San Diego Adventures: Flight and Seaworld

Posts about our San Diego trip will have to come in stages because our time was packed with great fun and adventure. Plus I have a busy toddler at home so finding time to sit down and blog is pretty scarce.
I was incredibly nervous about the flight since we had not been on a plane with Owen since he was about 3 months old. I wish I could report that our flight went smoothly with few issues, but unfortunately that just wasn't the case for us on the way there. Owen is a very active toddler, and it was evident from the start that he wanted to roam around the tiny ground space available on the plane. He didn't like be confined to our laps and very few of the toys, stickers, games, etc. I brought with me entertained him. Yet, we made it to San Diego in one piece, and I am sure we will do it again because Aunt Bekah lives there now and we can't go very long without seeing her!

Our first full day was spent at the Seaworld. Bekah's roommate Lisa works in one of the aquarium's and graciously offered to take us around the back areas for some close up views of the animals. Owen may not remember the experience when is older, but we have the pictures and videos to show him what a great day it was.
Our first stop was to the dolphins. I am not sure what it is about dolphins but they are magical. I just love them! During our visit we got to feed, pet, and play with them. Since this was our first stop of the day, Owen wasn't quite sure how to handles such a large creature so close to him. He was definitely fascinated, but not really ready to touch or feed them. I was a little bummed he didn't want to get closer, but it was still fun to watch him be so intrigued.
Lisa then took us over to the aquarium where she works. The highlight here was meeting the octopus. I had never touched an octopus or really been close to one. It was kind of crazy to feel the suction on my hands. Owen did reach out to touch it once and that was plenty for him. He didn't seem to really like how slimy it was. Again, he mostly watched intently as we fed and interacted with this strange looking animal.
Our last main stop with Lisa was the sea turtles. This was by far Owen's favorite part from the behind the scenes tour. He loved throwing lettuce to the turtles and watching them swim over to eat it. I think he felt he was a safe distance away from them and he didn't need to touch anything that was slimy. We posted a couple videos to Facebook if you would like to check them out.

After the backstage tour, we let Owen burn off a little energy in the kids area, ate lunch and tried to catch a few shows. We saw the Sea Lions, Pets, and Shamu show. Owen was pretty tired during the Sea lion show and we had to sit pretty high up since we were late so he didn't seem to be interested, but Luke, Bekah and I enjoyed it. He LOVED the Pets and Shamu show and for a few days after our Seaworld adventure he asked to see Shamu again.

We also took some time to wander around some of the aquariums and exhibits. Owen's favorites included the Walrus, Beluga whales, and Sea turtles. Essentially he loved everything that had an underwater view and a ledge to climb on. It was a long day for a toddler, 10 - 4:30, with only a short nap in the stroller, but it was worth it and we were thankful that Bekah had some connections to make the day so special.

I only have a few pictures from the day but lots of video. When Luke gets some time to edit the videos, I will have him add them to our blog.

Things are changing around here . . .

18 Months (We are running a bit late around here)

• Owen is now 32 3/4 inches tall (70th percentile), and 23 lbs 12 oz. (25th percentile).
• Owen is a climbing, jumping, running machine! He loves to do agility drills with his daddy and Grandpa Walker. He also did his first somersault over Thanksgiving break unassisted. I think it was a bit of a one time fluke, but he was so proud of himself when he finally accomplished it! He has been trying to do it on his own for a few weeks now.
• Owen is now in a big boy bed! He started climbing out of his crib shortly after he turned 17 months. Luke and I were shocked and unprepared for the transition. We tried for a few days to keep him in his crib, but our efforts proved futile. So, we finally went out and bought him a toddler bed. He was so proud of his new bed, and the fact that he could crawl into it all by himself! We were surprised at how quickly he adjusted to his new surroundings. It was tough getting him to fall asleep the first few nights, but the transition went rather quickly and now he sleeps in his big bed like a champ. It is a huge reminder that my baby is growing up quickly!
• Now that Owen is in a toddler bed, we are learning more about his sleeping likes and dislikes. For instance, Owen loves to sleep with as many blankets and stuffed animals as possible. During one of his nap times he decided to first walk around the room, find all his stuffed animals, pull down his stash of blankets, and then pile every single item onto his bed. He then found a perfect spot to sleep amid the chaos. He now regularly sleeps with two to three blankets, a couple "babies", and the occasional toy. When he wakes up, EVERY item usually needs come with him downstairs. It is quite the spectacle. One time he had grabbed a clean washcloth from the linen closet and refused to leave the room after his nap until he was holding it as well. Such a silly guy, but we sure do love him!
• Owen's imagination is also really expanding. It is been a joy to watch him start to play make-believe with his toys, placing them on this push toys and giving them a ride, putting them to bed, feeding them food, and occasionally trying to give them a diaper change. He is also much more specific about what he wants to do when he plays. No longer is he easy to distract when he is getting into something he shouldn't.
• In addition to his growing imagination, Owen's vocabulary is also developing. He loves to mimic and it seems that every week he is adding at least a new word and sometimes several to his list.

Pumpkin Patch 2011

Wow, what a contrast to last year! Last year, Owen would sit by the little pumpkins looking all cute, smiling on cue, and obeying every little word. At least that is how I remembered it :) Here is a picture to remind you.

Well, now he is a toddler, and we decided to try out the Pumpkin Patch during nap time. We must be first time parents! Oh wait, we are! Well, he did great for the first half of the day. Actually, he LOVED it. He was outside, in the dirt, going down slides, playing with balls, looking at animals, and oohing an awing at the BIG tractor while we waited our turn for a ride. Things started to turn south when it was time to pick out pumpkins. The whole purpose for the visit! We had waited just a bit to long. Needless to say, very few pictures after that moment captured our cute little guy with his beaming smile. He wanted to do his own thing and that didn't involve posing for his mamma near any pumpkins. We had also hoped to keep on with the tradition of Owen wearing his costume. We only got half of it on and then he refused to pull up the hood. In case you are wondering, he is supposed to be a cow. Although the second half of the trip was a little rough, we did have a great time with family, and we learned a few things. Most importantly, START with the pumpkins so this mamma can get her memories captured in pictures! Well, here is the proof. Enjoy!

Hugs Owen Style

Owen's Party Rock

Lunchtime with Owen & Avery