Callaway (Part 3) Independence Day!!!

Our last full day at Callaway-July 4th! Janie's first Indpendence Day in America!! What a busy, busy day it was! 

We started out by going to the beach for our red, white, and blue pancake breakfast. Janie was all dressed in her sweet dress and ready to go! 

Here is some video of her showing off her squeaky shoes again. We were trying to get her to "spin" but she was more interested in her shoes and juice! Usually when I say "spin" she will turn around in circles--she thinks it is so much fun! 

Janie walking on the sidewalk to find her pancakes! We had to keep her away from the sand/water--otherwise she would run to the water and try to swim! 

This girl LOVES, LOVES, LOVES water!!

Visiting the log cabin. So pretty and rustic!

The Butterfly Center! Wow! So many beautiful butterflies. I took way too many pictures of them. One did land on Janie but I didn't have my camera ready....

At the Horticulture Center. This was BEAUTIFUL and I have some amazing pictures of the fountains, flowers, plants, etc. So pretty and peaceful! Janie loved the fish pond. She loved feeding the fish and watching them jump and eat!!

Visiting the chapel. Absolutely breathtaking!

Time to swim again! Taking a snack break at the pool!

Now I am ready for my evening of dinner and fireworks! 

Playing with my red and blue glow sticks waiting for the fireworks!

This was her first reaction to the fireworks....I think she was stunned!

Then she began to get a little frightened. She liked looking at them, but didn't like the noise. Check out that face as she clings to her MiMi.

But then she got a little more used to it...doing better!

Sleepy girl! Ready for bed.

We had a great weekend! I am so amazed that I finally have my little girl here to celebrate these wonderful moments! I cannot wait to have both my girls together next year! I am so blessed and thankful each day that God has given me such a precious gift! I hope each of you had a wonderful holiday weekend.

Part 2: 4th of July Weekend at Callaway

Part 2 of our weekend-Saturday at Callaway Gardens

So we woke up Saturday morning and decided to order room service! Janie's first room service (well, we had room service in Taiwan-but she was not on solid food yet).

We had a 3-egg omlete, potatoes, and french toast (yummy). We had to put her in the stroller to eat..she was so excited she wouldn't sit still-kept running around the room-especially towards the bathroom. **Side note about the bathroom: We had to keep that door shut, she kept playing in the garbage and toilet! Whenever one of us would head to the bathroom she would RUN down the hallway, arms in the air, and squealing/laughing to try to get there first and sneak thru the door!! Then while you were in the bathroom you could hear her knocking on the door saying "mommy, mommy" or "mimi, mimi". Silly girl!

Then it was time to get ready for the beach!! Janie was all set in her swimmer and ready to go!

Here she is heading for the water and playing in the sand. She had a blast! She would play for a while, then head for the water, then go back to playing! Too cute. The only time she got upset was when we walked a little further down the beach and she saw the older kids playing area in the water...she REALLY wanted to go to the water playground and play on the big inflatable water area--but you had to be 5 years old. She could see it, and wanted to go into the water towards it. When mommy turned her around to head back to the other side of the beach-she showed her Janie temper!! She wanted to do what all the big kids do! She is growing up too fast!

After the beach, we headed back to the room for a much needed shower/nap. Then we headed over to our beach barbeque and then went back to the gardens. We went to the butterfly center and the discovery center but they had both already closed so we took some nice walks and got some pretty outdoor pictures.

Then we headed back to the beach for some fun music and ice-cream. Janie loved the music but I had to keep her away from the sand b/c she then thought she was going swimming again and would head straight for the water! Then when I steered her away from it, she got really upset-girl loves to swim!!!
After the music it was time to head back to the hotel for the night. Big day tomorrow and we need our rest!


Tomorrow's post! Janie's first 4th of July celebration here in America!! 

4th of July Weekend at Callaway (Part 1)

We spent the 4th of July weekend at Callaway Gardens. Janie LOVED every second of it. Of course I took about a million pictures and video and have way to many to choose from to put on her to show our weekend! In most of the pictures I couldn't capture her smiles-she was so curious about everything and just taking it all in--and running around everywhere! She wanted to touch and explore everything! I was never quick enough with the camera to catch the squeals and smiles! But, with so many pictures I am going to do it in 3 parts.....Here is part 1, Friday!

 

We arrived on Friday afternoon and immediately began to explore the gardens and the beach area. We took Janie to the beach so she could feel the sand on her feet for the very first time! She went crazy when she saw it! We took her pink car since she enjoys it so much more than a stroller. As soon as she saw the lake and sand she let out the biggest squeal I have ever heard come out of her! She was beyond excited. And she kept pointing and saying "pool, pool". In fact, the entire weekend, every pool, beach, lake, pond was a "pool." In fact, every water fountain was even a "pool".

Here are some pictures and video from Friday!

 

Janie seeing the beach area for the first time!

Here is some video of her walking in the sand for the first time!

Then we went to town to buy some snacks for the room. We found a great children's boutique and had to stop in. Janie got some Squeaky shoes. I had heard about these and wanted some--Janie loves them. She was so funny when she took her first step--she turned around to look behind her to see what made that noise. Once she discovered it was her feet, she began stomping!! 

Here she is showing off her squeaky shoes in the hotel hallway! Hmmmmm-I wonder how long it will take before these shoes become annoying :):)

After a great seafood buffet dinner (yummy) we went back to the beach area to see the Florida State Univ. acrobatic circus. She liked it for a while. She was wearing her squeaky shoes and wanted to walk around showing them off! After about 45 minutes though she was bored so we didn't stay the entire time.

Janie and MiMi watching the girls on the trapeze up in the sky!

Janie getting tired and a little bored.

Then it was off to the hotel room to get ready for bed. Janie (and mommy) needed rest so we can be ready to swim tomorrow!!!