This post is about 3 months late. The following pictures were taken back in January(?) during Preston's 1st and 2nd visit ever to the Duck Pond, which is just around the corner from our house. Why, you may ask, have we not taken advantage of this fine little gem prior to Preston's 2-year mark? Well, quite simply, out of concern for his health. My general feeling about the duck pond is that it more closely resembles one of these. But alas, the allure of hundreds of geese, ducks, and other assorted water foul became to much to bare.
Preston and Oompah returning from the 1st duck pond voyage. They both survived, and underwent a thorough decontamination upon return. Preston talked about it for days. Seeing ducks with Oompah, that is, not the decontamination.
2nd trip, with no shortage of corn! Courtesy of the pond-warden.
Picture-taking and crowd-control became very tricky.
This was the last shot I managed before almost sacrificing my son to the birds.
This was from an unseasonably warm day in Feb, I think. Can't remember if I posted these or not...but wanted to say "Thanks Grandma Connie for the awesome Vermont-wool sweater!"
Taking a stroll around the neighborhood.
And a particularly heart-warming moment saying good-night to Bailey, also sometime in February. I was about 5 seconds too late to catch the hug.
I've been meaning to do an update of Preston's latest and greatest personal achievements for the past few months, but finding the time, and remembering to do it when I have the time, hasn't been too successful.
So, briefly, here are a few tidbits and anecdotes from Preston's last few months:
He is fascinated by, and can now properly identify (and differentiate) all of the following: school bus, shuttle bus, city bus, dump truck, garbage truck, pick-up truck, cement truck, big rig, fire truck, plane, helicopter, tractor, van, jeep.
He loves to sing. His current favorites: Wheels on the bus, Twinkle Twinkle little Star, Row your boat, Baa baa black sheep. He is now almost always singing one of these tunes.
He can properly identify most of the primary colors correctly! Still likes to call blue things green, but almost always corrects himself.
He loves to kiss boo-boos, and have his boo-boos kissed. At night time when he's all snugly, he will often point to various spots on my face, refer to them as boo-boos, and then kiss them.
He loves to be tickled and will roll around laughing on the floor, and then keep asking for "more tickles."
He is still not really a fan of brushing his teeth.
He loves to get Bailey involved in certain activities, such as running around the house. When he decides he wants to do this, he will run up and down the hallway yelling "C'mon Bails!" Bailey will happily chase after him, usually obliviously bumping into him and knocking him over, and getting really excited but generally having no clue what is going on.
He still LOVES cats. Facetiming with Precious and Gracie is always a big hit. When reading books, he will always pet a picture of a cat, and often kiss the page, and sometimes even take the whole book and hug it.
He will always pretend to eat any pictures of cake, candy, or ice cream, accompanied by an "Mmm. Yum."
His farewell saying to any inanimate object goes like this, I will use plane for example: "Bye-bye, plane...ahh-buggah-youuu....an-elmos!!"
Which I believe translates into: Bye plane....I love you.....???
After months of skipping 2, and routinely only counting to four, (regardless of the actual number of things he was counting,) he finally counts in order, and counts beyond four.
Before, everything was "one, three, four."
As in, "Preston, how many ears do you have?" or "how many fingers do you have?" or "how many eyebrows does mommy have?"
Preston: "one...three...four!"
He still hasn't learned how to climb out of his crib, and therefore, still sleeps in it.
When he wakes up in the morning, he usually talks and sings to himself for atleast 15 minutes before requesting my presence. My favorite thing in the morning is to see what he first says to me when I peek my head in. Usually it is in the form of a question. For example, today was "Easter mouse?" yesterday was "humpty dumpty?" and the day before was "chocolate milk?"
And now for some candid camera videos taken earlier this week of Preston singing:
Preston loves basketball. Without any particularly purposeful parent-induced swaying toward any one sport (yet), he seems to have developed a fondness for the sport on his own. Every time we are up at the Y for "mommy exercise," he insists on standing outside the gymnasium doors and watching the pick-up basketball games for several minutes, usually until I end up having to drag him away.
This evening I had just figured out I could stream the Final Four through the ipad, and as soon as Preston heard it, he climbed up on my kitchen chair and started watching. I had to grab the camera as quick as I could because his immediate response to watching the game was hilarious. The bit I caught was not quite as good, but still worth posting.
(He has no idea I'm filming him. Keep in mind, I have not watched basketball on TV with him at all this season, so the following commentary is purely extemporaneous.)
A few short months ago, I decided that Preston and I were highly deserving of a real vacation. The question became; A. Where will it be warm and sunny, and B. Where is a place that will have 24/7 entertainment for a toddler? (Because let's face it, having to keep a toddler entertained all day, no matter where you are, is not a vacation.) The solution was simple: Disney World. Even better: convincing Grandma Gigi to go with us.
In a moment of inspiration, I thought I would keep a travel blog while I was there. That motivation faded quickly after night #2. However, here is my entry from night #1 (well, technically night #2, but I'm not counting night #1 since all we did was fly in and go to bed.)
Day #1 recap: Arrive friday 10pm on plane, Magical Express (Disney bus) to hotel, arrive at 11pm. In room and to bed at 12. Wake up call from Disney bellhop at 7am that they have our luggage. Day begins.
1st destination: Animal Kingdom. Meet up with old teammate and family and watch Nemo musical and go on African safari. 3-D movie A Bugs life, lunch, then meet Pooh. Had to wait in line with perfectly grown adults who also wanted their picture with Pooh. Ride triceratops. Check out some dino statues. Back to hotel to meet Gigi. P-man passes out.
6pm dinner, re-pack, then off to Magical Kingdom. Arrive just in time for parade at 9pm, try to make our way around to find some rides and end up in front of Cinderella's castle just in time for light show followed by fireworks. Preston fully overstimulated, exit MK with approx 200,000 ppl at the same time.
Bus home, finally get preston to sleep at MN again.
That's it for the vacation blog.
The rest of the trip was a blur. Mostly, we did one park in the morning until making our way back to the hotel late-afternoonish for the P-man to nap, ate dinner, then headed back out for a few hours. We did 2 full days at both the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, both of which are wonderful for toddlers.
As I was downloading the pictures below, it occurred to me that this blog is also going to serve as our ongoing family photo album, since I am already about 1 1/2 years behind in keeping an actual photo album going. So, once again, be prepared for an abundance of pictures.
Magic Express! (Disney's complimentary shuttle to/from the airport). Following a mostly successful airplane ride. Once again, Preston SCREAMED in the beginning, when I had to forcefully place him in his assigned seat. It was somewhat mortifying. Luckily, it only last about 2 minutes, then he was an angel the rest of the way.
Riding on a bus! Seriously, the abundance of transportation vehicles Preston experienced on this trip was an adventure in itself.
1st night shenanigans.
Airplane ride, bus ride, foreign place= bedtime at midnight, actually it was even later than that.
1st morning watching Disney cartoons. He learned all the characters within 2 days. And yes, those types of cartoons are terrible for brain development btw.
Day 1: ready to roll.
1st ride: African Safari. Total Awesomeness.
Just some birds walking around at lunchtime.
Pictures with Pooh! This was a very gradual meet & greet process, and Preston was very skeptical the entire time.
He was even less trusting of Eeyore.
Really not sure of this Eeyore character.
Overall, Eeyore pics were a fail.
We stuck to just high-fiving by the time we got to Tigger.
Totally got photo-bombed by this kid.
Hey kid, get out of my picture!
Day 1, done. Headed back to the hotel to pick up Gigi.
Day 2: Magic Kingdom. We're on the train!
About to get on the carousel for the first time.
Preston is not quite sure what to think at this point. Sitting on the horse is cool, but we haven't gone anywhere yet.
Starting to move. This is cooler.
Realizing that this is actually awesome! We stayed on 3 times I think. Until I had to pull him off kicking and screaming.
It's a Small World. Awesome for toddlers. Totally photo-bombed though. Really?? Is this a bar?? Who photo-bombs family photos at Disney World??
This ride was made for toddlers.
Ooooh's and Ahhh's
Lunch break.
The infamous Dumbo ride!
Clearly this ride was very exciting.
Great picture by Gigi, too bad the Pman is missing.
Flying the Magic Carpets of Aladdin.
Climbing the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House. Well, mom was doing most of the climbing.
Jungle Cruise, (on a boat!)
A lil blurry, but here we are on Main St USA.
And facing Cinderella's castle.
Headed into Epcot, Day 3. No more messing around, this time the carrier came with me.
Some building we were short-cutting through, until that plan was sidelined by this fire truck.
Lunch, and admiring leaves.
Once again, met up with former teammate, and got the baby Bearcats pictures with Mickey!
Winnie the Pooh topiaries! Preston missed out.
More of the legendary Epcot ball.
Day 4: Animal Kingdom. Here we are up in a new section of the park, where they have a petting zoo among other things. Grandma Gigi was paranoid because I believe there was an incident with Mike getting knocked over by a goat in Animal Kingdom at about this age...
Gigi showing how to pet the pig.
Preston LOVED this pig.
This one too, and this one actually oinked. Priceless.
Checking out the sheep and goats. Keeping a really close eye on the goats...
Don't try anything sneaky, goat.
Round 2 of the African Safari.
Cheese!!!
Scoping out the giraffes. Awesome.
Preston continuing to practice his cheese.
We are looking at hippos or elephants. Can't remember.
Back at our resort, Port Orleans Riverside. As with everything Disney, it was awesome.
Oops. An out-of-order goat picture. And this guy is looking awfully suspicious.
And an out-of-order giraffe picture. C'mon blogger, you were doing so well.
Ok, here we are back at the hotel. Preston has the kiddie pool to himself.
Back on the bridge with Gigi, and a better look at the main lobby of the resort.
Back in the pool with Gigi.
Swimming!
More swimming! This is Gigi's favorite thing.
Day 5: Back at Magic Kingdom, and marching. Waiting for the train.
More of It's a Small World, and just as awesome the second time around.
Back on the carousel as well, for another 3 turns, although relinquishing his seat was MUCH easier this time.
Good shot, mom.
On the People Mover, which is essentially a ride that takes you in and around all the other rides in Tomorrowland. Also perfect for toddlers.
What are the chances? Meeting up with family in Downtown Disney. From left to right, Pman, me, my Aunt Kerry (bringing her 3rd and youngest daughter down to FL to scope out colleges), my cousin Caroline (the one scoping out colleges), Gigi, and my cousin Madison (who proclaims to actually go to college, in FL.)
Only pic from day 6. We hit up Hollywood Studios in the morning for their 30 minute live version of Beauty & the Beast, which Preston LOVED, caught the Muppet 3D movie, and squeezed in one final ride for mom on the Tower of Terror. (Best. Amusement. Park. Ride. EVER.
Here we are on the Magic Express headed to the airport. Sadface.
