Three's Company

Back when James was born, we took this photo:

Now that Andrew is here, we needed an update. 

It took some serious wrangling to get all three of them to sit still, but I think we nailed it. I am torn over which is my favorite.  Above or below?

I kind of love the way James is looking at Andrew in this shot.  Such a proud big brother.  And of course Lucy is in love with both of them.  Happy Mama.

What a Difference a Year Makes

It's summer and you know what that means - VACATION!!!  We recently went on our annual pilgrimage to Bethany Beach and this time, we brought reinforcements: Grandma and Grandpa Q.  Our vacations to Bethany have become a staple in this family that date back to 2006.  We have created many memories in this beautiful beach town and this year was no exception.  If you recall, last year was fun, but a bit tough with our 1-year old toddler.  I think I said something along the lines of "Vacationing with a toddler is not really relaxing.  It really is just a change of scenery." So, so true.

Well, this year was (thankfully) a lot different.  Not only was James a year old and wiser, but we had two extra sets of hands which made all the difference.  Here's a peek into our week at the shore:

Day 1:  We're Here!
We arrived the night before and woke up to a beautiful, sunshiny day.  This day was not only our first day on vacation, but also (and more importantly) Lucy's 5th Birthday!!!!  Our little girl turned 5 and was showered with gifts including a new Floyd doll (red loofa) and lots of treats.

After the birthday celebration, we grabbed some breakfast at The Cottage Cafe and then headed to the grocery store to stock up on food for the week.  The Grandparents arrived a little later in the day and after a quick unloading of the car, we headed to the pool.  Our little guppy had a blast in the pool making for a perfect day 1 of vacation.

Day 2: Beach Bound

We woke up to another gorgeous day in Bethany and decided to head to the beach.  Last year's beach experience was not a great one.  We lasted a total of 90 minutes and they were filled with sand in the mouth and eyes, fly-away umbrellas and insulin pump malfunctions.  Not cute.  This year was much better.  We didn't pack light (do we ever?), but we wanted to be prepared for any and all situations.  

Upon arrival, all James could say was "Water! Water! Water!"  Ed immediately took him to the ocean's edge and they stood there for 30+ minutes.  James LOVED how the water felt on his toes - especially when the water pulled back and his feet sunk into the sand. 

After the fascination waned, he spent some serious time making sand castles with Grandpa who is the utmost expert in all things sand.  Especially sand bridges!  Remarkably, we lasted 3 whine-free hours - a miracle in my book.  Before heading back to the house for a nap, we grabbed some ice cream from Kohr's which I think that was Jame's favorite part.  

That night, we headed back into town for a delicious seafood dinner at The Blue Crab Restaurant followed by some time on the playground.  It was truly the quintessential beach day!

Day 3: Beach Bound Part 2

Since our first day on the beach was such a success, we decided to try to replicate it.  

Same strategy.  

Different results.  

The awe of the beach that captured James on the previous day seemed to have worn off.  It wasn't all bad, but after 2 hours it was time to go home and grab a nap.  The afternoon/night was low key and included a bike ride to a new, local playground.  Nothing makes James happier than the sight of a slide.  

Day 4: Dogfish and Date Night

I'm not going to lie.  This may have been my most favorite day and it's not because we got a much needed break from our rambunctious 2-year old.  :)  This was the day that we got to sample beer.  Dogfish Head beer to be exact.  

Ed and I visited the Dogfish Head Brewery a few years back and had such a great time that we had to go back again - and bring Grandpa along with us.  Grandma and James spent the morning home (watching endless hours of Elmo!) while we headed to Milton, DE to check out the Dogfish digs. Since our last visit, the company invested something like $20 million in the facility and it showed.  The tasting room was updated as was the warehouse and bottling plant.  Our tour guide was great as were the 4 free samples.  My new favorite - Saison du Buff. 

Part two of Day 4 was date night for Ed and I.  We kissed James goodnight and made our way to Rehoboth for dinner at the Cultured Pearl Restaurant and Sushi Bar and a walk around town.  It was a perfect ending to a perfect day!

Day 5: Happy Birthday Grandpa!!

We had another birthday to celebrate while in Bethany - Grandpa's!  It was present time as soon as breakfast was over and James was ready to help out.  Grandpa got some great stuff and James got to play with wrapping paper and tissue.  A win-win!  After presents, Grandma and Grandpa escaped headed to Ocean Downs and we went for a bike ride in Rehoboth.  The day ended with bubbles, a big Italian dinner (Grandpa's favorite!) and birthday cake. Happy Birthday Grandpa!!

Day 6: Last Day

Our last day in Bethany was actually spent in Rehoboth trolling walking the boardwalk. Our main goal was to bring James to Funland so that he could go on the rides.  It would have been good if we checked the website to see when they opened because we were there several hours prior.  In James' words, "Awww, Nuts!" We did manage to play some carnival games and scored James two teddy bears so it was a win in our book.  After making our way through town, we found a park with a playground and tables for our picnic lunch.  Score!  The day ended with a failed attempt at some pool time hence the screaming photo below.  It was on that note that we packed up the car and headed out of dodge.  

It really was a great trip and we were so, so happy that Grandma and Grandpa were there with us.  I love that we continue to create new memories at the beach and I hope that the tradition continues in the future.  Happy Summer!!

Hello Ella!

You may have noticed from yesterday's blog post that there is a new little lady hanging around these parts.  Her name is Ella and she a sweet little peanut. My parents adopted her a few months back and she is spending time with us while they are in Florida.  

The vet is 99% sure she is a Lhasa Apso and is 5 years old.  Her previous owner passed away so my parents swooped in and grabbed her.  They had been tinkering with getting a dog, but weren't sure they wanted to deal with a puppy.  They also took into consideration that both of their grand-dogs, Lucy and Sophie, are not so keen on sharing their attention.  But after meeting this sweet girl they fell in love and now she is part of the family.

James is a BIG fan of Ella and loves to scream out her name when he sees her.  Having her here for a few days has been a huge bonus for him - what kid wouldn't want 2 dogs?!  They bonded pretty quickly and I have a feeling James is going to be very sad when she leaves.

As for Lucy...it's been a slower process.  They were first introduced a few weeks back at the dog park.  Ella's trainer suggested that we bring the girls to a neutral place so there was no fighting over territory.  I wasn't there - but Ed said it went well.  Lucy spent most of the time running around with the other dogs while Ella stayed by my Mom's side.  We took it as a win. :)

The next encounter was at a training session at PetSmart. Ella's trainer offered to give them a private lesson and teach us some techniques on how to socialize them.  They again got along which again was a win in our book.

Last test was at my parent's house and this was the big one.  Lucy had lived there for a few months when we first moved down and felt very territorial about the place.  Per the trainer's instruction, we had them meet out front on leash first.  Next step was to move them into the backyard and let them run around.  Luckily, things went well.  Lucy behaved.  Ella behaved.  James behaved.  All was good.

We took the ultimate plunge this week by having Ella stay with us at our house.  We followed the same formula as we did at my parent's house:  meet outside on leash + run around in the backyard = 2 happy puppies that are not biting each other's heads off.  And it has stayed that way...for the most part.  There have been some angry words over treats and when it is an appropriate time to play.  Luckily they are both small enough that when they do get into a scuffle, we can quickly scoop one of them up and remove them from the situation.  Over all, they are new besties.

I think Ella has had fun being here, but will be very happy when her Mommy and Daddy come home.  She is a huge Mama's girl and loves to lay on her lap.  Ed and I provide a decent substitution, but it's not quite the same.  

I'll tell you one thing, she will miss the excitement and pace of our house versus back home.  We keep her going all day long which is something she is not used to.  I have a feeling that once she gets home, she will sleep for 3 days straight.

Welcome to the family, Ella!!! xoxo