Atlanta in a Nutshell

Here we are at the park again, and Samantha is trying to spin until she falls. We had a good time in Atlanta, and I am sure we will go back for other trips. We want to go to the aquariums in Baltimore and Chatanooga next. They seem to be the best things for the younger children, especially if they love fish like Samantha. She keeps asking me to go see the "fishies" and stay in a big hotel daily. We will not be surprised if she becomes a world traveller when she gets older. It was very hot out, so Samantha decided she needed to be carried. I was just ready to find some air conditioning.
Ernie takes Samantha for rides on the luggage cart. I am sure that it is probably not a good idea, but we all know how that goes.
We even found an indoor play land at a mall for Samantha to enjoy. She would have stayed there all night! I wish we had one of these around here for when it is too hot to play outside.
We made a stop at IKEA and got the children some things. Samantha loved this bed and laid down for a nap. If she only would do this in her own bed, but she has still given up naps since her paci's went away.

Of course we had to swim in the hotel pool. I actually took a little time off and stayed upstairs to feed Woody. Ernie got the enjoyment of chasing her in and out of the pool. "Look mommy, I swimming," is what she said about 100 times.
There was a Black Arts Festival while we were there, so we went and found some things to do with Samantha. There were a lot of people there!
They had all sorts of booths for the children to enjoy themselves. Samantha is painting a soccer ball on this poster.

Ernie helped Samantha make a fan at the Trinidad Tobago tent. She liked looking at all of the carnival outfits.

This spinney chair was her favorite thing at the park. It would spin with no help and she would get very dizzy. Ernie tried to stay close to try and catch her when she would start to fall off. The drums are her favorite, so when the park had some she had to go and investigate.
She loved this slide which was made of rollers. She even tried going down on her belly at one point.
Here is how Samantha dresses herself:
Here is what she is supposed to look like:

Georgia Aquarium

Samantha and Woody already know how to travel in style. They both love hotel rooms, and Samantha wants to go back daily. We went to the Georgia Aquarium for a little vacation stop. We stayed downtown and then walked to the the sites. Samantha calls the Cracker Barrel, "Checkers!" She even tried to bring one home, but Ernie discovered it just in time. Woody liked laying on the bed. He is always happy when he can stretch.
She loves to play with Woody and make him smile. She has even tried to start and sneak him food.

We are just leaving for the aquarium. We are hoping to actually wear Samantha out.

These are the first fish you see when you enter. Samantha enjoyed watching them swim by her face.
Woody actually liked watching all of the fish in the enormous tanks.
The tunnel that goes through the tank was one of the most impressive parts of the aquarium. We went through there a few times and got some neat pictures of all the different species.
Samantha loved this window into the aquarium. She had a fit when she would have to wait her turn. She loved trying to climb up the window. I think she was trying to get into the tank.
Woody got a better view for part of his adventure. It was much easier to navigate without the stroller, and he liked looking at all the different fish.

Samantha really liked the aquarium, and I am sure we will be back.

This was the tank that had all of the tropical fish. She liked looking at the information board and then the tank. There were many "Dori's" swimming for her to see and point out. She will enjoy this more when she gets bigger. They can touch the fish that they actually see and learn something.

Woody is back in the stroller and exhausted. Ernie enjoyed putting stuffed animals on him while he was snoozing. Samantha is in heaven! A mermaid that she can ride. Too bad it doesn't have wheels.

Just in case we couldn't see the fish, Samantha was there to help.
Woody has found a place to stretch. He is happy!

It is finally time to leave, and she still has energy. You could spend all day there and have a nice relaxing time. I think they both will enjoy it for different reasons whenever we make it back. I could use this sofa at home. It was rather comfortable!

Odds and Ends

Nana and Phyllis came for a quick visit last week. It was so quick that we didn't get many pictures. They took Samantha to the Civil Rights' Museum, but they forgot to take pictures. Samantha loved the special attention and keeps asking me about Nana and Phyllis.
Woody loves to watch his big sister. I really hope he is not as active as her, but we all know he is taking notes. She is very entertaining to say the least. She still loves the park. We don't go as much in the summer heat because the equipment gets super hot. Some things are different here in the south.
This is what Samantha looks like when we go to the JCC in the morning. She has to carry her own little soccer bag, and look like the diva that she is!
Woody just looked too cute in his robe, so we had to take a picture. He looks like a little fighter.

Pool Time

We go to the pool a lot, so I figured we would post one of our bigger days. I rarely take Woody swimming, but Ernie was with us on this day. We usually take him to the babysitting room, and then let Samantha go crazy for two hours. The Speedo swimming vest is the best investment of the summer. She spends time in the big pool swimming all over the place. She also likes to get out and play in the outside showers. Woody likes the water, it is just too hot to take him out very much. Samantha stopped for a moment to take a picture. It is hard for her to sit still, especially at the pool.

The pool toys are an added bonus. I usually don't take any because I do not need anything else to carry. She likes to use everyone else's anyway.
He is still a happy little boy, but we won't tell him about the matching outfit that he is wearing.
Samantha is obsessed with driving the car. It is a constant battle to get her into the car without a quick trip in the drivers' seat. She even puts my sun glasses on for show.

Saturday with Daddy

Ernie actually had a day off, so we took the kids out for the whole day. Woody had on his doggie overalls, which are getting too small so we got some more pictures of him in them. He is very happy, especially after he has eaten and has a new diaper. Samantha is obsessed with carousels, so she managed to ride the one at the mall. She had to ride the horsie and then proceed to tell it hi and bye whenever we saw it again. We have to tell her that it needs a nap, or she wants to ride it nonstop.
She also likes the strollers that you can rent, but we make her walk everywhere in an attempt to wear her out. Once again we told her that they were taking naps and she could ride them in their station. If only she would take naps like the play things at the mall!
We ended the day at a park--surprise, surprise! This was the first teeter totter that she has ridden, and enjoyed it thoroughly.
Woody is hanging out in his Bumbo chair and is too cute! He really is a good baby.

Samantha's Car Wash

We got a car wash at the gas station the other night, and Samantha got rather scared. Of course we took pictures, and you can see the horror on her face. Afterwards she wanted to go again and now asks daily if we can go to the car wash. I don't get it...