Easter Goodies

Easter was almost a week ago and I'm just now sitting down to
post pictures. Ready for the excuse??
The few pictures I took weren't that great.
I'm the "horrible" mother who didn't take pictures of him dressed up Easter morning. Instead I caught him digging into his
Easter basket and eating candy.
I must say though, his expression when he pulled
out his pinwheel was priceless!

The Happiest Place On Earth

Last week we made the close to 2200 mile round trip to Florida to visit Brian's family and go to Disney World. We broke the drive up into three days and spent more than we usually do to stay in nice hotel. (No offense to Motel 6...our usual hotel of choice) Camden did surprising well in the car thanks to a little help from the DVD player we purchased midway through our first day's drive. After three days in the car we made it to Holiday, Florida on Sunday afternoon.

We spent Sunday and most of Monday day at Brian's Grandmother's house before driving to Orlando. Brian's sister, Christine and her husband, David have a timeshare that they graciously shared with us. Tuesday we visited downtown Disney, hung out around the house and just enjoyed watching the kids play together. Wednesday was the big Magic Kingdom day that started when the park opened...8 am. We had bold ambitions of making an entire day of it but called it quites after 9 hours. We were able to squeeze in all of the rides and sightseeing we wanted Camden to experience. He loved "It's a Small World" and flying with Dumbo. Thursday we took some time to do a little sightseeing and sit down to enjoy a yummy Irish lunch. Friday we packed up and headed back home. We figured that we spent just as much time, if not more, in the car than we did out of it....but it was worth it.

I took over 275 pictures.
These are some of my favorites:

Independent Reading

Yesterday morning I was switching loads of laundry around while Camden was playing with toys in his room. The laundry room is right next to Camden's room so I could easily hear him chatting away and clanking things around. After a few minutes I noticed that he had become very quite, which usually means he's getting into trouble.
I turn the corner into his room and find this:

Camden had crawled up into the rocking chair, pulled books out of the book baskets on the top shelf of the toy cabinet next to the chair and sat down to "read." (notice every book is upside down) It was the cutest thing ever! I was even more surprised that he was still there after I ran to get the camera. He sat there for fifteen minutes or more just looking through the various books that we read before bedtime.

We read together at least three times a day and he's just recently started showing a high interest in his books. He's always liked to be read to but now he's pointing at the pictures, "requesting" specific books and sitting for longer or multiple stories.
I suppose can add independent reading to that list now.

Singin' In The Rain

We were blessed with a few days of steady rain about a week ago. Brian took Camden outside on one of those wet and dreary afternoons and let him walk through the raindrops. Walking through the wet grass turned into stomping through puddles which was closely followed with a dip into the water that aways accumulates at the edge of our back patio. Needless to say, Brian had some wet clothes and a soggy diaper to change. I'm sure he'd say that it was worth it though.

Let Me Out!!

Camden, like most any child I know, loves to be outside.
I think this was his way of saying he wanted to go outside:



He's seen us open the sliding glass door leading out to the atrium more than a few times and decided that he would give it a try. I know that if and when he can reach the handle and muster enough strength to yank the door open, he'll be gone. Luckily, he won't have far to go....he'll only be in the atrium after all.
(Those other three walls will keep him from going too far)

Moody Gardens

My friend Whitney must have a luck foot (like a rabbit). She wins most everything that she enters! Well, our outing to Moody Gardens in Galveston was thanks to one of those many wins that she graciously shared with us. Thanks Whitney!!



She had received four adult passes to Moody Gardens that included an IMax movie, Ride Film, and entrance to all three pyramids. Let me first say that I would not recommend this a tourist attractions seeing as how the rain forest pyramid was closed, the discovery pyramid only had one exhibit in it, most of the little kiosks were closed, there was a lack of employees and (this is a biggie) without our free passes it would have cost $47.00 per person!



That being said...we had a great time exploring the aquarium pyramid which Camden loved, walking near the water, hanging out with Tyler and Whitney, viewing the IMax movie about whales and dolphins and playing on the playground.

Living Room Camp Out

Did you ever make tents when you were younger?
My brothers and I would pull out the chairs from around the kitchen table, put them in the living room spreading them as far apart as possible and cover them with blankets that we pulled off of our beds or out of closets. We'd then spend hours filling our new hideout with toys, furniture and other tent necessities. Ahh..memories!



Well, Brian and I set up a tent for Camden last weekend and it has become and temporary fixture in our living room.
We decided to pitch the mini tent I had ordered from a book fair at school several years ago after watching him crawl back and forth between the couch and coffee table when Brian was lounging there with a blanket draped across his legs. It made a little tent just long and tall enough for him to crawl through.
Seeing how much he liked crawling through there gave met he motivation to dig the tent box out of the closet. Since setting up the tent it has become a hiding place, toy storage, a great story spot and a little place where we've shared a lot of laughs together.
Who knew a little tent could be so much fun for not only Camden, but Brian and I as well?!?!