates, Splash Mountain, The Haunted Mansion, and Big Thunder Railroad. I got pretty wet on Splash Mountain and froze the rest of the time.

Thanks Marc and Kari!