Monkeying Around

Words are probably unnecessary here. The kids had a wonderful trip to the zoo with our nanny, Rachel!

 

 

 

 

A Monterey Adventure

In late December, we took a short trip to Carmel/Monterey with friends. Just blogging about it now as we were crazy busy at that time. Unfortunately, it was such a crazy busy time that we forgot to bring our camera, so these are low quality photos.

Our weekend started off with a stop at the Children's Museum in San Jose. I cannot say enough good things about this place. The activities they have for the kids are amazing. The bubble area, for example, was amazing. Here, Natalie makes a big sheet of bubbles.
 

 

Will played in this sand area for a LONG time.  He loved it!

Amanda and her friend make some fun cardboard art.

While Will takes a spin in the old truck.

While in Monterey, the highlight of our trip was the aquarium, of course.  Here are most of the kids lined up on some old cannery equipment in the entrance of the aquarium.

 

They were all SO excited to see these baby jellyfish in a tube.

Everyone took a turn blowing the old cannery whistle.

Once inside the wedding, we got to touch some cool plants and sea creatures.

 

We also had great fun finding out what it's like to stand right under a waterfall.




 Will squealed with delight when the water came splashing over him. 

 

 We also went on a fun behind-the-scenes tour.  On the tour, we learned about what the octopus eats and how they keep it from climbing out of its tank.  We also learned about sea otters.  When the aquarium first began helping the sea otters, they became too familiar with humans and thought all humans would be providing them food.  As a result, now when they assist them or feed them, they wear a special suit so that the sea otters don't associate food with humans.  The kids had great fun trying on that special outfit.  Here is Amanda.

 

Natalie.

And Will.  They are all holding a baby sea otter to make sure it's okay.

Luckily the rain outside stopped for a few minutes so we could go out and feed the fish.  They were waiting for us with great anticipation.

Afterwards we got to look at the waterfall crashing from another cool angle.

 

 

 Then, of course, there was the fun play area, where we all got to sit in a gigantic clam shell!

   

It was our lucky day, because when we left we ran right into the Monterey Fire Department and they let everyone take a turn sitting in their cool fire truck.

And then right down the street, we got lucky again because while we were looking for a lunch spot as we happened by this jolly old guy.  Needless to say, the kids were very excited to see him!

 

 

It rained almost the whole time we were there, but we did sneak in a very quick visit to the beach. 

On the way home, we saw the most spectacular rainbow I've seen in a long time.  The kids would have loved it, but they were all fast asleep.  Yay!  It was a fabulous trip!
 

 

Five!

When Natalie and Amanda were born, everyone said to enjoy every minute because they grow up so fast. When we were up all night with multiple newborn feedings and diaper changes, we were not so sure that we believed this advice. But now that our little girls are five years old, we are convinced! The time really has flown by, right before our eyes!

Natalie and Amanda turned five on January 3rd.  They have grown into amazing little girls.  Natalie loves the color pink and when she draws, her pictures are full of rainbows and flowers.  She is fiercely competitive (insisting on being first on every occasion -- something we're working on!), has a memory like a steel trap and she is the queen of the monkey bars. 

Amanda loves yellow and orange.  He art is more abstract -- she combines colors and shapes together in a beautiful way.  She is quietly intense, has an amazing ability to focus on a task, loves spatial challenges and is very coordinated and flexible.

Natalie and Amanda were so excited to go to school on their birthday, as they are the honorees at the Montessori Celebration of Life ceremony (otherwise known as "birthday circle").  They even put on their fancy clothes for the occasion!  Here they are getting prepared for their birthday circle, by placing the twelve months in a circle around a candle.

 

Their best girlfriends sat right behind them.

Will was a special visitor in their classroom that morning.

 

After the months were lined up, they took the globe off its stand.

 

 

And then they walked around the circle five times, one for each year.

Happy girls!

 

 

After the girls got home from school, we had a special family celebration.  First, they posed for some pictures. 

 

Then we lit the candles on their cupcakes!

Natalie takes the blowing-out-the-candles-business very seriously!

Yummy!

 

They were only a little excited to open their birthday presents!

 

A new Hello Kitty necklace!

 

And a star-studded sweatshirt!

 

 

A basket for our bicycles.  Yay!

Colorful butterflies!

New Barbie clothes!  Woo hoo!

Happy birthday, Natalie and Amanda.  We love you very much and we love the little ladies you are becoming!