SunSplash!

There's a lot that goes into a trip to SunSplash...with a baby.  There's no doubt I'm a planner!  I was up the night before packing bags.  Bags that were functional, yet not my cutest ones, in hopes they didn't scream steal me off this beach chair since I was trying to avoid getting a locker.  I had one bag packed with the kids' stuff.  One for the towels/adults.  I should not have opened the can of worms with my husband about how it'd be so nice to trade positions...where I just worried about packing for myself...how I could just wing it and not have to think of the 1,000,000 different scenarios to prepare for.  It gets me no where, since I'd never give up the control of packing it all anyway.

So anyway, I had a bag full of snacks, baby food, diapers, water diapers, back up water diapers in case poop occurred, hats, sunscreen spray, sunscreen lotion for the 5 year old that hates cold spray, dry clothes for the boys (all 3 boys) that were cozy to nap in on the car ride home, etc.  I, then, had to strategically hide our money/phones/camera in our bag to avoid needing a locker.  When my sweet husband asks me why I'm so frazzled the night before our trip while I'm packing bags, as well as laying out everyone's outfits for the next morning, so we can be up, sunscreened, dressed, nursed, fed, and out the door by 9:00am... I just smile.  Oh honey, you will never understand!

But oh my, God was so good today.  He timed Noah's nap time perfectly in the car on the drive there, kept the lines short, kept my 5 year old content, gifted us a secluded, shady area to park our stuff, and made our day wonderful!  All my anxieties on how to keep C content while I had to sneak away to nurse Noah or fight to get him to nap while we were in a noisy, unfamiliar place were put to ease.  I was able to toss a towel over Noah to feed him in our secluded seating.  It was, as if, the kiddie fountain area where we sat was like white noise to our sweet babe.  He slept easily and peacefully.  Matt & I took turns take C on the big slides.  C was in Heaven.  Noah was happy.  Matt & I were able to enjoy ourselves and everyone's company.  It was an ideal day!

The water was ice, ice, ice cold, so we kept Noah from touching it.  It didn't phase Connor though!  

Matt hoisted Noah up high as we cruise down the lazy river with Peewee.

The big slides required life jackets for kids under 48".  With Peewee just a few inches shy of 48", he got to trot around in this fancy thing.  I thought it would bug him all up around his face, but he just exclaimed,

"Look, Mom! I float!"

Cute kid, right there.

You can't tell by the picture, but these picnic tables were kiddie sized.  This was my nursing station/Noah's nap area.  It worked out great.

This kid was happy as a clam!  We sat waiting for the boys to come down the big green slide & he was just squealing away!  He loves to be outside and people watch.  I just pulled the camera out & snapped this beauty.

What a doll babe.

Matt & I did great swapping children throughout the day.  I loved being able to give C some one-on-one time too.  These were the green slides we went on ump-teen-times.  You can't really tell, but there were about a gazillion stairs to reach the top of the slide.  I was winded each trip!  I would have done it over and over again for my happy boy.  We had fun screaming/cheering/saying funny things as we went down the tunnel slide each time.

After about 3 hours of no tears/fussing from either child, we were in dry clothes and ready to head out.  We timed it perfectly.  Note to self: take cute family photos before we're exhausted.

Instead of trying over and over for a successful everyone-looking-and-smiling photo, I opted for the true to life photos today.

Example 1

And Example 2...

A sweet family next to us that traveled from Canada with their two young boys (youngest was 2 months), offered to take our family picture.  I felt a bond with this Mom that I didn't even know, as she was toting around her newborn under a 'hooter hider' while pushing her empty stroller and holding her other son's hand all while trying to remain calm with her family in order to make fun, happy family memories!  I thought packing for a day at SunSplash was overwhelming.  Award goes to that woman, who traveled all the way across the US with her babes.

Oh, and this was a fun attire day for Mom.  Boys were wearing matching swimsuits, as well as matching dry clothes.  I bought those shirts before I had Noah and couldn't wait for an opportunity for both the boys to fit into them/wear them together.  I got a few compliments on my awesome dressing skills.  It's the little things that make me look like I have my crap together.  Haha.

All the boys of the house are snoozing, so now it's my turn!  Goodnight!