Spring Travels

This is a picture-heavy post that only grandparents will likely make it through. But that's okay because we had a busy late March/early April and I want to remember IT ALL.

Going chronologically backwards...

Trip #3

Last weekend I saw one of my good friends get married and got to hang out with my other good friends at her wedding. It was picture perfect: Lindsay was a beautiful bride and the weather was what every bride dreams of for her big day. What a lovely colorful spring wedding!

I mingled over Mexican food with these gorgeous Atlanta babes who love me no matter how long I do this "New York thing." A fun wedding with good company is THE BEST.

We visited Grampy and brought him breakfast. He got to see his great grandsons and they loved seeing him.

My brother with Tiger Cub and their Seahawks shirts. Matt used to be a clean cut East-Coaster but then he moved out West and turned into a lumberjack. 

Grandma and Grandpa took us to the Tellus Science Museum. We spent a lot of time in the children's area digging for fossils, playing with balls, and looking at ourselves in mirrors.

We had a bunch of fun visitors including these friends. Dana and I were childhood buddies, our moms are still great friends (and swap daughter/grandchild notes), and our babies are about a month apart.

Trip #2

Earlier this month we traveled to Baltimore to see my cousin Jennifer get married. We went by train which was a nice break from air travel and super fun for Tiger Cub.

We ate breakfast on the train like regular commuters.

Our hotel had an awesome pool, which we used to wear out the boys so they'd nap.

Wedding ready with all my handsome guys.

We had a short (but long due to traffic) Uber ride to the wedding so there was plenty of time for pictures, laughing, crying, and falling asleep.

The first wedding we've been to inside a museum!

Tiger Cub and Small Bear met their sweet girl cousin for the first time. We tried to get a decent picture of the three of them but this was about the best I was able to manage.

Small Bear contemplating Aunt Tanya's Czech buchty.

The final night we had a big crab cake feast at a Baltimore restaurant. Because Maryland!

Trip #1

On Easter weekend we traveled to South Georgia for Randy's grandmother's funeral. It was a sad occasion but nice to see so much family and share the Easter holiday with them. Tiger Cub was all about the bonus weekend with his cousins. Family, spring showers, and baby ducks pretty much sum up our time down there.

A family picture and an almost family picture.

The littlest family member was offering free snuggles to all grandparents.

The R family took up two whole pews on Easter Sunday.

The Randy-Tiger Cub duo were serious about hunting Easter eggs.

Golf cart rides usually come with visits to South Georgia. And the sun appeared on our final day!

Brotherly love at the airport.

All of the above happened between Small Bear's 4 and 5 month birthdays. He turned 5 months the day we got back from the second wedding. 

 

Small Bear is a pleasure to travel with (I think we'd know if he wasn't). He likes relaxing and sleeping in people's arms, continues to take life in stride, and is pretty into observing the world around him. His best friends are his big brother and Kermit the Frog.

Happy 3rd Birthday Tiger Cub!

Our first born is 3 years old! Tiger Cub turned three a couple of weeks ago and was lucky enough to have his birthday land on a weekend this year.

Daddy and Tiger Cub kicked off Birthday Weekend with breakfast at the local bagel shop.

It's safe to say that we talk about air traffic control towers more than the average family. As in, "Dad is at the control tower" or "Dad is at work talking to the airplanes." Tiger Cub builds control towers out of legos and blocks. He's been known to scamper to the top of the jungle gym and declare he's in the air traffic control tower.

When Tiger Cub's 3rd birthday rolled around, it made sense to take him to the air traffic control tower. We have connections and it's free. And since we were "in the area," we also tacked on a visit to the airport fire station.

Checking out the "special" airport firetrucks...

Dressing the part...

Who let these two at the helm?

Taxiways for days...

Finally on to the tower to enjoy the view, the sunset, and Dad's coworkers.

Present time! Somebody got a balance bike!

While going to the airport and getting a bike were a lot of fun, Tiger Cub was most excited about cupcakes. Note to self: just give a 3-year-old cake. He got chocolate with chocolate icing per his own request (yep, sounds like he's ours). 

Good thing we got dad his own cupcake because it looks like he was considering dropping the baby and eating this one out of TC's little hands.

Tiger Cub's 3 Year Update

Tiger Cub has a budding imagination. He likes to take us on train rides, build train tracks, fly his rocket ship to Mars, and do make believe construction projects.  He also likes songs and nursery rhymes. 

TC wants to do everything himself. Even after we tell him he can definitely do something by himself, he continues to insist that he wants to do it by himself. He loves books, particularly overwhelmingly long books by Dr. Seuss of the Horton Hears a Who variety. He has boundless energy and stamina and may be able to beat you in long distance running. We're hoping this can be reigned in and used productively one day. Tiger Cub is approaching fluency in daytime potty training. He's also doing a great job of sharing his bedroom and parents with a new baby brother.

Portrait time! The boys were born on the same day of their respective months. So on the day that Tiger Cub turned 3 years old, Small Bear turned 3 months. We tried to commemorate the event because 4 years old and 15 months old won't have the same ring to it next year.

Small Bear's 3 Month update:

Small Bear had a great 4th trimester and makes being a baby look easy. He enjoys warm milk at 4 am and immediately falls back to sleep after getting some. He takes things in stride and knows how to chill out. He should really lead seminars for other babies on how to enjoy life as it comes and not sweat the small stuff. 

Small Bear can pass out almost anywhere. He's a cuddle bug and likes being held in people's arms, which we have trouble resisting. He has been experimenting with his voice and loves being sung and read too. Basically, he's the kind of baby that makes people want to have lots of babies. We know we have plenty of hurdles ahead...teething, toddlerhood, teenage year to name a few. But for now we're going to enjoy it and not ask questions!

Georgia Visit Part II

After leaving Grandma and Grandpa's in Northwest Georgia, we headed to see the R family in Northeast Georgia.

Our many good times included...

Communal eating (mostly eating in because...4 kids under 5).

Lots and lots of quality play time among the cousins.

Opening Christmas gifts on a February morning (because why not?).

Family car rides where everyone was in a satisfactory mood.

Visiting a park with a covered bridge and a swing set. 

Pile on Aunts and Uncles!

Breaking out an impromptu birthday party for Tiger Cub.

Exploring nature.

Baby cuddles.

Synchronized jumping.

And it's a wrap! Back to NY we go.