Easter & PA Trip

Before we left, Cameron & Laurie made this easter craft. Love it!

I took the kids home to PA for Easter. The last trip we made was when Cameron was just a baby (11 mos). Most people told me I was crazy to make the trip alone with 2 little kids. Cameron actually travels extremely well!! He was a big helper trying to keep Melia happy on the plane (not an easy job). On the ride home we didn't even have to get out his DVD player or toys. He literally entertained himself for the 3 hours he wasn't sleeping (slept 2). I even had David's old iphone - just in case. He never knew I had it. Loves riding on a plane.

Cameron was so homesick the entire ride home from the airport. He was practically in tears. I think it was due to him feeling a bit overwhelmed with Grandma Beth & Aunt Lynn picking us up at the airport. The rest was due to him being so tired. We actually had quite a few homesick episodes while we were there. There was no way this kid was staying at someone's house unless I was there with him.

Our first day we went up to Aunt Lynn's. Some of the family came out. Paige brought Preston over so we could meet him. Preston loved Cameron! Was climbing all over him. All the kids had a great time playing. Craig and Melissa were also over and stayed to color easter eggs with us.

Ava refused to sit for this one.

Bath time with Ava.

We stayed at Lynn's Saturday night so that the kids could be together on Easter morning. This was the first year Cameron was old enough for the Easter Bunny to hide his basket! All the kids had a slumber party in Lynn's basement with Grandma Beth. The next morning they found their baskets. Uncle Donny had brought home some chicks for them to play with - of course none of them would actually hold one.

The girls were completely taken with Cameron's hair. After this trip I am surprised he doesn't have a complex about his hair. Everyone kept commenting on it...the girls kept touching it. Even while he was sleeping Ava was feeling it.

We had Easter dinner down at mom's with some of the family. Cameron loved the easter egg hunt.

With some of the cousins.



With Grandma Anne (his Great).

On Monday we went up to the Erie zoo with Papa Rick, Lisa, Olivia (big & little), Jack, Aunt Lynn, and Ava. The weather was a little chilly. We had a good time though. Cameron loved the train ride.

A couple of days we were there we had the go cart or 4-wheelers out. Cameron really didn't want anything to do with the go cart. Donny did get him on the 4-wheeler for one quick ride. After that I got him to sit on it with me. Otherwise, all he wanted to do was have Olivia drive it around the house so she could chase him.

We had dinner with family at Dad's one night. While there we were able to get some updated pictures with everyone.

With Gramp (his Great Grandpa)

With Gram (his Great Grandma)

Aunt Diane (his Great)

We also took the kids to get pictures done together. In spite of having 4 of them to deal with I think they turned out pretty well. For the most part they were all really good!

Love this!!

Our last full day there the kids played outside and we had Grandma Anne and Aunt Susan down for dinner.

Action shot - baseball.

Grandma Anne (his Great)

He climbed in the pack & play with Melia.

Touch a Truck

We went to a great event at The Orleans called Touch a Truck. It is basically set up for kids to be able to explore all kinds of trucks and vehicles. There are police cars, fire trucks, bull dozers, semis, and everything in between. While we were there we got to see the helicopter land.


In the back of a limo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He loved the bus!

Back of an ambulance.

Catching the cement.

Cameron & Reindeer on the city bus.

The only time he's allowed in the back!

Loved driving the police car.

Inside the balloon.

Entertaining Melia in line for helicopter.

Flying the helicopter.

Riding where the sick people fly.

Video of the helicopter landing.

We got to see Robosaurus there too. I knew Cameron was going to be uneasy during the show. The robot actually goes out and picks up a car and ultimately rips it in half! Apparently there is usually fire involved (coming out of his mouth). Luckily that wasn't working or I'm sure it would have been worse. When he picked up the car he shot streamers out of his head. It was a loud pop and as stuff came shooting out Cameron was immediately crying! You can actually hear him on the video say "I wanna go home". He was not a fan and could barely watch the rest of the show. He just couldn't figure out why he was ripping the car in half.

After the show we had to talk through it all...over and over and over. We watched the video a few times. The rest of the day he kept asking why did he pick up the gray car? Why was his skin (no idea where this came from) was screaming. After a while he decided he liked Robosaurus. He convinced himself he was ready to go see him again for his next show when he would pick up another car. He assured us this next time he wouldn't cry. Instead, he would laugh really hard when he ripped the car in half.

Catch Up

Cameron is a great big brother! Well, in spite of hitting her in the head with a Wiimote and giving her a huge goose egg & bruise (he felt pretty bad). The first video is him trying to help put Melia to sleep...doing what I used to do to him when he was little. The second shows the hugs/kisses she always gets (he taught her to scream like that)! Then the third video is him helping feed her (and sharing his food).

One of our latest projects is trying to grow some flowers. I needed to repot one of my plants and bought a few new ones. I thought he might have fun planting some seeds and watching them grow. Well I picked out something that didn't require full sun that would survive in the house...and had the shortest gestation period. I was expecting these things to take a week or two and they sprung up right away!! We planted them on a Sunday afternoon and when I came home Wednesday after work the first thing out of his mouth was "mom my plants are growing". Sure enough they were.

This was Wednesday night.

Some big Cameron news...and you understand why I don't have videos & pictures...he has FINALLY warmed up to the idea of taking a shower! If you know my kid well you know this is a huge deal for him. Of course he would only take a shower with me. The first time he even washed his hair. Now every once and a while he will want to get a shower...he thinks it's a big deal. A couple of times he has even stayed in by himself, which he thinks is an even bigger deal! We are making progress.

Fell asleep on Ralph watching a movie.

Now that the weather has been nice, we've been going out for walks in the evenings. The other night we walked down to feed the ducks on the golf course. He loved it until 2 big geese came in to try and steal the bread. They were really aggressive and came right up to Cameron. Probably would have taken it out of his hand if he didn't keep putting his foot up to keep them back. He was a little freaked out by that point and decided we were done.

Valley of the Fire

Cameron loves hiking so we made the trip out to Valley of the Fire. We figured this was the best time before it gets really hot. We went out with friends and took a picnic lunch. Then did an easy hike with the kids. There are lots of rocks for them to climb on. Cameron and David even ventured up pretty high.

With the Papushak's.



Cleaning out his shoes.

Getting his hands dirty!!

Cameron and Ava had a great time! She was even able to man him up a bit. The entire time she was playing in the sand while Cameron wanted to stop and empty his shoes and stay clean. By the end of the day he was putting his hands in the sand too!