Dunkin Donuts Date

I’ve been wanting to take Bennett on special snack break to get donuts before the baby comes. I knew he would enjoy the donuts (and, honestly, I’ve been craving them) and I thought it would be a fun little “date” for us. On Wednesday, we made it happen. While Bennett sported his favorite KSU jersey, we shared some scrumptious donut holes (which Bennett fondly labeled “donut balls”) until we couldn’t eat any more. The baby got to partake in the experience, too. Yum!

A Trip to Cabela's

Brian has been talking for awhile about going up to Cabela’s to feed the fish with Bennett. They haven’t been up there since last fall and, of course, Bennett gets much more excited about fish these days than he did back then. So… on March 26th it was a cold and snowy Saturday in KC and we decided to make the 20 minute drive up to Cabela’s for some quality family time. Bennett really enjoyed feeding the fish (I think he used $10 in quarters to get fish food). He also loved the aquariums with all different types of fish and turtles. He got really excited when he would see a “toe-tle” and talked about them nonstop. We ate at the restaurant on the second floor, where a large airplane hangs above you while you eat… really, how much better can it get for a toddler? Then, the boys played a target shooting game, (which was highly captivating for Bennett) and we browsed the tents while Bennett tested them out for us. It was a fun, family outing! Maybe our last one as a family of 3 (who knows?!?!)

1.11.11- SNOW DAY!

What a great day. It FINALLLY snowed in Kansas City and boy did it ever! Bennett’s school was cancelled for Tuesday and, although I look forward to my 2 productive days a week while he’s away, this day was different. There’s still such a nostalgic feeling that comes with the announcement of school being cancelled due to snow. A sudden excuse to delay the to-do list and enjoy a lazy day doing whatever you please. So, Bennett and I took the day to pack away Christmas décor, clean (he loves to “dust”… and says the word quite clearly), play briefly outside in the snow (it was 8 degrees, so that didn’t last long), and play, play, play with all his toys. We read lots of books, sang along with hours of kid music, played with choo-choo trains, constructed many Mr. Potato Head families and put together an endless amount of puzzles. Of course, Bennett spent the entire day in his pajamas. We had so much fun! These are the types of days that will always stand out in my memory. Warm, cozy, no agenda… and lots of time for fun and cuddling. Here are a few pictures of Bennett’s first romp in the snow. He was a little tentative at first, but soon learned that it was fun to throw the snow and clap it in his hands.

SeaWorld

Santa was extremely generous this year and brought Bennett (and his mommy and daddy) a trip to SeaWorld! Bennett LOVES fish, which he enthusiastically pronounces "shish"... or is it "duhsh" (I can't really tell). I don't quite understand the obsession... aside from the fact that they ARE quite graceful and they ARE one of the only animals we don't have in our home. In order to get Bennett excited for his trip, Santa brought a special fish shirt and a poem to announce the gift.

So, Off We Went…
on January 7th to Orlando, FL. The travel to Florida was pretty smooth, with the exception of a minor mishap with Bennett's rolling backpack (the pull handle broke) and the fact that he wouldn't nap on the plane (as we had hoped and planned for). We had a near-miss after boarding the bus in long-term parking at KCI... we realized that Snuggly was still in the car. Thanks to our gracious bus driver, we were able to turn around and go rescue him. I can't even imagine how terrible the trip would have been without Snuggly. Yikes!

SeaWorld: Day 1
Saturday, January 8th, was our first day at SeaWorld. Brian and I were so excited to see how Bennett would react... we anticipated seeing his face when he first realized what we had traveled oh so far to see. He was quite awe-inspired at first and didn’t really say much. Then, the shrills of excitement set in and he was one happy boy. SeaWorld is truly an amazing experience for adults too. The shows are wonderful and it's very interesting to learn about all the animals. We attended the "Sea Lion and Otter Show," fed the sting rays, wandered through aquariums, including The Shark Encounter and Wild Arctic, walked through most of the park, and had lunch at Seaport Pizza (which was terrible). After letting Bennett nap late in the afternoon, we headed to Downtown Disney for the evening. It was difficult finding a place to eat that didn't have a 2+ hour wait, but we ended up finding a sandwich shop that suited us just fine. We walked the boardwalk and toured through the shops and sights until we were exhausted. Bennett and Brian rode a small train together, which Bennett LOVED!

SeaWorld: Day 2
The weather continued to be wonderful for our second day at SeaWorld. We toured through the Penguin Encounter, Jewels of the Sea Aquarium, the Manatee Rescue, the Dolphin Nursery, Pacific Point Preserve (seals), experienced “Blue Horizons” (the dolphin show) and the "Shamu Show." Our favorite, by far, was the dolphin show! Bennett LOVED clapping for the fish and screaming “YEEE-AAA” with a high-pitched shrill! The seals were also really fun to watch. They are so much like dogs... they bark at each other (and at the crowd) and you can feed them treats (fish). I would say that we were a little underwhelmed by the Shamu Show… or maybe it was just because Bennett wasn’t into it and wouldn’t sit still. Now that the trainers can’t enter the water with the whales, the show really wasn’t all that captivating. They ARE amazing fish to see in person, so we appreciated that aspect.

Bennett's Favorite Things:
- FISH, FISH, FISH everywhere! (he especially loved the stingray pups... "bay-bee shish")

- Clapping and cheering after any fish show

- Watching the Manta roller coaster

- Watching the many helicopters flying overhead (he even had a little "helicopter dance")

- Eating junk food (french fries, pizza, etc)

- Sitting on any open curb for a quick rest


- Swinging from the many handrails just above head level

- Riding on Dad’s shoulders

-Riding the train in Downtown Disney

- The hotel... riding the elevator (always a favorite), and playing in the fountain


- Pulling his rolling backpack through the airport