(Ok, 3 words)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MASON!!!

…Disneyland!!!!

I have told him for awhile that I will take Mason to Disneyland when he is tall enough to go on the “big kid rides”.  Last year when we went for Emma’s birthday, he was only tall enough for the Matterhorn.  Which, yes, is a big kid ride.  But I’m a Disneyland fanatic and I’m not about to be stuck in Fantasyland and Toon Town all day.  Anyway, so Mason is now tall enough (40 inches, if you’re wondering, for most rides with the exception of Indiana Jones and California Screamin’ and a few others (yes, I know the height requirements, it’s a gift).  So this morning we will drive from North County to Anaheim and spend all day at the Magic Kingdom.  I want to tell him so bad, but I will refrain.  And try to keep it to myself.  In fact, I haven’t told many people I’m taking him.  It’s more fun as a surprise!

We will last as long as he lasts.  And hopefully that’s a long time!  I would like to stay for the new World Of Color show, but we will see.

Did I mention I. Can’t. Wait.  !!!

Mason on the Dumbo ride at age 2 1/2

What’s your favorite ride at the Magic Kingdom?

Today is the day when my dear hubby packs up the car so that I can take the kids, plus my Mother In Law and Grandma In Law (GG) to California for 10 whole days!  So excited. So much planned!  And, so lucky that my dear hubby will come out Thursday night and spend the holiday weekend with us too!  That makes my load a bit easier, especially since I had the kids for a full week 2 weeks ago.  (By the way, I survived that whole week, in case you couldn’t tell)  Anyway, this will be such a great time!

On Tuesday, I have a super-secret trip planned for my boy’s birthday (which is on Wednesday).  I can’t wait to tell him!  And you!  And share the pictures.  We’re going to have a blast!

On Wednesday, we will spend Mason’s birthday at the del Mar County Fair!  Woot woot!  Mason is super excited for the “carnibal”.

Thurday: Beach day.

Friday: the Midway and a harbor cruise (perhaps on the duck?) and dinner out with some SD friends

Saturday: Padres game with the family…and a special ride on the Coaster to get there!

Sunday: Happy 4th of July!!  What will we do?

Monday through Wednesday we’ll be in Big Bear.  I’ve never been there…and I’m SO excited!

What are your plans for your summer vacation?

Here’s another feel-good story that I couldn’t resist sharing. For it is stories like this one that gives me encouragement and determination and motivation for the future. Enjoy!

Is he finally overcoming his fear of the water? I’d say so!

We had such a busy weekend! Not only did Emma debut in her first ballet performance on Saturday morning, but we celebrated the birthdays of Mason, GG (Great Grandma), and Oma (my mom) on Saturday afternoon.  It was a crazy day, but so much fun to hang out with all of the family!  Mason had a great time at his party.  It was a pool party and bbq, and plenty of presents and sugar to top it all off!  I mentioned briefly in another post about his obsession with all things Mercedes.  Well, we fueled it this weekend, that’s for sure!  I will spare you the 9 minute video my husband took of him opening his Mercedes gifts (you’re welcome), but instead share with you some pictures from this very fun afternoon!

Enjoy!!

The first gift…the Mercedes hat!

And then the Mercedes shirt!

Last but not least, the coveted Mercedes key fob!

One happy boy!

Cake time!

Emma was in such great spirits after her ballet performance.  It was so great to see!  I know my daughter well enough…we took pictures right after she danced.  Emma’s got a very short window of picture-taking cooperation!  And (just like with her kindergarten graduation,) she was so excited to pose for pictures…I took the opportunity.  Here are some adorable pictures from her recital.  She is so loved and adored…we had 17 family members come and watch her dance!  We even had family fly all the way from New York (thanks, Aunt Poopsey!), Washington D.C. (thanks, Lauren!) and Georgia (thanks, Kim!)…what a lucky girl!  I am very proud of her and if she wants to continue with ballet, I will look for a studio to fit her needs.  It is so great to see her with her peers, trying her hardest to learn the moves.  And it’s good practice to work on keeping focus, paying attention, learning new steps and positions!

Backstage before her dance!

Lining up to go onstage!

My proud girl!

Emma and Great Grandpa

Aunt Patty, Grandma, GG, Cousin Lauren, and Grandpa!

Emma and Uncle Geoff singing Yellow Submarine after her performance!

Emma was so cute in her ballet performance of Yellow Submarine! The quality wasn’t that great as Brett was sitting in the last row. But she’s the last little girl on the left in the back row. She is trying her hardest to remember all of the moves. She was very proud of her performance and we were very proud of her! I didn’t know how it might turn out…perhaps the lights and the noise would be uncomfortable. But she took to it really well! Watching it makes me want to continue her ballet next season. I will, however, be in search of a new ballet school.

Remember in this post how I typed my praises for Kim Courtney Swim School?  I neglected to mention about my kids’ swim skills.  Emma is a fish.  She loves everything water.  She doesn’t quite have the coordination with the hands and the feet yet, but she will.  Since I started them at Kim Courtney this summer, she’s come a long way.  It has helped that I put them in a 4 day-a-week session, rather than 2.  She has improved so much in the past 2 weeks that now she’s an independent swimmer.  She wasn’t last summer!

Mason is a different story.  For some reason, he has a huge anxiety in the water.  I’m not sure why, either.  I would’ve thought it’d be the other way around.  He is very nervous about being anywhere other than the step.  So when he started his swim lessons two weeks ago, it wasn’t fun for him.  For anyone, really.  Especially the kids that had to sit next to him in the pool.  For 5 lessons, he screamed the entire 30 minutes.  On lessons 3, 4, and 5, Kim kept him back when everyone else finished.  The last task he had to do was to jump off the side and he just wouldn’t.  She personally kept him an extra 15 minutes to work with him.  And she has a tough love approach, which makes a difference for my kids.  And guess what…one day 6 it clicked.  He jumped off the side of the pool (with much hesitation) and after that his anxiety was gone.  He now asks to go to swim lessons.  When we were at our friend’s pool yesterday he played “swim school” and guess who was the swim coach!!

I couldn’t be happier and I know that this is the right situation for them right now.  I have them in two more weeks of lessons, and then in July we might go to 2 times a week (it’s a necessary expense, but it’s not cheap!).  Isn’t it so nice to see your child “get it”?