Happy Birthday Matthew

Before we get to the Birthday weekend celebrations...Kegan finally got to go to his FIRST swim lesson, this year, last Friday.
On our way out the door...with tractors in hand!

He LOVED his swim lessons...did not necessarily love the structure...he would much rather romp and play all around the pool...but he loves loves loves the water!

Ok...back to the Birthday. Matthew turned 33 on Monday, the 28th, and since this is a once in a blue moon year where he was not harvesting cotton on his birthday we took full advantage of it and left town to celebrate...see friends...and have some fun.
Friday night, before we left, the family came over for a birthday meal and cake.
Matthew blowing out the candles on his blizzard ice cream cake...super yummy.

Kegan had been looking at the candles so Matthew was going to give him a chance to blow one out. Well...Kegan and I have been working on the concept that fire is hot and so we don't get near it or touch it...so as you can tell on his face, he was a little concerned that his daddy was holding the fire...and that there was a fire close to him. He kept saying "hot...hot...".

Matthew got some good gifts, but I think the happiest person that night was Kegan when Grandma pulled out a tickle-me Elmo she had bought him off Ebay (an original...still in the box). He LOVES that Elmo!

Friday night we all just crashed, but Saturday morning we were up bright and early, packed up and leaving the house by about 8:30am - on the road to Uvalde...our first stop.

Kegan helping his daddy pack up the boots. Seriously...Matthew had them set out and ready to be put in the car. Kegan was playing around the house, while I was packing and Matthew was loading. Matthew said Kegan picked up his boots to help him out...ahhh...so of course I had to take a brake from packing to set up this cute picture!

We got to Uvalde a little bit before lunch time...just a Kegan had dozed off for the ONLY 20 MINUTES or LESS he would sleep ALL DAY! EEEEK! Back to the day: Matthew and I had traveled up a day early (we were originally going to leave on Sunday) in order to help out a friend move houses. While Kegan lifted and moved all day...I tried to keep Kegan entertained and out of the way. Thankfully the Alderson's have 3 kids, so they helped and played with Kegan.

Plus, Kegan found a great "tractor" to play on. This provided lots of entertainment!

Then there was a great trailer that Kegan and Emily ran up and down and up and down...hey whatever floats his boat and keeps him happy and out of the way of furniture!

Haha...Kegan is ready to move.

After a much needed rest that evening (Kegan CRASHED), we got up had a breakfast (Kegan got his first taste of biscuts and gravy...which he gobbled down. I don't know if he really liked it, or just liked it because daddy was eating it...but either way he scarfed it down. Personally...yuck!) and Matthew went to go help move the last load of items while Kegan and I hung out with Jessica and the other kids! A little before lunch we were off and on the road again...headed to Kyle, TX (a little outside of Austin) to visit with and stay at Kyle and Lindsay's house for the night. A side note...Kegan was so exhausted from the day before he slept the entire way, which with side trips and taking our time...took between 3 and 4 hours...seriously...he was pooped!

Super excited about a cookie we got at lunch!

"Is that ALL for ME!?!?!...PLEASE let it be!!!"

We had some time to kill so off to Cabella's we went. Now, this was a weekend to help celebrate Matthew's birthday so I did not complain that we spent TWO HOURS looking around Cabella's. At least Kegan seemed to really enjoy it all...especially the fish!!!

Take a look at this video and keep in mind he had already been looking at these fish for quite a while...and he was still this excited about it all. It was so cute to watch!

Grandpa...I think we have you a new fishing buddy in the works!

The next morning...Monday...Daddy's birthday...we got up super early and left Kyle and Lindsay's at 6:45 am so we could have breakfast with them before they had to get to work. Obviously Kegan was ok with the early leaving...he got to play with bubbles in Cracker Barrel with his Aunt Lindsay and got a super yummy breakfast!

After saying good-byes we were off again. This time we were headed to San Antonio to meet up with a friend of Matthew's, from his college days, and his family. As soon as we checked in, we were off again, to down town San Antonio. We walked the River Walk (Kegan kept saying "water" as we walked by it) and grabbed some lunch.

Then we were off to the San Antonio Children's Museum. I know, a strange place to go, but when both families have kids...there is only so much sight seeing a kid can happily do till they are ready to get out and go. My friend Stacy had told me about this place and said it was great and since we have nothing like this in Corpus, we decided to go. (If you live near San Antonio, I TOTALLY recommend it...so does Kegan.)

Of course who needs a museum to go explore when the vents along the side walk offer this much fun! Kegan had a blast standing over these things...he would just laugh and squeal!

(Trenton, Kegan, and Matthew)

After the fun walk to the museum we made it, and well I learned...well it was confirmed really, my son just likes to drive.

Driving the trolley set up in the museum.

Driving the plane set up in the museum.

Driving the tractor set up in the museum.

Driving the the big wooden train set up in the museum.

Driving the back hoe set up in the museum.

Can anyone else see the trend going on? Haha...

Here are some other pictures from a fun visit.

Checking out, yes...more fish!

This is a big board that one person pushes in the sticks on one side, and the other person can push the straws back.

Kegan was, obviously, fascinated!

Can you guess who this is?

Kegan and daddy exploring what the heat from their hands can do. So sweet...big daddy hand...little son hand.

Matthew had to get in on some of the driving!

After the museum, we made a quick stop and look around the Alamo. We were trying to get Kegan to nap (no he did not take one) so I held off on the pictures. Finally, when we got back to the hotel around 5:00ish he went down for a nap. He was out! We woke him up around 6:30ish...we were leaving to go out and he needed to wake up so he would sleep that night. Since, it was Matthew's birthday I once again said nothing as we headed off to - The Bass Pro Shop (pretty much the same as Cabella's...just more fishing than hunting stuff) for yes again, at least an hour and a half. I must say though...Kegan loved the trip. He loves all the animal mounts and of course, the fish! After dinner, we headed back and all crashed.

Tuesday morning, up bright and early and off we headed to Sea World! Kegan's first trip!

We got there right as it opened, and I could not believe the crowd already there. Anyways, we looked at the schedule of shows, mapped out our day and headed off to dolphin tank first.

Kegan playing in the water, while the dolphins swam about. None came close enough to touch...but he liked the water either way!

At the shark tank. Seriously, these things are SCARY looking up close!

No fear here, though, Kegan was enjoying looking at all the pretty fish swimming by!

Posing with daddy while checking out some alligators. (Notice the double fence!)

A trip into the world of Penguins and Puffin birds. Brrrr....

Kegan was all smiles!

Thanking he needed to baby penguins to take home as souvenirs. Isn't he a little young to start begging for souvenirs. Luckily, he is easily distracted and these were back on the shelf when we walked out!

Wishing this is how he could roam Sea World, instead of in a stroller.

We went to three shows through-out our trip. The first was a Sea Lion one...were we were in the hot sun, so no pictures were taken. (We spent the time getting Kegan to drink water and shading his face and ours. It was, a good show, though.

Kegan's favorite show of the day, was the second one we went to - SHAMU! One it was in the shade...this made things very pleasant and two...he seemed to really just love looking at the big whales!

I always forget how HUGE these things are! Seriously...enormous!

Yea Shamu!!!

Photo op. of the whale. Look at Shamu compared to the man...see...he is HUGE!

Shamu doing flips and tricks.

To which Kegan...no lie here....said "tada!"...like he knew it was a trick to be amazed at!

I don't remember if he was clapping here or doing the "shamu" signal the trainers taught the audience to do to get shamu to spalsh...either way, I thought he had a cute faceial expression here!

Faimly photo op after the show.


After the show, making our one souvineer purchase of a shamu puppet for Kegan's first trip to Sea World, we were saying our good-byes to Chad, Amy and Trenton (the friends we met up there) when I hear someway call out Matthew's and my name. I looked up and there was my friend Angela (Goo) and her family. Wow...huge park, how crazy to run into people I knew...all the way from Plano.

Goo and Kegan.

After sitting in some air conditioning and visiting with the Livengood family, for a while, we headed off to see who number three for the day - the skiing.

Kegan took right to Mr. Livengood, despite the OU hat...haha! I have said it before, Kegan just really likes guys, and takes to them very easily. He went right to Mr. Livengood and hung out with him while we visited and before the show...and had a blast.

(Alyson, Angela, me, and Matthew) Waiting for the show to start.

Just to show a quick shot of something they did on their skies. They were very good!

Headed off, after the show with the two guys of the group...leaving us women in the dust!

It was getting late so we decided to head home. Kegan had not napped all day....again...and was getting fussy, so we said our good-byes and started out the park. He made all the way out the gate, then crashed...seriously, while walking to the parking lot.

The trip was great, Kegan saw LOTS of new things and really seemed to have a fun time. Matthew enjoyed seeing his friends, and being able to get away for his birthday. I had a great time just being with my two guys and spending time with them. It was wonderful, but we were happy to get home and get back to a normal schedule. Kegan, I believe, was happy to have his naps back...haha!