Ordinary Life {August 2011}

Jamaica

How many people wish that they could spend birthdays in Jamaica?!

...this lucky kiddo got to!  After a rocky start to the trip (getting in late and Cole crying that he missed home), we settled in to sleep [funny side note - we got a cot in the room for Cole...guess who ended up sleeping there?  that's right, Daddy!].  Cole woke up for the first day of our trip a four year old! 

(with an odd "club style" headband embedded into his head from Jayjay the previous evening). 

We had packed carefully to leave room for some small and fun gifts.

We spent our mornings poolside after filling our bellies with all inclusive breakfasts - including local fare and awesome tropical juices.

Two small kids are a lot of work. 

 

thank goodness for help...

....and booze.

Cole loved swimming around the pool.  He especially loved to swim through the bar area. 

Can't say I blame him...

Max was picky about the sun and temperature.  Her diva runs deep, you know.  She was a trooper though for four months old.

Gigi Maxine and Alberta Maxine enjoyed the shade with little Max.

Josh & Courtney started the trip off right.  Josh purposed to Courtney the night we arrived.  We were so excited to help them celebrate and can't wait for their big day!

As we checked in the first night, with a crabby Cole, I tried to console him by getting him excited about his birthday the following day.  The wonderful staff person who was checking us in overheard and promised Cole a surprise to be delivered to our room the next afternoon....

He got a birthday cake, personalized, and delivered to our room!  Such a sweet gesture and neat thing for my sweet & neat boy!

We took our cake down to dinner to share and celebrate Cole with the family.  Our awesome family helped us to celebrate his fourth year with more presents and fun.

We tried for a family photo.  Tried.  We need to try some more.

The trip was so fast and we spent a great deal of time trying to keep up with the kids, keep them on some type of schedule, get naps in, etc...but it was so nice.  We spent a little time at the beach.  (Maxine's toes first time in sand - Jamaica)

We met Raj.

We tried LOTS of cocktail concoctions.

We took photos and popped "S's"... and I learned to not have photos taken with these three skinnies!

And we spent time together, most importantly.

We are so grateful to Gigi for her generosity.  Our trips with her are awesome and we would likely never get to take them and show our young kids so much of the world.  Cole still talks about his Jamaica birthday and wants to go back. 

Huge thanks to Gigi for this opportunity and the trip.

Lots of thanks to Derek for being such an awesome partner in this parenting gig.  I COULD not do it alone.

Thanks to Na for helping too!

Thanks to the rest of y'all for being the best family!

A Day in the Park

no words needed....