Vacation, all I ever wanted

Oh, I have an AWESOME idea!!! How about I take the kids to CA by myself for two weeks! WooHoo! AND let's fly Southwest because the added anxiety of possibly not getting 4 seats together just amps up the FUN factor! And, you know what would totally top it off? If my parents' house wasn't really toddler friendly. For good measure, if "I" could lose Vinny at a golf course this could be the best vacation, EVER! Except really it was. The kids were (as always) so easy to travel with. Vinny did do some damage at my parents' house but I don't think there was any permanent damage. And he was just making sure I loved him when he wandered away from my mom and made me cause a hysterical crying scene at the Rancho Bernardo Inn.

I'll try not to make this too long, as I've already shared all of these on facebook. You should probably get on there

My sister decided to change her Engagement Party into a wedding and Beto flew in for a short weekend. There is just something magical about family weddings. It was beautiful.

The Bridal Shower
My sister, Dayna, and I
Me, Mom and Dayna
The Rehearsal
Steve and Dayna
Tiffany, Dayna and I
Beto and I
A Decent Family Shot
The little girls: Sophia, Leah, Emma and Ava
Dylan wouldn't be excluded!

The Wedding
The Happy Couple
The Other Happy Couple
Emma and Leah
Flower girls: Ava and Sophia
Emma caught the bouquet!
My sweet girls
The cousins (minus Vinny-we were afraid to lose him again and he stayed home with a sitter.)
Me, Sis and Mom

After we recovered from the wedding festivities, we had lots of amazing fun with some of our very favorite people. We hit La Jolla Shores and Mission Beach a few times.

We spent a day at Balboa Park. Like a good little evolutionist, I took the kids to the Museum of Man.

Me and the Kids
NooNoo and the girls
Ava, pointing to the skull that looked most like Beto :))

NooNoo and the kids at the Organ Pavillion

Ava, Vinny and I met Dawn and her kids for a playdate. Then we headed out to Alpine for a fun-filled Smith Day!

Brandon, Jenna and Ava

My little brother turned 30. We went to his resort, I mean house, for a party. "Somebody" might have kind of lost Vinny again. "Somebody" can no longer be trusted.

My brother

Peg and Ava take the plunge!

Emma jumps!

And Dylan!

I think Emma eventually talked Leah into it :)

The birthday boy.

Finding Nemo.

Vinny got a skate lesson.

This makes my heart go pitter-patter.

Our trip generally coinsides with the opening of The Del Mar Racetrack season. We hit up a late Friday and I took the girls for their first time. They LOVED it and even got to cash a few winning tickets, unlike their mother.

I got to have a great dinner at old Town Mexican Cafe with two of the hottest Bs in town.
Jennifer, Janelle and I

And I got to see the most beautiful pregnant lady before she moved to CO.

Shawn and Leah

It was an amazing time with friends and family. It is always difficult to leave and every time we do, I wonder why we ever did :( Until next time, sweet CA.

Vinny is Two!!

He started out his big day with a Baseball Cupcake for breakfast.

We had the Lewtons over for BBQ and cupcakes.
They showed off their baby (OMG...Vinny used to be that little...sniff, sniff...hurry into the kitchen before anyone catches you crying) and we all ooh and ahhed about little baby Mason. Ava says "He's so cute. I can't even think about it in my head!!" Emma couldn't wait to get her hands on him.
Vinny got lots of BALLS! and various ball hitting equipment.
And soon this:
And this:

Turned into this:

One day, we will get a good picture with everyone smiling at the camera, not showing their underwear or flashing gang signs(or some kind of jazz hands wtf?) or making silly faces. Until then, we will keep trying :)

I'm Not Coping Well

So, a few days before Vinny's second birthday, I was refolding the baby blankets that he and Ava had scattered all over his room playing fort/tent/baby/mail/ghost. As I was doing the basket of receiving blankets, I thought to myself "I should probably just give these to Amanda. We haven't used them in over a year." But as I folded each one, I was flooded with memories of the sweet little bundle that they used to swaddle. I remembered the moment I laid eyes on him (tears).
I recalled the roller coaster of emotions we rode for the next seven days (lots and lots of tears).

I remembered how I felt when I finally got to hold him again (tears).

And how I treasured giving him a bath in the hospital the night before he was discharged.
I laughed when I got to the Yankee blanket and recalled how little I cared about what he was wearing when we finally got to take him home (snort).

I looked at the blankets and realized that I would never have another little bundle to swaddle (omg, the kids are going to see me crying like an idiot over blankets, wipe, wipe). He might be two and not technically a baby. But he's my baby. And he might want to be swaddled again sometime soon. So I put the blankets back in the basket and there they will stay. And in my heart, my little love will always look like this:
My beautiful boy. You have brought so much love and joy to my life. You have pushed me to be more patient and forced me to be thankful for every moment. Happy Second birthday, Sweet Vincent Chase.