Lansing Zoo

We decided to take Layla to the Lansing zoo on Saturday. Oh the discoveries we made on this trip...like ideally you should have more than 3 Clorox wipes to clean puke out of a car seat, bunnies should not go into lion cages and you should really have more than $3 cash on your when you take your kid ANYWHERE. Looking for a good laugh? Oh please read on...

So our morning started out when L woke up at 7:45. She never wakes up this early, but we took advantage of it and got ready for the zoo. We left our house at 9:00, perfect for the 1 1/2 hour drive to get there. We figured we'd be there by 10:30, get a decent 2 hours there before leaving to grab lunch on our way home. As usual we were W-R-O-N-G.

We were in the middle of nowhere 40 minutes away from Lansing when Layla said she needed to use the potty. This was her first long car trip in underwear and I didn't want her to be upset because she had an accident. So Bryan pushed a little harder on the gas pedal so we could make it to the nearest town a little quicker (5 miles). I turned around to tell her "hold it!" and she pukes EVERYWHERE. So, I unbuckle my seatbelt and throw my pregnant self in the backseat to help her. Poor thing was SO upset that she threw up on her blankie that she didn't seem to care she also threw up on her shirt, shorts, carseat and all the extra blankets we had in the car. We finally get into town, get her cleaned up, get her car seat as clean as possible and make a trip to Family Dollar for a new shirt and blanket. The only thing they had was long sleeved PJs and a boys blanket. Fab.

I have to write that L wasn't sick...she's on a lot of meds for her digestive issues and they just happened to upset her stomach that morning. So on to the zoo we go...

So we arrive in Lansing and Bryan realizes "oops, I didn't put the address to the zoo into GoogleMap...we are just driving into Lansing". Soooooo after a 10 minutes detour we finally get to the zoo. I must add that I am just realizing this is the capital of MI (what a world I live in to not even know this...but honestly who cares?) and we decided that it is Michigan State, not Michigan that is in Lansing because "Ann Arbor is a whore". Right, all that Illini merchandise paid off!

So we get to the zoo and first things first, we have to find L a short sleeved shirt to wear! So she got a pink zoo shirt that is a size too big, our only option. After spending approximately three thousand dollars now on this seemingly "free" trip (we have a zoo pass) we had $2 in cash left. Bryan and L shared a Gatorade and now we have no dollars left.

One of the first things we got to see where the lions. They were pretty cool, got to see them super close and one was awake and looking at Layla as if she were a snack. Awesome, L loved that (seriously). We stood there for awhile so the lioness could drool over our toddler when all of a sudden a bunny hops through the cage!! I thought to myself "this is it...we have been through puking, shirt changes, the heat, screaming for a snack and no real choo choo train here...and this is going to be what L remembers most- this lion ripping this bunny to pieces". We left the lion exhibit and moved to something safer, the birds.

But of course, these birds were no usual birds. And L wants to feed the them. So I scrape the bottom of my purse (practically looking on the ground for pennies at this point) and come up with a $1 so she can do that. These birds were INTENSE. One bit Bryan and he proceed to act like such a baby that I think we scared all of the other families out of the cage (just kidding...but he did kind of squeal when it happened). The Bartons being the only one in the cage = crazy bomb diving birds coming for L's food stick:

But she liked it! I wish I would have gotten a good video of one landing on her shoulder though, it was hilarious.

Here are a few other pictures of us just roaming around:

We were so exhausted. It was 91 degrees outside (300 degrees to a pregnant women) and just mentally exhausted from all the discoveries we had to make on the way there. We pretty much rushed the zoo and left by 2:30 so we could eat lunch and get back. About 5 miles away from the nearest bathroom L suddenly has to go again. Fabulous. So we end up going to the same gas station where we had just spent 20 minutes cleaning her up that morning. This will be quick right?

Nope. Bryan takes L to the mens while Mommy goes into the girls. I came out and waited for, I kid you not, 30 minutes. Of course, I'm scared she's puking again and really was sick but FINALLY L comes flying out of the bathroom screaming for everyone to hear "MOMMMY!!! I POOPED IN THE NICE POTTY!!!!!". Fantastic, now we can be on our way. We walk out of the gas station through a little diner that they had. L singles out a couple enjoying some strawberry short cake and tells them "my poopie stinks". My face turns bright red, we get out to the car and Bryan and I just start busting up laughing.

There is NEVER...EVER a dull moment in this family. I don't know how all this drama and hilarity always seems to make it's way into everything we do. I'm beginning to think that we are cursed and will never have normal family events like other people. But I do know that we have TONS and TONS of hilarious stories to share. So that makes it worth all the puke, embarrassment and an almost dead "Easter Bunny". Right?

Workman Family Visit

What a weekend! First the fair and then Layla's cousins Grayden and Addelyn came to visit! We had SOOOOOO much fun with them. Layla and Grayden are total BFFs and although Addelyn is still little to Layla, I think she loves her too. On Sunday morning we went to Dow Garden's for quick stroll and mini photo session. I got so many great pictures of the kids I have to share ALL of them (I know, it is cuteness overload):

I know, I know...we have the cutest kids on the planet!! There are just no words for a few of these. PS- we need to work on Layla's smile. "Show me your teeth" is turning out to look more like a dental procedure than a picture taking opportunity.

And here are a few of them getting ready for our photo shoot (HILARIOUS!!!):

Thank you SOOOO much for coming Workman's! We can wait to see you again (and for the kids to initiate Baby Jack!). ;o)

25 weeks already?!

I think to myself "Can I really be 25 weeks?" and "I can't believe I only have 13 more weeks to go!". Then I look in the mirror and realize that I was this size when I was 32 weeks with Layla. I feel so huge and so miserable already...but I am welcoming these feelings. Not only does that mean baby is growing but that I will hopefully be so miserable by the time I hit 38 weeks that I don't care about the delivery. Less anxiety = more sleep and a healthier Mommy so bring on the back pain, hard punches and general crappiness.

I just realized I'm wearing different pants in all of these pictures...geez. I also just realized that Bryan's picture taking abilities are getting worse as I get bigger. I think I'm going to need to purchase a wide angle lens for weeks 29 and beyond. Today's pep talk: I WILL loose the weight and he WILL be absolutely 100% worth it. :)

A day at the fair

We've been so busy this week that we almost forgot to take Layla to the fair this year! Good thing we had a little bit of time this morning to go. What was only going to be an hour or so trip turned into 4 hours of F-U-N!

First stop - the animals. Layla is really obsessed with horses right now so it was awesome to see them up close. Now Daddy wants to buy her a pony (thank God Mommy is the reasonable one because there was one for sale).

Mommy, Baby Jack and Layla walking to another barn full of animals. 

Then came the rides. I was NOT prepared for this. I really didn't think she'd like it, she won't even ride the carousel at the zoo but she was not shy about getting on these elephants with Daddy-

And then look at this!! She actually wanted to ride the "horsey". 

She had an absolute blast on it! Had the biggest smile the WHOLE time.

Then things started to go a little downhill, literally. She wanted to do the "big slide" with Daddy so here they are at the top:

A video of them going down (sorry it went out of focus!):

And then at the bottom. She said it was "scary" but she didn't cry so I thought she just wasn't prepared for how fast they were going to go. Daddy really enjoyed himself though. HAHA

We took a quick break to get Mommy an "elephant ear"...apparently there are no funnel cakes around here. Or lemon shakeups...or shimp on a stick. Maybe we need to go to the state fair for those things?

Anyway, all of a sudden she wanted to ride the cars. We warned her over and over that she'd have to ride by herself and that Daddy couldn't go with...she said "ok" a million times so Daddy went to buy MORE ride tickets so she could go.

Before getting on the guy checked her height which made me nervous.  I mean, this isn't the Screaming Eagle right? All it does is go around and around. I'm telling myself "she's ready for it...yes, she's ready" and then "wow, she looks so big but so little at the same time sitting in that car by herself":

She seemed so excited. Even honked the horn a few times! Then the ride started and after the 2nd go around the smile turned into a little bit of a puckered lip.

The poor thing didn't cry at all on the ride, even waited SO patiently until the guy unbuckled her (she was the last to get off) but as soon as she got through the gate and into Daddy's arms she cried. I have no clue why, she really seemed to be enjoying herself but maybe it was just that we were on the other side of the fence. Either way, it broke my heart and she better not do that when she starts preschool next year or I'll never let her leave the house (hoping this is just the pregnancy hormones talking!!).

And that was it. Layla was ready to go, Mommy's heart needed a break and Daddy's arm was hurting from carrying the clinging monkey.

Next up...Grayden and Addelyn are coming!!!!!

Layla's Training for Rio

As much as she slacked off in her gymnastics class this winter, this girl loves her floor routines. We really haven't been watching all that much of the Olympics but apparently she's learned enough in the short times that she's watched women's gymnastics. I had to take 3 separate videos because I was on my phone (we were hanging out in the basement because Daddy was down there working):

Just check out that form! I'll admit, her routine needs a bit of refining...her skills look more like Stuart's "look what I can do" moves than a professional gymnast but you have to give it to her because she tries so hard. Girl's going to be a gold medalist by age 10!

The Barton's and Blueberries

Grandma and Grandpa Barton came to visit last weekend. We had a lot of fun trying a few new things with them (but we only got pictures of one of them). We went to the blueberry farm for the first time and Layla LOVED it! She really loved picking the berries and kept telling us "just the blue ones!". I really thought she'd try one once we could wash them off but nope! All that work for nothing apparently. Here are a few shots of L at the farm:

We also went to some beach about an hour away (I can't remember the name of it). It was a really fun beach, looked just like the ocean except for the fact that the water was freezing! :)

Layla got to dog sit Annie while G'ma and G'pa went exploring. She loved being responsible for her and took VERY good care of her. This picture was taken when we went on a walk with Gma and Gpa to the park by our house. 

On Sunday Bryan and I decided to take Layla to the zoo. She LOVES the zoo and even asked to get her face painted this time (big deal for her). So she picked out this cute penguin and walked around the zoo like she owned the place. 

No trip to Saginaw is complete without a trip to Culvers. L has been eating SOOOO well lately, she's like a different kid. She isn't trying too many new things, but she's at least not fighting when we have her eat the things she's used to. Her favorite food? Ice cream!

Thanks for coming Grandma and Grandpa Barton! Can't wait to do it again!

Old MacDonald Had a Farm...

Layla has been on a singing kick lately. I LOVE to listen to her sing, especially when she doesn't think we can hear her. First it was Happy Birthday and now it is "Old MacDonald"...next Bohemian Rhapsody!