Darlin' it's better down where it's wetter...

For the final adventure of the long weekend we stopped by the Texas State Aquarium. 

It was great fun after all the time at the beach in the sun and sand. 

Here everything was shady and there was no dirt to clean out of everything. 

The first thing we saw was the dolphin show and both girls were thrilled just to see them swimming around.

Trying to see the dolphins swim in the tank before the show started.

Me and Hadley getting ready for some awesome aquatic acrobatics.

This one was taken during the show. Everyone was mesmerized by the tricks the dolphins could do.

This was taken before the start of the birds show. 

Hadley loved the birds and would follow them as they flew all over the arena.

Family picture (amazing everyone is actually looking at the camera).

After the bird show Allie wanted to get her picture taken with the falcon (she was actually being brave about this, hooray!). So we all went up for a closer look. 

This show was so much fun we saw it twice (the second time we sat where the birds fly right over your head, it was pretty cool).

They had a few sea turtles in a cage. This one loved hanging out by the same window, so we got a really good view. The girls loved looking at all the animals up close.

Before we left we wanted to see the dolphin show one more time. This time we watched from the underground viewing area. The girls got so excited to see the dolphins because they could get so close to them. The kept trying to pet them through the glass. It made for a neat show.

Thus ended the family vacation to Corpus Christi. 

We came, we saw, we got burned, and then we went home.

Name is Cheese, Chuck E Cheese

Well, on vacation we have had a ton of fun. We did the beach thing until both children were red, sandy, and tired. After a long nap we decided to go for dinner. And since we were on vacation, we went to the greatest restaurant in town (we're big spenders on vacation, non of that cheap-o fast food stuff for us). Allie was super excited to go to Chuck E Cheese. We have never been before, but somehow she knew it was a great place for a kid to be a kid.

 

The girls had a great time playing all the games and enjoyed a few of the rides. It was great for me too since I was deprived of the experience as a child (my family says we went, but I don't remember so its like it never happened).

It was a great meal. 

Too bad we can only go there on family vacations (at least that is what we told Allie).

Beach Trip 2012

This year for memorial day weekend, we all took a trip to the beach. We drove down to Corpus Christi for the long weekend and had plenty of family adventures. 

First on the list of things to do was take Hadley to the beach! 

This was her first trip and she absolutely loved the whole experience.

Hadley running down the beach towards the water. 

She always made a straight shot for the ocean whenever she got free.

Pure excitement!

Enough said.

She liked the waves and kept trying to grab them with her hands. 

We had to keep a close eye on her to make sure she didn't get a face full of salt water.

Hadley had a great time at the beach!

Mom had fun too! 

This is a great picture of the two girls on the white sands.

Allie seems to have forgotten that she liked the beach. 

This time she was grossed out by the seaweed on the beach and in the water. 

Consequently, she was not a big fan of getting wet. 

She did like playing in the sand. She made lots of sand castles and showed everyone on the beach how to fly a kite (nobody else could get their kites to stay in the air). 

Next time we have to work on being brave so we can actually get into the ocean (she would barely let me get her feet in the water and that was only when she had a death grip around my neck).

It was great family fun in the sun. 

(Look at all those big feet!)

Allie's first date

We had an interesting evening. Rachel had a brilliant plan to take Allie on a special date with her mom and dad. There was a performance by the BYU Folk Dance Ensemble in Houston, so she told me we all "got" to go watch two hours of dancing adventures. Needless to say, I was a little concerned about the possibilities of attending a show with a three year old that started at 7 PM on a Tuesday.

Allie however was way excited to go watch the dancing! 

She was talking about it for days before hand and wanted to see all the cool moves they had. 

So, we went bravely to the show.

Allie got all dressed up for the evening, and she wore her new skirt that Rach got her (because it twirled out when she spins dancing). She kept asking when the dancing would start, and enjoyed her own plush chair.

This is me and Allie. 

I was trying to be supportive, but inside was still concerned since show time coincided directly with bedtime.

Allie and Rachel. 

Both very excited to watch people prance around the stage!

During intermission Allie wanted to try dancing like the "princesses" in the show. This is Irish clogger dancing, or something along those lines (watch out Riverdance, here she comes). Notice how the skirt twirls at the bottom (apparently this is a very important feature of formal attire).

During the show she sat on our laps so she could see the stage better. She was mesmerized by each dance, and kept asking where did the princesses go? She stayed awake and focused for the entire show! I can't say the same, but it wasn't half bad.

After the show Allie got to meet one of the princesses! She was SOOO excited. It made the end to a wonderful evening.

We love our mommy!

Dear mommy,

This is a shout out for all the great stuff you do for us! 

We wanted to make sure everyone knew just how cool you are, so we decided to create a little blog post to publicize your awesomeness. You always make time for us to have fun, read great stories, comfort our injuries, and make great treats! As a measure of our appreciation, here is what we decided to do just for you. We don't do these kinds of things for just anybody, only the really special people.

Blueberry pancakes for breakfast! Look how good I did making them.

- Allie -

I know I don't always look this cute for you, but please remember this when I act up later this week.

- Allie -

See, I don't cry all the time. 

This is how I feel when I get to see mommy first thing in the morning, even if that comes at 4 or 5 AM.

- Hadley -

These are the beautiful flowers we picked out for you! We found the ones that looked the prettiest, because they remind us of you. 

We look so great together, and hope to be just like you when we get bigger. Remember we are trying real hard to follow in your example, but we just haven't learned to deal with the bad days as well as you do. So don't mind if we cry, or whine, or complain a little bit. We will get over that, and if we're lucky we will turn out just like you!

Thanks for being the greatest mommy ever! We hope you had a good day of relaxing and fun. Happy mothers day.

With big hugs and sloppy kisses, love,

Allie and Hadley

School's Out FOREVER!

On Friday, Mike had his 3rd and final Graduation (or at least it better be his last) from the University of Houston School of Pharmacy with a Masters of Pharmacy of Administration.  That officially make his title...

Dr. Michael Justin Meldrum, PharmD, MS, Dad

I took both girls with my by myself to the ceremony, and no I am not fully crazy.  They did pretty well as Mike's hooding was 5th out of like 140 so as soon as he was done, I took the girls outside and played around until they got to the W's.  Mike has done such an awesome job through this whole process and has been a dedicated student through it all.  Earlier he presented his thesis:

  Impact of Clinical Pharmacy Services in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center Emergency Department 

He rocked it and now we can see him every night!  Yea!

This was the best I could get of Mike 

Pet-a-palooza!

In Houston this weekend there was a pet-a-palooza! 

It was a great outdoor event at downtown where everyone got to bring their dogs and play in the park. Thus, in an effort to continue to indoctrination of my children to want a dog, 

we decided to go to the event! 

There were lots of vendors and pet adoption agencies, but more importantly there were tons of dogs. They were of all colors (white, black, and even pick) and sizes (small as a shoe to big as a pony). 

Allie got her face painted at the first booth. She got a lovely unicorn and didn't want to take it off.

There were tons of great dogs! 

Allie decided the really big ones might be too scary for her. 

This one was a big Great Pyrenees (it looked like a small bear).

Allie liked the puppies better. 

Hadley got to play with a tiny little Jack Russell puppy that was 8 weeks old. 

She wanted to pet every dog she saw, and here she is trying to climb over my leg to pet the hound. Hadley is a girl after my own heart and likes the big dogs!

The park also has a splash park, and they both loved that. 

Hadley was investigating all the water spouts.

She kept leaning over to try and drink all the water.

Allie enjoyed getting soaked.

Both girls liked walking around and watching the water.

Allie had a great time.

We tried to get a greater affection for the big dogs, but Allie said that she likes the little dogs better. 

At this point I'll take it, because she at least still says she wants a dog every day! 

Hadley may be my real dog lover though.

Hadley is 1!

Our little Hadley-do turned 1 year old!  I cannot believe how fast this last year has gone, it seems like she was just coming home from the hospital with me in her little tiny clothes. 

Hadley's 12 month stats:

Height: 31.23" (97%)

Weight: 21 lbs 14 oz (65%)

Head Circumference: 19.09" (99.55%)

Looking back, she has grown 12.5 inches, gained 15 lbs 8 oz and has become our little opinionated, happy girl who loves her sister, being outside and ice cream.  That is a lot of change in just one year!  She really has a fun personality and her smile can melt any heart.  Hadley loves Allie and follows her everywhere around the house, even into time-out.  Whenever Allie is in time out, I spend more time keeping Hadley away from her than I do anything else.  Hadley first year of life has also included lots of visits to the doctor.  The first 6-9 months of life she had acid-reflux which we had to keep changing doses and the last 6 months she had 5 ear infections.  Hopefully now that she is upright and walking around, those ear infections will stop and we can just have our happy little Hadley around!  

Sleep is not her forte either, which is probably due to the acid reflux and ear infections.  We have sleep-trained her so many times, and she is hopefully good to go now, usually going to bed between 7 & 7:30 and waking up around 6:30 or 7.  After Allie, I was sure that with the next babies I would sleep train by 6 months at the latest.  I guess you never really know what will happen with each child.

Hadley is a squaker!  She has learned a lot of sign language, but usually squaks while doing it so she can get our attention.  She says Mama, Dad, Hi Dad, Dog, and Aah as in Allie, but that is about it so far.  She know and uses signs for food, hot, light, more, please, bird, fish, elephant and give awesome kisses and hugs at bedtime.  She love the pool and will bring me her swimsuit when she can find it and beg to go outside.  Whenever you say go outside, she goes to grab some shoes, usually Allie's, and tries to open the front door.  

For Hadley's birthday, we had the Tingeys over for opening presents, cake and ice cream.  We were able to google video chat with family members and they could watch her devour her cake.  Yea for Technology!

Here are an obscene amount of cute photos from her birthday party.  We love you Had!