Katelyn's 1 month Birthday + Zoomar's Bday party (Week 143/5)

Hello there!  Man, my weekly blog post is getting much more difficult to do now that we've got 2 kids...sometimes it seems like there's just no time in the day.  I'm busy with Katelyn all during the day (I can barely get in my required daily cleanings each day when she's napping) and then next thing you know it's bedtime.  Sigh.  Things will get easier, right?  I think so.

Lots to blog about this week!  We'll start out with Tyler's fun weekend adventure - going to a birthday party at Zoomar's Petting Zoo in San Juan Capistrano.  Of course, I missed this one as well, since lots of little kids + smelly animals + port-o-potties = lots of germs.  I was pretty bummed though, since we're good friends with the birthday boy's family.  Anyway, Tyler had a great time!

Here's an overload of pictures from the party - Tyler had a lot of fun playing with his friend Arden on the cars.  He's wearing his Bahamas vacation shirt. :)

 

Many different ways to play on this car, I guess?  Doesn't seem very safe though.

Pony rides!  Will and Tyler got there pretty early so Tyler got to ride the horses a couple times - yay!  I still remember the last time we visited Zoomar's - it was one of Tyler's first horse rides (he's an old pro now) and had gone halfway through the track when he freaked out and started crying!  I ended up having to run down to where they were to console him. Now he's a big boy - no help needed.

 

Zoomar's is a really fun place for kids.  They have an enclosed area full of bunnies, giant guinea pigs, and funny looking chickens.  Each of the kids got a big basket of carrots.  Tyler was very excited about his carrots (not that he eats carrots.. hmph..)

Here's Tyler feeding a bunny!  

 

Another attraction - a train ride!  Whoohoo - perfect for Tyler.  He got to be the train conductor and sit in the very front.  Very exciting!

 

They even had a playground there.  The kids love playgrounds.  Here's Tyler swinging with his friends - looks like fun!

 

His friend Dylan taught him to put his hands up while going down the slide.  What a thrill seeker.

This was funny - Tyler was excited to do a pull-up.  What made him think he could do one by himself (without Will's help) I dunno, but he thought he could!  The first one is him excited to do one, and the second is him realizing that he doesn't have the arm strength. Hah!

Birthday cake!  All the kids devoured their cakes - Tyler ate a little of the cake and spit it out.  My kid doesn't even like frosting!  I should count my blessings I guess and knock on wood.  He took a bite, spit it out, and said that he was all done and everyone watched as he went to throw his almost-full-slice of cake away.  (They've trained them very well at school - to throw away their stuff when they're done).  Darn, I would have eaten his cake for him though.   Funny moment - Tyler helped his buddy Kaden blow out his candles and got some hot dog on the cake.  Lovely.

More fun things with Arden.  Feeding goats - he wasn't scared this time surprisingly.

Riding the pony again.

...and the train ride as well.

All in all, a very fun day for Tyler and his friends.  He was pretty knocked out when he got home - which was perfect since he really needed a nap because we had plans for that night.

This past Saturday (4/3) was Katelyn's 1 month birthday.  Happy 1 month Katelyn!  To celebrate, we gathered at a Chinese restaurant in Alhambra with some family and friends.   Nothing too fancy, but a good reason to get everyone together.   Even more exciting though? - getting Katelyn actually dressed in something cute for the first time!  Here she is with me in her little dress.

She even had little leg warmers on.  Love it.

She thinks she's pretty too!

My girls Mariam and Trina are like family so of course they joined us for the event.  (thank goodness that Trina went though, she kept Tyler on his best behavior!)

Here's Tyler the photographer.  He's actually pretty good at taking pictures!  Not surprising though, he's gotten really good at playing different games on my iPhone as well.  I can't wait until the new iPhone comes out this year so that I can get it, and he can have my old one! 

Tyler wasn't too interested in the dinner that was served (he liked the bbq pork though) and ate an entire plate of strawberries.  He's actually pretty good at cutting them with a knife and fork too.  

Here's a video of Tyler cutting his strawberries (yay a video! It's been a long time).  It reminds me of how someone would cut and eat steak/prime rib.  yum.

Ooh, this is the Chinese restaurant make-shift high chair.  Very safe looking eh?  I had to keep my arm on it to keep him from accidentally tipping over if he leaned too far to the side.

Tyler was really well behaved all night - even though it got way past his bedtime too!  (thanks Trina!).  He was very sociable and silly and just fun to be around.  Katelyn was great too - she slept most of the night in the stroller behind us.  It must have been nice for Tyler to be the center of attention again.  Yay Tyler!  Here he is goofing around with my brother Lindon.

Some group family pictures.  Here's a photo of us with my parents and my sister in law Michelle.  

Here's one with Will's side of the family.

This is a nice one - Will's mom/grandmother and my mom/grandmother.  

And lastly another one with the ladies.  That's actually my aunt in the back who is visiting from Taiwan - she has twins also!

Here's Tyler and Trina at the end of the night - Tyler was still in a great mood.  He loves his auntie Trina!

Fast forward.  The next day my parents came by for dinner (I love it when visitors bring food! hehe!).  My dad peeled a grapefruit for me and Tyler (with the bribery of a gummy) wore it as a hat.  

Afterward, Tyler couldn't get enough of the hat and kept asking to put it on.  Silly Tyler.

Here's my mom with Katelyn.

Random pictures of the week:

Went to a playdate on Tuesday with some other OC Mommies.  Katelyn was the youngest one there!  Met some nice moms and am looking forward to future events (such as the Infant Massage class taught by a Happiest Baby on the Block practitioner!).  It was funny, 4 of us all had the UppaBaby stroller.  Here's a picture of the kids that day.

Here's Katelyn chilling in her carseat.  I find I'm not as nervous taking her out as I was when Tyler was a newborn.  She's pretty good in her carseat, so I always hesitate to move her into the cute bassinet that came with my stroller.  I must though - that bassinet is only good up to 3 months!

I'm quite comfortable nursing anywhere as well - as long as I've got my little nursing cover.  Here I am nursing at dinner at Pat&Oscar's the other night (kids eat free on Tuesdays!)

Tyler was excited that we were actually eating out all together - we were at the MarketPlace and he liked running around the water fountains near the movie theaters.  I was surprised to see lots of young families there (kids eat free that day I guess?) - could be a good spot to hang out when Katelyn is a little older!

Ooh, here's Tyler helping feed Katelyn a bottle.  We need to get better and making it a normal thing - I'm just so blah about pumping.  I pumped SO much with Tyler that I'm a little burnt out - I totally don't want to end up with an oversupply like I did before.

Another carseat picture of Katelyn - why does that seem to be the only time I take pictures of her?  Strange.  Being home all day by myself drives me a little nuts, so we take trips to Target and BabiesRUs a lot.  Come visit me people - it helps break up my day!

Huge this week - got a couple hours off to have Happy Hour with my girlfriends!  It was the last day that Will was actually home and not working, and I had to take advantage of it!  We did a lot of errands that day actually (I got my brows waxed, Will got a haircut, Costco, etc) and I was really excited to have a couple hours out.  It felt like old times again almost (except 1/2 a drink and I was done) - sigh.  Life goes on.  (especially bummed that I'm missing Trina's 30th birthday Vegas bash this weekend. ARGH!)

And crazy Trina got herself another dog, hehe! So of course Tyler has to meet him and become friends!  Here's Trina and Tyler with her dog Sebastian and her new dog Max!  Tyler was not a fan of Sebastian barking though (very loud and deep) but would laugh and be OK real quick when we explained to him that that was how Sebastian talks!

Katelyn's 4 week bear picture:

Are you tired of this post yet?  I'm sure you are!  No more words, just pictures from now on - pictures of 1 month Katelyn.  What do you think?  We took Tyler out every month to take photos at a studio - but we just don't have time this time around.  We'll try though! - I just wish we had props and stuff to use for our "home" studio.

Have a good week everyone!