My Strange Little Alessa

"Mommy! Take a picture of me!"
Bewildered at the sight of my child sprawled across the family room floor I asked her, "What am I taking a picture OF Alessa?"
And she replied, "Floor running!"

The Chosen One

Strange Things You Find After Caleigh Has Been Playing #1

"It has been foretold that after much searching, the 3 Wise Creatures - Unicorn, Handsome Prince & Dragon - will find the chosen one lying in a manger. He will rise up and smite the villians of Gotham City and there will be much rejoicing."

Vacation Day 10: Monterey Bay

We took the girls to the Monterey Bay Aquarium today. Two lessons learned though:

1) Always buy your tickets through AAA - not only are they cheaper, but it saves you having to stand in line for a good 45 minutes.
2) Do not try to make the drive down & back in one day. You will do nothing but become cranky and begin to strongly dislike each other by about Fairfield on the way back :) He who said, "Life is not about the destination, but the journey" never drove southbound on I-5.

We felt blessed once again that the girls are such great travelers. They chatted and colored & played with playdoh on their trays on the way down. At one point Caleigh exclaimed, "Look! A zombie! He wants to dance."

With that said, the girls had a fantastic time there. We spent a good 3 hours there & saw EVERYTHING there was to see. Particular favorites of the girls were the sea cucumbers, the sea horses & the river otters.

It was said river otters that became the most memorable and the girls would tell everyone who would listen about what they had experienced. As a "yeah, these fellows are certainly cute, but you wouldn't want to have one for a pet" warning, there was a little container in front of the exhibit that had a sample of what otters use to mark territory - a mixture of musk and, well, you know. For days afterward, the first thing the girls would say when someone asked them if they had fun at the aquarium was, "We smelled otter poop!"

After the aquarium, we had dinner at Bubba Gump's and ate while watching the seals disappear & resurface and the birds playing on the breeze. On the way home, we stopped at a little beach for a quick romp in the surf. Alessa was not too keen on the big waves.

We had a long, fun, chilly, humorous, sandy day.

Vacation Day 9: Christy's Mental Hang-Up

I've realized - as the date is actually September 12 and not July as it states - that my mind has a tendency to get hung up on something and not let go. At all.

For example, I was having a hard time summing up the rest of this "self imposed vacation" I've been chronicling. I got stuck on our one night trip up to Tahoe with the Clems and there's where I've stayed... for 7 weeks. Therefore, I'll be doing the much abridged version of the last few weeks with the promise to myself that I'll be a less harsh critic toward myself and my posts. So....

We spend the night up at the Lemos' cabin in Tahoe with the Clems. We all had a great time relaxing & hanging out.

Uncle Kaka is such a good role model :)

We went to the stream profile at the Rainbow Trail.

Amy was enthralled with the girls and they with her. Whenever the girls came into view, she would giggle, reach out & attempt to pull the girls in for a wet, open-mouthed kiss if they ventured near.

Vacation Day 5: Exploring the Great Outdoors

The girls had their first trip to Effie Yeaw Nature Center today. I feel like a terrible parent having waited so long to take them.

We spied brazen turkeys the size of large dogs sauntering through the grass and nervous jackrabbits darting across the path. A pair of velvet-antlered bucks stopped their halfhearted tussle to look at the girls quizzically before bounding away to a more private sparring ground. The girls listened in wonder, sagely nodding their little heads as we talked about oak galls and coyotes, tule huts and deer beds. They stopped short at a high scream and watched a pair of red-shouldered hawks take to wing and circle overhead. They identified scrub jays and magpies by sight, feather & call.

As they got in their car seats, Alessa sighed and stated, "Mommy, love this place." My girls the Naturalists - I don't know where they get it :)

Vacation Day 4: Martinez

This morning I was reminded again of what excellent travelers my girls are. We drove to Martinez to visit my sister-in-law & nephews. The drive which usually takes about 1 1/4 hours ended up taking over 2 when there were 2 accidents on I-80 within half a mile of each other. Not a single complaint, not a solitary "ARE WE THERE YET!?!?!" and only 2 potty stops :)

With the drive behind us, the girls and Owen gleefully greeted each other & ran into his bedroom hit it with the tornado that only the presence of three 3 year olds possesses. We chatted with my sister-in-law for a bit and headed out the door for Happy Meals and the park. The children had a great time & we caught up with Noey while playing with my new nephew.

Vacation Day 3: Backyard Playday

We drag out 3 inflatable wading pools, the water table & the little trampoline. We toss plastic cups & toys in the water & strew balls across the grass. We bring out the wagon & uncover the sandbox. Then we wait.

Soon the sound of minivan doors can be heard on the street and excited squeals enter the yard as one by one 7 or 8 sets of twins and their families come tumbling through the gate. Happy chaos ensues for the next 2 1/2 hours as the children play together, make up games and move from one mom to the next - grazing on goldfish, strawberries or Pirate's Booty.

We moms get a few hours of adult socialization knowing our little ones are safe in an enclosed area - aka completely fenced with latched gates. One of the moms brings her infant and we get our Baby Lust sated - for the time being.

Soon eyes are being rubbed and tempers shorten. The Witching Hour/Naptime Meltdown approaches. Time to clean up - everything is more fun as a game - let's see how fast we can empty the wading pools with these cups! Many hands make light work. Popcicles are presented as a reward and the sticky bunch reluctantly poses for a snapshot.

As as fast as it began, it's over. The only sign of the morning's enjoyment is a patch of flattened grass where blankets were once spread.