Labor Day trip in Destin

Okay Okay, I am a little blog happy tonight. I am making up for the days that I haven't posted anything. This one is way past due. However, my mommy keeps asking me to post pics from our mini vacation in Destin. By the way we had a great time. TOOKK loves the sand and pool but hates the ocean water. There was this great family area called the village with shops restaurants and courtyards and playgrounds and live music. Umm I used "and" way too many times in the previous sentence, Oh well it happens. Carmen did okay on the 5hr car ride. She screamed the last hour it was pretty miserable. We tried everything to console her. We even stopped at a Walgreens to buy a random new toy. No such luck. Oh a she was like a zombie and didn't want to sleep. I t was a totally war but by the last night she was tired enough to not fight us.

Posing at a restaurant in the Village. They had yummy milkshakes!

Sand Destin: I am trying to get Carmen to like the ocean!! Somewhat successful, until a wave splashes in her face.

This was a super cool playground that had shredded rubber tires a the floor.

Carmen loved the sand!! She even tried to eat it. Bleck, phttt..

I love love love this picture. My 2 fav people. Angel dug in the sand until he found water. It was about a foot deep. We were pretty close to the shore. Carmen liked this little water pit. It had about 3in of water in it without the waves. You cant see it too well in this pic. But you can see 2 cute smiles. Yai!!!!!!!!

Snack time... mmm string cheese

Hanging out in the pool at the hotel.

What a fun pic of me and TOOKK!! :D

Biggest chair ever!!

Uh Oh... Carmens about to get eaten by a super buff alligator...

Who says that you cant have more than 1 favorite picture? I love this one... Carmen is kissing Papa at Cheeseburger and Paradise. I must add that this place has the best spinach and artichoke dip ever, ever! So good... It has crabmeat mixed in it.

Carmen passed out from a long day at the beach.

Mega Blocks

The whole point of building a tower is to knock it over, right? Well at least Carmen thinks so. She loves stacking blocks just to knock them down. This is a great activity for Angel and Carmen to spend quality time together. I love watching them play with blocks together!! Look how cute!

Who loves sweet tea? I do, I do!!

If you don't know already sweet tea is the drink of choice here in the south. At least by me anyway. I discovered that Carmen loves it too! I gave her her first sip of sweet tea a few months ago. It is a special treat that she will rarely get like when I go out to eat and order sweet tea to drink. So 2 days ago I went to have lunch with a friend. Well I gave Carmen her own sippy of sweet tea. She was in heaven ;). No flaming people at least it wasn't a coke. If you know me in real life you know how picky I am about what I let Carmen consume. I felt like spoiling her that day. I had to get that off my chest I let TOOKK have her own sweet tea!! ( *sigh* I feel better already!)

Carmen says cheese...

...not literally, but she does smile for the camera now. I no longer have to try and make her laugh each time a snap a picture. I tell her say cheese and she gives me a squinty eyed cheesy smile face!! How cool is that carmen now says cheese!!

Tiny Jaccuzi

I was expecting my friend Sarah and her 2 year old son Thor over today at 1:30. So I had a great reason to mop the tile floors. I am embarrassed to admit its been a while since I mopped. (I do sweep regularly though). I just filled the mop bucket with water, vinegar and some lavender scented Dr. Bronner's soap. I dont use any harsh chemicals in my home for cleaning. I began this chore in the foyer. I place the mop bucket in the living room (which is next to the foyer in my house). Carmen was very interested in what I was doing. I told her to stand in the living room and watch Mommy mop and dont come in here because she will slip and fall. I quickly finish mopping the foyer and head to the mop bucket to submerge the mop back into the water, ring it out and start on the living room. But my mop bucket is occupied!! I find Carmen sitting in the overflowing bucket. She was splashing about and have a blast. I couldnt help but to laugh. Carmen gets into everything, but I never thought she would play in the mop bucket. Oh geez, thank God I dont use lysol or bleach.

Brushing Cita's teeth is a nightmare!!

Please tell me this daily routine will become easier!! I am about to go nuts. Each night I tell Carmen come in its time to cepilla los dientes (= brush your teeth in spanish). I have no idea if I spelled that right. I speak spanglish, I dont write en espanol. I leave the spanish up to Angel most of the time ;). Anyhow, whenever she sees the toothbrush she walks away quickly saying no, no. I haved tried a normal toothbrush and an electric toothbrush. She wants nothing to do with them. I even bought an Elmo toothbrush. She is obsessed with Elmo, I'll save that story for another day. I literally have to hold her down to get her teeth clean. Its a battle, and every time she screams and cries. I am at my wits end with brushing her teeth. Someone please tell me this is just a phase because we have been dealing with this for months. Oh and I try to let her do it herself and she just sucks the toddler training toothpaste off then tosses the toothbrush and is on her way... I feel so bad like I am making this a traumatic experience for her. I am scared that I am making her associate negativity with brushing teeth. Am I over thinking this people? Any Advice fellow parents? My current strategy that goes somewhat smoothly, is... I wet a baby washcloth and put a dab of toothpaste on one corner and swipe it across her teeth inside and out top and bottom. Then I use the other corner without toothpaste to wipe her teeth free from the toothpaste. She is much more tolerant to this latter system, but I have to be careful because she bites.... yikes!!!

Rainy friday

It has been raining everyday for the past 10 days. So we have been cooped up inside a lot lately. On friday Hubby worked a half day. He spent some cuddle time with Carmen on the couch watching Monsters Inc. I was able to capture them munching on popcorn and enjoying the movie together. Too cute, if I do say so myself.