Settling in

While Colin is off hopefully enjoying his first day of Montessori Preschool seems like a good time to update the blog.  Since it is September we will save the preschool pics and info for the next post. There are plenty of August pictures to make up for it though.

August has been a very busy month.  We've gone to the beach, the Wild Animal Park, Balboa and Felicita Park a couple of times.  The Cockrell cousins only live about 15 minutes away so we've seen them a few times as well.  Some visitors came down as well.  Grandma West and Ernie came for a couple days as well as Aunt Paula for a couple different days.  If there was any down time then Colin was quick to request a book to be read.

"Donnie" the doggie has had a good run of GaMommy's house and "Joycer" has appeared this month as well who is Colin's cat ego.  There has also been talk of "Frosting" the birdie but he doesn't show up all that often.  We're going to have a whole zoo soon.

All of our stuff waiting to go into the basement

 Can you read???  Great, here's a book.


Some outside time

Exploring with Hobie

Trucks need to find a good work site

A nice play structure to climb

Bubbles with GaMommy

Hobie found a nice head rest

Things need to be pulled around.... a lot

Stomp Rockets are awesome

A couple days at the Wild Animal Park

Here we go

Your tour guide

Using binoculars to check out the flamingos

A bunch of birds that are hard to find

Checking out the elephants

A giraffe that came up close

Time for the gorillas to get fed.  They were heading off to their feeding spots.

Not quite there yet

 Trip to Balboa Park and Ruben H Fleet Science Center (circus theme)

Mr Muscles

Inside the contortionist box

Checking out the ball and air machines

Noisy presentation but fun to watch

Different hoses do different things, how neat

Taking a stroll through Balboa

We found a good lunch spot 

Found a great rolling hill

Taking a whack at Spiderman

Street tacos at a friend's party

Finding the perfect spot to park our things

There was a good playground

Fountains are the best

And an awesome splash area

Relaxing in his pool canoe

At the doctor's for a check up

Of course we went to In & Out

Learning to play Go Fish

Giving Aunt Paula the house tour

Some exploring at Felicita Park

Taking a break on our hike

Doing some singing and dancing on the stage

Showing off some muscles while climbing some rocks

There is a nice play ground

Going over bridges is always exciting

Of course we need to do some bird watching

Checking out Old Town

Waiting patiently for mommy

Finished the day with a swim

Donnie doing what dogs do

Having a nice time with cousins

It tough work being Colin

Happy 4th Birthday!!

 Everything is apparently easier when you turn four.  Colin woke up this morning and needed to show how much faster he was.  He could climb up on things that were 'impossible' before.  Being four is like gaining super powers.

"What kind of cake do you want Colin?"

"Uuummmmm...chocolate with M&Ms in it."

"What about the frosting?"

"Strawberry sounds fine."

 No problem blowing out the candles on the cake.

Doing some birthday Skype with Yaya this morning.

 Birthday spent at the beach.  Plenty of running away from, kicking, jumping over and riding boogies boards on waves

The rest of the birthday loot.

It has been pretty exciting start to August.  We have to save some pictures for the end of the month post though.

Here's his brithday interview.  Go back to last year's birthday post to see last year's interview.
Colin's 4th Birthday Interview  (Not working at the moment but try back tomorrow maybe)

Goodbye Massachusetts

With dates getting moved around for our closing on the house it kept us guessing for quite a while.  It did give a chance to do some more 'last' things before we left.  We were able to visit the train museum, take a train into Boston, go to Richardsons and visit with friends and family.  Luckily there are still people on the east coast that we will want to visit so 'last' probably isn't the right word.

Went for a nice walk in Ogonquit, ME while visiting some Findlen family

Paper airplanes are a big hit

Taking a canoe ride in the neighbor's canoe

Colonial style games at the train museum

Checking out some stuff under the microscope 

Should we be concerned he named a jar of mayonnaise? 

An interesting pose for the camera

 At Emmett's 3rd birthday party

What else will 3yr old boys do when there is a Thomas toy??

Taking a dip in the neighbor's pool

 A nice play date with Hazel

bubble time

A lot of time was spent  in the train tubs with Emmett

 The bank appraiser went around the house snapping pictures.  Colin decided it looked fun and asked to be given tours of the house.  He spent that time snapping pictures with his phone.

Doing some self initiated coloring

Watching the neighbors play street hockey

He felt important doing paperwork at the attorney's office

After Colin's last night in his room.  He slept in his tent.