Swim lessons

Alex started swim lessons about a month ago. We spent a lot of time at the pool last summer but Alex was terrified of the water. By the end of the summer, he would get in the water without crying but was still not completely comfortable in the pool. I decided to sign him up for lessons as soon as he turned 2 1/2 (the age they have to be to take lessons w/o a parent). The swim club requires a 2 week, everyday class to start. The first two days, there were lots of tears but by the end of the week, he no longer cried in class and participated more eagerly. I signed him up for a second session of everyday classes and by the end of this session, Alex is very comfortable in the pool and excited for swim lessons. He truly loves it now and I'm so pleased. David stopped by the swim club last Friday to watch our little swimmer. Starting this week, Alex is in lessons twice a week.

Let's go to the zoo

We love going to the zoo! Alex asks to go to the zoo almost as often as he wants to go to the ranch. We visited the zoo twice in the last two weeks with our neighborhood friends. Our neighbor Gavin is 2 days younger than Alex and neighbor Joey is 6 months younger. The 3 boys play so well together and I have enjoyed getting to know their mommies, Robin and Nekoel. The boys liked the monkeys, giraffes and elephants the best.

Nekoel and Joey couldn't join us for our 2nd zoo trip this week. Robin and I were lucky enough to pick the most beautiful day we've had in awhile. This time we rode the carousel and spent a long time looking at the snakes. Yuck!

For Valentine's Day, David and I took our kids to the Bayou Wildlife Park. What a neat place! The tram ride takes riders around the ranch where animals come up to the car and eat food out of buckets. Alex was a little afraid at first and then finally fed the animals. If the animal lingered too long, he would pull the bucket away and say 'that's enough'. We saw so many neat animals - several types of deer, llama, zebras, camels, buffalo and water buffalo, and so many others. Our trip was cut short by a major rainstorm but we look forward to going back soon.

XOXO

This is a little late but happy Valentine's Day to our family and friends!

Birthday fun

I love to celebrate birthdays and am known for turning my birthday into a birthday week. This year, my parents took us out to dinner at Pappasito's on my birthday. My wonderful husband told the waitress that it was my 40th birthday... and she fell for it. So she announces to the entire restaurant that it's my 40th birthday and all the waiters sing. Later she tells me that I don't look 40! No kidding! I don't even look 32. David always likes to tease me about being older. Oh well... I have six months to plan something for his birthday in July.

My birthday and my in-law's wedding anniversay is the same day. To celebrate, we had the entire family over to our house for an all-day Wii Rock Band party. The kids played outside and David grilled steaks. Most of us played Rock Band and took turns playing the drums, guitar or singing. It's a lot of fun. After 8 bottles of wine though the singing wasn't so great... just loud!

David and I went to dinner with our friends Matt and Courtney. We went to Del Frisco's in the Galleria. Matt turned 30 a couple days before my birthday. Not sure why we didn't get a group picture.