Avery is Mini-Mommy

I guess Avery P is picking up some phrasology from mommy...

While walking behind Daddy in the house this morning: "Daddy, listen...I think I have diaper issues" (diaper was not attached well after all night)

Connor was leaning in close and talking to Avery's Ariel money-bank: "Connor, you can't talk to her....it's NOT possible".

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Funny to hear the different interpretations by Connor and Avery:

Avery: Mary had a wittle wamb, wittle wamb, wittle wamb....

Connor: Mary had a yittle yamb, yittle yamb, yittle yamb...

Melt Daddy's Heart

The other night when putting Avery to bed, she gave me (daddy) a couple extra kisses. The reason why:

"i give you extra kisses daddy....cuz i wuv you..."

Crap

Mommy got busted the other day with her foul language!

Jamie, Connor & Avery were down the street at Kevin and Julia's house. Connor was apparently carrying all his normal pile of goods when he wanted to throw a ball to Veronica (their dog). When he discovered he didn't have a spare hand, he non-shalantly (sp?) told Jamie: "mom, can you hold all my crap?"

3rd Birthday Party

Wow - what a party! Had a large turnout for their party Sunday. I think Jamie's latest numbers had it at about 60 people, about half of those were kids, most of them under 5 years old.

The party was at our house, mostly outside, both in the backyard and frontyard. We rented a "Castle" jumpy, but it was too big to fit in the backyard, so it went in the front. We knew this when we ordered it, so just had the party all over the property.

Theme: Bob the Builder, and Arial.
Food: Costco Pizza, salads by Jamie.
Cakes: Bob the Builder & Arial blue round from Cathy Wagner. Didn't even get to the Costco one.
Pinata: Bob the Builder

Kids (in no particular order, and I'm sure I'll miss some): Ferch, Rasmussen, Whitney, Shinnick, Pisacane, Wagner, Savitt, Jones, Gma/Pa Hanan, GMa Dailey, Meyer, Luge', Mel/Daniel, Stokesberry!, Bo & bro from our street, ...

Jumpy deflated on C&A, Z&A before the party started. Scary - apparently the intake slid off the air pump thingy. Wow, that thing deflates FAST! Kids were screaming, crying, etc. Duck taped it all back together for the rest of the day.

Avery's Big Head

We've always been putting the gate up at the top of the stairs at night. I guess it's mostly to prevent the kids from heading downstairs in their sleep some night.

Last week, we could hear the kids out at the top of the stairs working on trying to remove the gate. There's just tension springs on each side, so they're just not strong enough to pull it off. We suddenly heard Connor heading down the stairs (voice getting more and more faint). "gama barba ann" is visiting, so he was going down there to "wake her up". Since the gate doesn't reach down to the carpet, apparently, he slid underneath it and cruised on down.

A few seconds later, we hear Connor coaching Avery, saying "just go under the gate Avey". Avery's response:
I got a big head Connor!

After another few seconds of contemplating what to do, Avery comes out with "...Got a big head going on here!..."
Then, starting to whine, "big head..."

Daddy to the rescue -- I crawled out there to the top of the stairs to show Avery "the trick": turn her head to slide under the gate. Ah-ha. She's now SOOO grateful to Daddy for showing her "the trick".

The next morning, Connor was first to crawl under the gate, then turns to Avery, "How's your big head?". Avery answers: "I know the trick!"

This has now become a daily occurance -- sliding under the gate early in the morning to go wake up grandma. Well, we are at least only lettting them do it now if there's "a 7 on the clock".

Disneyland

The big trip to Disney -- 2 day session, stayed at the Disneyland Hotel for a night in between. Quite an adventure, first time for the kids, and Jamie or I had not been there for about 10 years.
The quick list of the adventures:

• Monorail from hotel into TomorrowLand - virtually everything there was closed (Space Mountain, Autopia)
  
• Got there just in time for Buzz Lightyear Live! show. To infinity...and beyond. Connor was stoked on Buzz and his helper girl. He walks around the house now doing the stomp, stomp, cross hands over chest, point to the sky...
  
• Small World with no line. Sweet. Avery says "dark mom" right when we enter the building. But got used to the singing people and enjoyed it.
  
• Mikey's Toon Town - at first, not much going on there, looked at a few things. Then Jamie was right in front on Mickey's house when they re-opened it after a break. Went cruising through the house, Avery started to wonder when at the end waiting in a short line. (They aren't big on the characters that are all dressed up -- when can't see human behind there anywhere, they're a bit scared). Open the door, and THERE'S MICKEY!! Mommy had to hold A & C, and get close to Mickey. Daddy took a picture while Avery is saying "go away Mickey".
  
• FantasyLand - carousel was a big hit, loved the horses going up, then down...
  
• Late lunch and back to hotel for nap. Avery on couch and Connor on the bed - crashed surprisingly fast for all the distractions.
  
• Dinner with Hanan clan - Connor was stoked to be with Zack and Adam. Daddy: "Connor, what do you want for dinner, chicken nuggets or burgers". Connor turns to Zack, "Zack, what are you having for dinner". Zack: "Burgers - two of them". Connor back to Daddy: "I have burgers"
  
• After slow dinner - bedtime for tired kids: 9pm. Same bed, but again, crashed quickly.
  
• Day two start - kids slept decently late since blackout curtains in the hotel. At 715am, they weren't aware that it was "morning time" already. Opened the drapes a tad and let in some light to their amazement.
  
• Got to California Adventure when the gates opened at 10am. Went straight to the already lined up "Playhouse Disney". This was AWESOME. Sit in small theatre on the ground and watched all their buddies: Bear and gang (pip, pop, ojo, tutter, etc), Rollie Pollie Ollie, Pooh and friends, Stanely. Bubbles from the ceiling, confetti, dancing, the kids loved it.
  
• Not much else to do in DCA, a few more rides...
  
• Avery wanted desperately to do Dumbo - a bit of a line, but they're getting used to waiting, and doing very well.
  
• Tried Pinnochio's ride after that - not good. Dark and LOUD. Avery halfway through, crying a bit, and "cover my eyes". Connor covers his mouth when he gets scared or worried - this caused a "double mouth cover".
  
• Carousel again - loved the horses just the same.
  
• Daddy and Mommy got to fast pass the (new to us) Indiana Jones ride. Stroller pass allowed Jamie to go in the exit -- sweet deal.
  
• Now it's almost 4pm -- WAY past naptime and departure goal for us and kids. Head out, do some shopping at the HUGE Disney store in Downtown Disney.
  
• Get bags and car from hotel, back in car and on the way home at about 5pm. Kids are dead asleep before we even hit the freeway.