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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Brandon Update

I wanted to take a minute to update on Brandon specifically.

He's been very active this summer. His swimming skills change with each time he goes.

First he was sliding into the pool from the side, a sort of half jump.

Then he would jump into our arms at the next event. He did that for another swim day.

Then last Thursday he started swim class with his 2 friends from school. One is very into swimming the other not so much. The teach practiced having them float with assistance and going under water. she asked them to go on their own but apparently after the little girl said no Brandon then said no. So the teacher then dunked each of the kids twice and B did great. The teacher said this week she will separate them so B won't be affected by her opinion.


The next day we had the group of families that we do a monthly dinner/party with and they had a pool. That night brandon was cannonball jumping into the pool all on his own! (he had his bubble on) ALL NIGHT he did this. One of the fathers did a jump called the "can opener" where you hold up one leg to your chest and jump in, brandon was also doing this all night. he had NO Fear! So i'm excited for class tomorrow. They said they will start putting in kicking and real swimming skills. I think he should be willing to go under on his own now.


The other thing i wanted to mention is his reading. I wrote about it the other day on here...

Well tonight brandon read himself 2 Dr. Seuss books (hop on pop, Green eggs and ham) all by himself before bed!!! he holds the book, turns the pages and reads it! its pretty amazing for a 4yr old! I do know some of its memorization, but still we are soooo proud of him!

Hershey Park 2011

Aunt Gail got us tickets for Hershey Park for M&T Bank day

unfortunately she had to have surgery last month and was unable to go.

She got some extra tickets and Aunt Teresa and Cousin Olivia went instead.


We got there right when the park opened, and B measured to find out what rides

he could get on.

Of course he's MY favorite candy.

The 5 of us
B wasn't very excited about Mr. Peanut Butter Cup



First the kids went on a bunch of rides











Below is the face I got when I asked Olivia to smile








We stopped for some candy snacks

(Chocolate and candy covered pretzels and choc covered rice crispies)

We were provided a nice lunch and then after we went to the water park.

The weather was perfect so low 80's.

Due to that the water was REALLY cold.

Luckily they kids played in a really awesome children's"sand castle" area

so Kenn and I didn't even have to get our bathing suits on (YES!)














so after a while his little lips were blue

so he came out to warm up for a minute






Then I asked him

"do you want to get out"

this was the face when he said "NO"


we went over to the kids wave pool

olivia was body surfing.

B had little interest in this area.

About 15 mins and he was back at the castle


Finally B had enough of the cold so we changed the kids,

went souvenir shopping.







we went next door to Chocolate world

B was VERY excited.

Olivia was about done for the day so the 2 of them left.

The 3 of us went on the Chocolate tour ride.

B loved it. We showed him the belts that GrandRuss sells.

So i had made the mistake about talking about making your own candy bar

so thats ALL he wanted to do.

Apparently when we got there it takes an hour.

at this point we were not feeling like waiting that long.

So we found where the have premade bars and had them put Brandons name on it

We also told him to pick out any candy in the store.

He picked out a chocolate chip cookie.


B seeing his candy bar.

The next series of pictures are my attempt at getting him to smile in a picture
He clearly didn't want too








He didn't want to leave of course, and we promised to bring him back next year.

It was a really good park for him.

So of course we try to get him to eat the candy bar that he HAD to have.

he wants no part in it.

That's the thing with brandon he really has no interest in candy.

M&M's are the only candy he'll eat.

Even with ice cream/cake/dessert he will want it badly

then have 4 bites and he's good to go.

SO kenn and I are sacrificing and eating it for him.


Thank you Aunt Gail! we had a blast!!!!


Father's Day 2011

After going to church we spent Father's day with my parents at the Harbor.

After breakfast we got to the Science Center.


Brandon making dinosaur footprints

He is wearing his Yoshi backpack that he picked out while getting

part of Kenns Father's Day gift.

locating our house on the map
using pulleys

Electronic Harp

taking a photo while he jumps to make it look it like he's in space


Of course his FAVORITE there...
Fishing





Something that I always remembered seeing at the Science Center as a child


Then there was a few tanks with some real crabs

this one was particularly PISSY.

He kept trying to pinch us through the glass.

He was not a happy crab. so of course kenn and I kept harassing him...


We got lunch, some cheesecake from the Cheesecake factory and then home.



We went home and spent a quiet evening at home with some sushi :)


B loves his Daddy~!

Father's Day Weekend

We started Father's Day weekend with a trip to the Baltimore Zoo.


Daddy & B and the turtle



B and the Snake




I was amazed at how all the animals in the Africa section were actually out and close

(besides the Big Cats)
I just looked down and there they were...


See they were crazy close!


Counting the animals


Then we went to feed the Giraffes.


I was too slow the first time, i didn't expect Brandon to feed him so quickly.


So i missed the shot...


So we paid a second time and there was round two.











Then one of the Giraffes was head butting the other one...





Brandon was Very excited to see the penguins.


And then my camera ran out of batteries...

We also had a healthy lunch of Ice Cream and soft pretzels before leaving.


It was really rewarding to see how much Brandon enjoys


these days out more and more each year.
How his attention span is a Little longer, his interests are greater


how his face lights up when he remembers something from school that ties in


with the particular subject we are looking at.





that weekend we went in to re-tuck him in before we went to sleep.


I found him upside down in bed.






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