Zander's steps

Zander keeps taking steps when I'm not around to see! He took two with Erik, four with my dad and a few with other people. Maybe Zander knows I'm just not ready for him to be a walker.

He also has a new tooth. It pushed through on Friday, June 25th. Naps have been a challenge...nearly non existent.

Aiden Loves Fireworks

Erik was doing a small fireworks show for Aiden, Chloe, and I. The fireworks were fairly quiet, ground ones (smoke bombs, ground bloom flowers, sparklers). Aiden loved them so much. He began laughing (very much like Visceny in Princess Bride, right before he keels over). This made Chloe, Erik and I laugh. I love the unbridled excitement!!!

Mini Theme Park

Aiden went on his first mini roller coaster. I wore my baby bjorn, but Zander was being held by a friend who was not on the ride. The roller coaster operator checked me to make sure there was no baby :-) Zander, Aiden, and I also rode the carosel and some other little rides. It was tons of fun. When Aiden was scared on the roller coaster, I taught him to scream when he was scared. I think it really helped and he had fun.

Aiden's Recital

Aiden's preschool had a recital. Aiden sang "Oh Mr. Sun" and "The Wheels on the Bus" with the rest of his classmates. So cute!

Zander's First Birthday

Zander had a crudy first birthday...he was sick. We celebrated his birthday early though so he did have a chance to enjoy some cake (the top picture is his early b.day, the bottom is his real, sick birthday). He also had his one year well-baby visit. He has moved from the first percentile to the thirteenth percentile in weight! Go Zander!!! Way to grow!!!

Meet you at home

Aiden, Zander, and I were at the park with friends. It was nearly nap time so I let Aiden know we'd be leaving in two minutes. Aiden responded, "That's okay Mama, I'll just meet you at home."

Grandparents and Italy

Erik and I had a great time in Italy and the boys had a great time with my parents. The boys also got to spend an afternoon with Erik's dad.

I didn't like our last day in rome...too stressful with lines at the Vatican and trying to get to our bus to take us to the almalfi coast. Now that we're here though, I'm really relaxing and going with the flow. (I'm not saying I didn't like Rome though...I enjoyed Rome and want to go back, I just got tired of all the pushing and elbowing that you have to put-up with).

We have a great hotel in Positano that looks 1/2 at the city and 1/2 at the Mediterranean. We have a private balcony--we sat out on it this afternoon and just enjoyed the sites and sounds. It is a little higher up the hill than I thought when I booked, but it is beautiful. Apparently it's regular rate is over 400 euro per night (we're not paying that)!!!!

We met up with Erik's sister and her husband (Mere and Bobby) yesterday. We're both in Positano, but we're on opposite sides and boy-oh-boy the stairs/hills between us--WOW! When we ate dinner yesterday, we each ordered something different and then split it 4-ways. It was really a wonderful culinary experience. About midnight, we went our separate ways and Erik and I enjoyed our roof-top patio to have a clear view of the stars and sea.

Erik and I loved Pompeii.

Erik and I were exploring the various hotels here to see where we want to stay for our last night. I was amazed that we could get a hotel practically right on the beach fairly inexpensively (I'm guessing because it is last minute and the town is pretty quiet right now). We did check-out La Sirense though...it is a beautiful (posh!!!) hotel with lots of sitting rooms throughout and their normal rate for a sea view room is about 1000 Euro, they were willing to give it to us for 700 Euro...ya, don't think we'll stay there :-) It did come with breakfast though! :-P Granted, pretty much all the hotels offer that.