A little bit of Paradise - Florida 2011

So we packed up and headed out to beautiful Florida for a week of fun in the sun! We have been anticipating this trip for so long and with all of the rain and gray skies in Indy, we were more than ready! I have to admit that I was a little nervous this year. First, we were driving. That made me a little anxious just because I wasn't sure how the boys would do - but - they did great! I sent many thank yous to our friends David (for the DVD player) and Deb (for the movies and the doodle pad!) We stopped in Alabama on the way down, which made for a great break. I was also a little nervous because we were venturing back to Panama City Beach - and we had not visited since our high school spring break in 1998. As you can imagine - I didn't really want my children to witness all that I had witnessed in 1998!!! Lets just say that things have changed...for the better...and it wasn't spring break either; which probably really helped!

We stayed at an amazing resort.  The facility had two pools, a lazy river, a toddler splash park and a water park.  It also had a bar, arcade, hot-tub and it was on the beach.  As you can imagine, it was a paradise for children. Here are a few pictures of the boys enjoying everything Florida had to offer! 

Drew and Conner both loved to play in the sand.  The great thing about driving down was that we were able to pack all of their sand toys.  They had a blast and built 10 sandcastles, 3 pizzas and 1 dolphin.  They were only told to stop throwing sand 132 times.  Not too bad!

Both boys also loved the ocean.  The first few days, a front was moving through so the waves were huge.  Then after the front, the water was perfect to play in and you could see down past your toes!

Conner loved learning to ride his "wake board"! 

Here are a few pictures of Conner and Drew enjoying the water park!

I love going on vacation with our family because it is a week full of just us - no work, no phone calls, no chores, no "to-do" lists.  It is amazing regroup and to really take in each person.  I loved watching Conner and Drew and how they interact and how their personalities are so unique.  Each day we woke up between 5 and 6 (no more sleeping in on vacation, right?).  We got up, ate breakfast, got our sunscreen on and headed down to the beach.  As you can imagine - we were the first ones out each and every day.  As the beach filled up, it was time for Drew's nap.  Then after lunch we headed back out before the boys' afternoon nap.  I got to read a "fun" book and Jason soaked up the sun and went to all the local surf shops.

This picture perfectly shows Conner's personality.  He is very confident yet shy.  He ALWAYS has this smile on his face when he is talking to someone.  He loves anything and everything camo.  He loves people and loves to use his imagination. 

The boys at the Florida zoo.  Yes, that's a wolf and yes I was nervous he thought Drew was his dinner!

Panama City itself now really caters to families.  The restaurants, parks and shopping centers all of tons of activities for kids.  I definitely think we will be going back next year!

Easter 2011

We all had a great Easter this year!  A few weeks ago, the Easter Bunny dropped off two ducks for the boys.  Conner named them Bill and Billy (after two of his favorite Bill's!).  The boys both love playing with the Bill's - they follow the boys into their fort and all around the house.  It is really cute to watch.  Drew tries to get them - but they are still moving too quickly for him!

It was so funny to watch the boys color Easter Eggs this year!  Drew - well he was a little impatient.  He didn't want to wait while the eggs were colored and he really, really wanted to play in the colored water!

Once he got the egg cups - it was all over!

Conner, on the other hand, was totally different this year.  He was very focused on coloring eggs and making sure mommy, daddy and Drew all had the decorated egg they wanted. It is so fun to watch how he grows each day.

We went to Mom and Dad's for Easter and had a great time with all of the McNulty's.

Easter usually sounds the alarm for Boating season, right?  Well, not so much this year.  With all of the rain and the drop in the temperatures - the boys are only able to play pretend!  It won't be long now!

Drew's 1 Year Pictures!

Drew went for his one year check-up this past week.  The doctor said he is doing very well.  He weighs in at 20 lbs so he is still a little guy but is following his growth curve very well.  He has to go in for some testing because his soft-spot is still not closed; but the doctor did not seem too concerned.  Here are a few of our favorite pictures from his 1-year photo shoot!  He is just so big!

Happy 1st Birthday Drew Stephen McClellan

It is so hard to believe that our baby, Drew Stephen McClellan, turned one.  What a year!  When you deliver a baby that struggles at birth, I think that you remember their true "birth" day much more clearly than you do when you are able to deliver and then hold your baby right away.  With Drew, he struggled to breathe on his own for 24 hours.  It turned out not to be anything serious, for which we continually thank God, but it was none-the-less a very scary 24 hours.  When I was finally able to hold him - it was the greatest gift in the world.   So as I look back to one year ago, I give thanks - not only for a perfectly healthy child, but for a child who has a beautiful inner spirit, who is mischievous and who loves others so deeply at one  year old. 

Drew's actual 1st Birthday night - March 31, 2011 (as of today, he has had three birthday cakes...this was the first!)

Presents! Presents! Presents!

As with all one year olds - he still prefers to play with the boxes and the wrapping paper rather than the actual toy!

Jason always has two helpers by his side (for better or for worse!)

Drew's first Birthday was a Circus theme!  We had a great time and I think the kids did as well.  We had hot dogs, chicken, soft pretzels, nachos, popcorn and a cotton-candy machine!  The kids had fun playing carnival games: pick-a-duck, plinko and bean bag toss.  Mom, Tiff, Pauline and Emily painted faces; Adam dressed up as a clown and helped the kids break the pinata; and we had a bounce house for everyone to play in.  It was a great party! Thank you to everyone for helping us celebrate Drew's first birthday!

 The cake!

 Drew's smash cake!

 Cupcakes (it is all icing - even the part that looks like ice cream!)

 cookies!

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY DREW!