Sweet Spot

We are so antsy for Spring to show itself over here! We still have large clumps of dirty snow & patches of brown grass to look at for a few more weeks. But even though the dreariness is still in full swing, we are in such a sweet spot as a family.

Theo has been sleeping through the night for quite a while now (months actually), and he has gradually been waking up later & later each morning. His naps are very regular (he currently takes only one a day), lasting a couple hours. He has even gotten to the point where he is able to soothe himself. Give the boy his blanket(s) & pacifier and he is all set! I wish I could take the credit for this amazing voodoo magic, but I simply can't. He did this all on his own. Clearly the child is living up to the type A tendencies of his zodiac sign & the tendencies of his parents for that matter.

We have loved every stage of life with him so far, but this has been one of our favorites. He is sooo aware of everything around him & its the cutest watching him take notice. We LOVE giving him new foods to try. For the most part he seems to enjoy whatever we give him, only occasionally spitting things out. He recently learned to "kiss". Gracing us with all his open mouth, drooling glory almost daily. He roars like a dinosaur at any given moment to grab out attention. By far the best thing, though is his fake laugh. He will throw his head back, closing his eyes after we've done something that is somewhat funny, almost out of pity for us. It cracks us up each time he does it.

So although we have lots of sunshine in our family already, we are more than ready for the warm weather to stick around! We have so many ideas for the Spring & Summer to look forward to.

Family Vacation

 

Do you ever feel as though you need to take a vacation to recover from your vacation? That is exactly how we currently feel! We returned a few days ago from our first family trip (along with my parents & sisters) to Florida & although it was so worth it, it was a loooong trip.

In order to save some money we decided to make the journey to Florida by driving. I'd be kidding if I said Nate & I weren't a little nervous about Theo being in his carseat for so long, but the kid handle it like a boss! We left on a Thursday evening & arrived Friday evening with only one minor meltdown. 

Our first full day in Florida was spent on the beach no less. It was 80 & sunny and clearly better than the bitter cold we had all left behind! Theo was slightly skeptical of the water & sand, but still seemed to really enjoy himself. We weren't sure how he would handle being contained to his pack'n'play while at the beach, but he would play so contently & sing to himself all day. He napped so well too (I'm sure the sound of waves crashing in the background didn't hurt)! I think I should also note, he didn't consume any sand. I don't know whether to be thrilled or slightly disappointed. 

The next day we traveled a little bit further to visit Siesta Keys. It was a little cooler this day, but the beach was absolutely beautiful! The sand was the whitest I've ever seen & felt like flour between your toes. It was so picturesque with the turquoise water & fishing pier in the background. We had lunch at this neat restaurant overlooking the water & stuffed our faces with fresh seafood. 

We took a couple days off from the beach, indulging ourselves with shopping & a baseball game. We saw the Red Sox & Tampa Bay play a spring training game (It was a first for the three of us). Theo, again, was an angel baby. He slept through the first 6 innings & then never made a sound the rest of the game, except to flirt with the little old ladies behind us. I must make you all aware Theo's Grandpa is the huge White Sox fan, hence the reason he is decked out in their gear (WE are Washington Nationals fans).

The rest of the vacation was spent at the ocean. Although it was too cold to get in the water, we all had the best time searching for shells & shark teeth (I have an irrational amount of shells now residing in our home). It really was amazing to see the amount of shells & teeth that just wash up along the shores for miles and miles. Since the days were a little on the cooler side, we were able to spot quite a few alligators along the roadways sunning themselves. It was pretty wild & I made sure everyone was aware with my excited shrieks. 

By the time our last day arrived, it had become apparent Theo was in love with the ocean & had become obsessed with palm trees. Vacations always go by so quickly, but they're so worth it. We were able to indulge in copious amounts of good food, lots of laughs with family & experience a few "firsts" with Theo. Now it's back to reality and counting down the days until we can see those turquoise waters again.

Happy almost weekend! :)