First Trip to the Pool

We spent the afternoon at the pool today, enjoying the 88 degree weather - all 5 of us went, so as to give me an idea of what I'm getting myself into this summer, taking 3 children 4 and under to the pool!!!!! The baby pool is awesome - it is a zero entry pool that has fountains and bubbles - the "deep" part is 1 ft. 6 in - which is deep enough for the "older" children to enjoy jumping in and swimming around.

I think I'll be okay, as long as I don't need to go potty - then comes the arduous task of hauling 3 children into a wet bathroom - and then what do you do with them? The good news is, 98% of the time my SIL and MIL will be with me - I hope!!!!

We started off the day at the "Big" pool, which is a lazy river and a "platform" of 2 inches of water that the children like to jump off. It was fun, simply because Will was in the water with them, while I sunbathed on the platform. When I'm by myself .... well, we shall see.

I can see it being fun come July when it's 98 degrees outside and you can't do anything but stay immersed in the water!

These little swim shirts are great to keep the sun off of them, but my children FREEZE when they get out of the water and are still wet!!!! Again, maybe in July they will be better!

I do believe it's time to rest our eyes!

Foam Zone

I took Emma Claire and Wilson to the Birmingham Zoo today - and boy was it a BEAUTIFUL day - 90 degrees - isn't it still April????? I could just about do a different post on all the different areas of the zoo - but in normal fashion, I hunked it all together in one with about 234 pictures!!!! Not really, but REALLY, I DID take 384 pictures today - JUST AT THE ZOO!!!! Crazy.

Where in the world is Emma Claire????

My children love animals - all of them! The zoo is heaven on earth - they were running from place to place - with excitement in their eyes!!!

Even with all the fun with the animals - the Foam Zone was definitely the HIT - but at $2.50 per child for less than 10 minutes, not quite a rip off, knowing how much fun they had, but not completely worth it either - I wonder if you can rent those things for a birthday party or something - NOW THAT WOULD BE FUN!!!!!

Yep, Wilson tested the goose and he snapped at his finger - right after I read the sign to him!!!!



Wilson laughed.

I have to tell on Emma Claire here, simply because she rarely EVER gets in trouble out in public places like this, especially by someone other than myself. But, she wanted to pet these sheep SO bad. They were in a roped off area most of the time, but occasionally one would creep out into the water spray. One time, Emma Claire saw it coming and went after him. He saw her coming and turned and ran the other way - well, EC commensed to chasing him - and the lady said, "Hey little girl! No chasing the sheep!!!" - I don't know why that was so funny to me - I guess it had more to do with the fact that it was EC doing the chasing and not Wilson.

The petting zoo part was the next favorite thing - neither child wanted to leave.



Check these next 3 pictures out..... Wilson couldn't just pet the goats on their backs....he had to get right in their faces and talk to them first - maybe he was intoducing himself or something, "Hey, Mr Goat, I am going to be your little boy-brusher for the next 2 minutes....I know you've been brushed 200 times already today, but just lay really still, it won't hurt a bit!"

The carousel was fun too....I think this may have been Wilson's first time on one, though I might be wrong -

The water fountains were a hit too, Emma Claire took full advantage of them....Wilson had fun jumping in the puddles, but I never did see him run through and get his body wet. He's never been much for cold water, even when it involves a fun time - I think it has to do with his low body fat and always being cold!!!!! Wilson doesn't normally LOVE the pool during the summer until about the week before school starts back in August - THEN the water is finally warm enough for him!

The Tigers were the best seen animal today - they were right THERE in FRONT!!!!!

Giraffes are such beautiful animals!

The butterfly camp opens in 1 week - it's always fun - sad we missed it!!!!

Wilson was a little apprehensive of the train ride at first, but once it started going, he looked at me and said, "Mamma, this fun!!!!"

(this is actually a great picture of Wilson's exotropia in his left eye - it's turned outwards, not focusing on whatever the right eye is looking at)

One funny I about forgot to mention. After they got through in the water, we were in the dressing room/bathroom changing back into dry clothes and Wilson had to go potty. SO, I took him NAKED (as if that alone wasn't enough to bring a few chuckles out of some women and children) over to the bathroom side and helped him use the potty. After he was done, I turned around and headed out the stall, while telling him to come on and wash his hands. I got to the sink and turned around to pick him up.....

NO WILSON!!!!

I ran back over to the stall we had been in and a sweet lady was going in it at the same time and we both saw it....

The toilet was flushing and Wilson had his head.down.in.the.toilet.

I kid you not.

We both let out a groan...

I whisked Wilson up and did my best to explain to him how dirty that was, all the while hearing the lady laugh and say, "Boys will be boys!"

Braided Perm

This morning, Emma Claire got a shower before school. I didn't have time to completely dry her hair, given that I try to be at work at 7:00 every morning, so I braided the front part in 2 braids, added bright pink polka dot ribbons (we DO live in the South, by the way!!!) and she was off!

Tonight, when I took her hair down, I started laughing....not at her, but at the flashback that was going through my mind....

Me, 1987, begging my mom, every night, to braid my hair in teeny tiny braids and let me sleep on it, so that when I woke up, it could look something like this....

Except all the way around, of course.

I promise she did not go to school or church looking like that - here's proof!!!!

Catching a bike ride in the dark after church!

Please tell me you wore your hair like that AT LEAST ONCE, if not everyday (I only wished), like me!!!!

Tuesday night, was the big rivalry soccer game - Emma Claire and all her girlfriends - GO WILDCATS GO!!!! against THE BOYS and one little girl - all their best friends and Emma Claire's cousin, Patton! It was a great game - I do believe they tied, though we were NOT keeping score - yeah right :~) Those boys hung right in there!!!! Ha Ha !!!!

Guess who started walking like a CHAMP last week!!!???? Go Henderson!!!!

But he still reverts to crawling when he needs to get somewhere FAST!!!!!

I'll leave you with a dirty kiss....