The Aquarium

Today we ventured to our favorite aquarium. It took us about an hour and a half to get there. We got stuck in a bit of traffic and Tatum was not thrilled about that.
The weather was absolutely beautiful! We didn't need our coats and the sun was shining. Colin's favorite animal was the Beluga Whale. He was able to get close up and got all excited when they came near him through the glass.
Tatum seemed more fascinated by the stingrays. She thought it was funny how they attached themselves to the side of the glass. Both kids liked the "touch and feel" pool. They put their hands pretty far into the pool and Colin held a few shells.
For lunch, we ate at the penguin cafe. Den and I had cheeseburgers and the kids had hot dogs and fries. Unfortunately, they didn't have any apple juice and that sent little Tatum into meltdown mode. She cried through the last part of the aquarium called Challenge of the Deep. We did let Colin go through it and we took our annual photo with Daddy. We have taken a photo in the same spot since Colin was 4 months old. Luckily, we found some apple juice while checking out the gift shop. Boy did Tatum's mood change quickly! Both kids fell asleep on the ride home.

Oktoberfest

Today we went over to our neighbor's house for the annual Oktoberfest. There were sausages from Cincinnati and a jumparoo with a giant slide. The kids had a hot dog and a chocolate chip square. Colin wanted Tatum to do everything with him. They both went into the jumparoo together. They both rode the swings together. They both sat on the porch swing together. It was so cute!
At one pint, they both wanted me to hold them. Julie got a great photo of it! I'm even smiling! Colin looks so big. It's hard to believe that he just turned three. When I went to put them down, they both tackled me on the ground and began a tickle fight! They both gave group hugs and were giggling incessantly. I even got some kisses! Colin laid his head on Tatum's shoulder and she played with is hair. It;s amazing to watch their relationship blossom!
After a bit of a rough start to the afternoon, the evening went very smoothly. Tatum still is having a bit of trouble with biting Colin. He is so sensitive that it sends him into tears immediately. Tonight though, she was much better and is starting to realize that it's more fun to play nice than to be in timeout.
Before bed, she even gave Colin a kiss and a hug. Colin thought it was funny and let out a little giggle.

The Great Pumpkin Adventure

Hi Everyone,
Today, we ventured out to a pumpkin patch that is about a half-hour from the house. We were greeted by Farmer Brenda. She was very enthusiastic and got the kids excited about taking the hayride. (minus the hay!) She drove us out to the pumpkin patch on her red tractor. It was a bit bumpy, but the kids thought that was the best part.
Brenda told us how to choose a good pumpkin. They are the dark orange ones with the hardy skin and dark stems. Colin went right for the first one he saw. Luckily, it was a good one! He tried to carry it, but it was too heavy. He did, however, keep it on his lap for the first part of the ride back. Tatum needed a bit of guidance. I think they were the first pumpkins she ever saw. When we picked hers, she was fascinated with it just on the ground. Farmer Brenda helped us get the pumpkins off the vines and back onto the wagon.
On the way back, the wind picked up and it started to sprinkle. We made it just in time! Tatum and Colin zonked on the way home. They did wake up in time for the pizza though. We ended a wonderful day with a bike ride around the neighborhood and tons of books before bed.

Long Time Coming!

Hi Everyone! I know that this is so delayed in being posted! When we returned home, we found that our water heater had burst and destroyed our newly finished basement with the playroom for the kids. Needless to say, my internet connection was then pretty trashed. After being home fro one week, I became so sick that I could barely get out of bed. They tested me for parasites and such, but I had gastroenteritis for the better part of 17 days. No fun there!
Now that everything is back to normal, I will update the blog more frequently!

Tatum is doing wonderfully. She is a real ham and loves the attention of everyone, especially her brother. She is in swimming and playgroup and will be starting gymnastics right after Christmas! She is having surgery on her palate on October
30th at Boston Children's Hospital.

Colin moved up in swim class and is doing great! He really gets a kick out of Tatum! He is also doing playgroup with Tatum and loves the ball pit! Go figure, he loved it in Nanchang too!

Our Day on Lantau Island

Hi Everyone,
We ventured out today. We took the Tung Chung MTR (like the T at home) to Disneyland Hong Kong. We saw a parade where everyone gets wet. Boy, did that feel good in the heat! We walked down Main street USA and felt closer to home. We had dinner in the Royal Castle. It is the castle from Beauty and the Beast. The kids had pizza in the shape of Mickey and Dennis and I had cheeseburgers!
After dinner, we walked around in Fantasyland. All four of us went on the Winnie the Pooh ride. Colin seemed a little scared at first, but really enjoyed it. Tatum held onto Daddy's neck. Next, we went over to Small World. The outside was like a wild castle. We all sat in one row for this one. Colin was mesmerized by all there was to see. Tatum got excited and clapped her hands! They were both so cute. They each got a t-shirt to commemorate the occasion...our first family of four outing!
Disneyland Hong Kong is much smaller than at home, but it is just as clean and well kept. It was the perfect ending for our journey.
We are so looking forward to coming home tomorrow! It will be so nice to see friendly faces and familiar sights. We miss our family and friends! Dunkin' Donuts must have seen it's stock go down while we were away. We'll remedy that quickly!
See you all tomorrow. We look forward to you meeting our little Tatum...she's a trip!