Well all I have to say is you better have a while cause I have a feeling this is going to be a long post with LOTS of pictures. I took over 500 pictures on the week of vacation and about 400 are just of Allie... now I have to figure out which ones to post.
Tuesday the 18th we left for San Diego. I was a little nervous how Allie was going to do on the plane. Though she had been on a plane before she was only 2 months and well she is a little more active and doesn't sleep as much as she did then. I timed it to where she would eat as soon as we took off and then she would be ready for a nap. The flight wasn't very full so they let us bring her car seat on and it all worked perfectly!
Out for 2.5 hours of a 3.5 hour plane ride... not to bad.
I had to take a picture of her infatuation with the tags they put on her car seat.. this was entertainment for the entire trip.
All of our luggage for a 1 week trip- 3 checked bags, 4 carry-ons, a pack and play, stroller/ car seat and a baby.... it is amazing how much more we have to take with a baby last year we only had 1 checked bag and 2 carry-ons.
Noah getting our rental car
Here is our car for the week... a Toyota Sienna minivan, I guess this is a good test run to see if we like the mini van... Noah was ready to get one by the end of the week... me I will wait till I have to. I am a realist... it will have to happen eventually.
As soon as we got the car we had to drop off our luggage and head back to the airport to pick up Matt, Celeste, and Cannan. Then it was time to go to the grocery store and get food for the week.
The next morning we got up and going early (since we were in Pacific Time) Matt and Noah jumped in the kayak
and then on the dingy boat and went all over the bay before they hit a low spot and got a little stuck
While Celeste, Cannan, Allie and me hung out by the fire and drank coffee
Later that day Noah and Matt went for a run while we made lunch and got the kids ready to go to the pool.
Allie all ready to go to the pool for the first time... doesn't she look like such a big girl!
Allie LOVED the pool she spent about 2 hours in the pool before we had to get her out. She would just lay in her raft kick her feet and let Daddy push her around the pool. Oh it is going to be a FUN summer!
The next day Allie and Daddy (and Matt who you can't see in the picture) decided to read a book while the girls made breakfast
and then we went to the beach.... Allie was not as much a fan of the beach as she was of the pool. It was a little windy and the water was VERY cold and she kept wanting to feel the sand but then she was upset when the sand was still on her hand when she wanted to put it in her mouth... this was a vicious cycle.
On the walk home from the beach she crashed before we could even get her in her bad for a nap.
After dinner that night we wanted ice cream so we found yogurt escape, which if you are from St Louis this is the same as FroYo! This became a FREQUENT stop on our vaca I think we only went twice but we talked about going at one point everyday.
The next day we decided to go back to the pool since we had more success there than the beach... There is my little fish ready to go back in the water.
or ready to lay out and get a tan?
The next day my Aunt, Uncle and cousins came to see us. They took us to breakfast that morning and we had some very yummy food. This is what I had..
My Aunt Linda fell in LOVE with Allie and well Allie loved her as well. She let her do whatever she wanted. Allie wanted to "help" her work or pull her papers off the table or put them in her mouth and well Linda loved her sitting on her lap and laughing... they had a great time together.
Celeste and I decided that while both children where awake at the same time (which didn't happen very often during our trip) we needed to get a picture of the two of them maybe looking at the camera at the same time and if we are really lucky smiling at the camera... this is what happened next... this progression cracks me up.
Success? I guess we'll take it.
Umm... I think Cannan has a dirty diaper... don't worry guys I will change it.
Allie and Aunt Linda before they leave to go back to Las Vegas.
That night we decided to go to "The Del" The Hotel Del Coronado and watch the sunset on the beach
Allie trying a Virgin Pina Colada... she got all kinds of fun stuff on vacation that she wont be getting now that we are home.. :)
Our whole Crew everyone awake and looking at the camera!
Pool Day 3- this day we went back to The Del and broke into their beautiful pool. I will disclaim that Noah was completely against this idea but I told him he needed to live a little. It was a good thrill for our last full day in San Diego and the pool was gorgeous!!
Cannan chillin in his car seat on the way home from the pool. I had to get a pic of him while he was awake.
When we got back Noah and I decided to go for a ride in the boat, we left Allie at the house with Matt and Celeste while she was napping. It was awesome to get some time to just be by ourselves and cruise around and look at the houses. It is beautiful there!
Then we decided that Matt and Celeste needed to go...
but the didn't get very far before the boat stopped working so Noah had to come to the rescue on the kayak
I love this picture because it shows how hard Celeste is rowing to try to get back to the house while Matt sits in the back and watches :)
and of course as soon as they got back to the house the boat started working again so they got to go on a ride after all...
After dinner that evening we got to go to one of my favorite places in all the world, the Bluffs of La Jolla. This is probably the one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. This was my third time and it still takes my breath away.
Headed home from the bluffs to pack and leave tomorrow...
On the way home the plane was full so we were not allowed to bring Allie's seat with us. I was afraid it was going to be a night mare trying to get her to take a nap but she actually did ok sleeping in my arms. Secretly I loved every minute of it because she is always to busy to snuggle anymore.
The lady that sat behind us really liked Allie so she would play with her and talk with her so Allie spent the majority of the flight with her head between the seats laughing at this random lady
If she wasn't looking at the lady behind us she was looking out the window.
Oh how fun it is to re experience everything for the first time through the eyes of a baby
All in all we had a blast and can't wait to go back. Thanks Aunt Linda and Uncle JC for letting us raid your house for a week! We all had a blast.
