Labor Day Weekend

Since we weren’t sure what our “Labor” Day had in store for us we made no plans.  Like NONE!  I think it might be the first year ever that we didn’t have SOMETHING to do, No pool parties, BBQ’s, River Trips…nothing.  I thought that LABOR day could come to realization and I could really go into labor…so we laid low. 

I’m officially full term…37 weeks…9 months…so…any day now. Owen showed up exactly at 37 weeks…so now we patiently wait for Bob. I’m in no rush…so I hope “it” isn’t either.
 

I didn’t go into labor this weekend (Thank goodness) BUT my friend Lindsey did!! 1.5 weeks before her due date/scheduled csec her water broke and little Mason was born!!  Mason is beautiful and holding him made me realize “oh shit…I’m going to be holding my own little baby very very soon!”. 

Being back at that hospital gave me a bit of déjà vu.  Last time I was there I was pregnant with Ella…visiting Baby Carter when he also decided to arrive early!
  

But with Lindsey having her baby early…and since Owen came early I thought it was a sign to get my hospital bag in order…so off to Target I went. Last minute stuff was gotten.
 

We had Nana watch our kiddos so we could get down to the beach and meet little Mason. He’s a gorgeous newborn!!!  Since she had him in Newport we took advantage and had a little Mommy/Daddy lunch date.  It was actually SUPER hot down at the beach. We didn’t have the best lunch (food sucked, service was worse) BUT we enjoyed each other’s company, and conversation that wasn’t interrupted every 2 seconds by children.

But our Labor Day weekend ended up having some last minute, super fun events to attend.  We went and watched my niece Peyton play volleyball at her Frosh tourney and swam and hung with our friends.

We relaxed by our own pool…well should I say I got to relax by our pool while Ella napped and Owen played inside.

We attended a community event called Food and Flicks. It was a food truck and outdoor movie thing hosted at our high school. It was a fun evening. The lines for the food trucks were WAY crazy long, my food wasn’t anything to write home about BUT the kids had a lot of fun.  They showed Big Hero 6 which the kids loved, they ate enough crap for the month and played with their friends…it was a win in the kids department.

 

And we finished our weekend hanging out with family. 

This is a normal scene…we sit around my in-laws living room, watch my crazy kids be crazy, chat about whats going on in the news, watch recent funny youtube videos, discuss our niece and nephews school/sports stuff…and just be a family. I love it.

But I really love the nights that my little unit gets to lay in our bed, watch our show together and then off to beddy-bye the littles go! Soon doing this will be a bit more difficult with a baby around, so we’ll take advantage of it all now while we can!
   

It was a great Labor Day weekend…different but great.

Last Baby Shower for this girl…ever!

I have some amazing friends that threw me a joint “Sprinkle” for Baby Bob and Baby Harp back in July…and am a lucky girl to also have a  mother that couldn’t NOT have a luncheon to sprinkle Baby Bob with MORE love as well.

When I was pregnant with Owen we  were blessed to have LOTS of baby showers thrown for us.  But my Mom wanted to throw something small for me as well. She was over the moon to become a Nana!! So we had a small luncheon at Mimi’s Cafe.


And it wasn’t so small! It consisted of my friends, family and the friends that were like family and have known me since I was a small child.  It was like a reunion and such a great afternoon!! Owen was so VERY VERY loved before even entering this world.  We got EVERYTHING a new parent could ever want or need!

So when we were pregnant with Ella, Mom insisted we have another shower/luncheon since we were having a girl and would need “girl things”.  So back to Mimi’s Cafe we went.


Again the “small” luncheon/shower was actually another large collection of friends, family and the friends that were like family.  I remember this was a later lunch and it was raining this day. We never get rain so it was so exciting to be sitting in that enclosed porch area and watch the rain come down.

When we got pregnant the 3rd time I figured there would be no showers, no luncheons, no big deal.  We have pretty much everything we need for this baby…and the things we DID need were easily gotten.  Since we didn’t know the gender with Owen, all of our “big things” (swings, bouncers, strollers, pack-n-plays, etc.) are all gender neutral.  Yes some of its very old, but nothing a bit of cleaning up can’t fix.  But my girlfriends wouldn’t call for NOT celebrating a new baby…regardless. So they threw me a sprinkle and it was beautiful. And of course Mom said…its tradition…we HAD to have a luncheon for Baby Bob. haha 

So…back we went…for Round 3. 

 

This luncheon was small.  Well smaller than the past.  When its the 3rd time around I feel like its almost rude to still invite people. Its a touchy weird subject if you ask me. I love seeing friends and family, but I don’t want them to feel like they “have” to bring something for the baby…ya know?!?

It was a great afternoon. Mimi’s Cafe didn’t give us the enclosed patio this time so it wasn’t as intimate as the showers in the past, but it was still a great afternoon.

We got lots to love on our Baby Bob.  We are blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives. They love me, my mom, my kids, and always there for support.  I know a lot of people aren’t lucky enough to have this but I am and don’t take it for granted one second!

Its pretty bittersweet that we won’t be doing anymore baby showers at Mimi’s Cafe…heck that means I might never go there again! haha j.k.  No more Souza babies coming from this shop BUT I do look forward to more baby showers for other people. Hopefully we have another one within my little circle of besties…ONE MORE! wink wink.

Just Me and My Boy – Aquarium of The Pacific

It couldn’t have come at a better time…but Owen and I were given a golden gift of a day to spend together. No school, no work, no Ella, no Daddy.  Just me and him.  It was the week that Ella was still in daycare, Daddy had a non-student work day and Owen was out of school.  So I wanted to do something special with him..I know these times are going to be few and far between very very soon.  He loves getting one on one attention…what kid doesn’t?!?  But I knew when we were given this opportunity our options were limited since I’m kinda super pregnant and not able to walk for long or stand for long or do much for long! haha  But he choose his favorite place Aquarium of The Pacific…and I knew that place was small with not a whole lot of walking and we could get the whole place done in a few hours.

Best part of going on a Friday at the end of August is that we missed the summer rush.  We got there about 30  mins after opening and basically had the place to ourselves for a few hours.  It was nice not being in a rush, being able to look in each tank without a million people pushing to see as well.

Mine and Owen’s favorite creature…the Giant Spider Crab! They are creepy as hell!

And outside it was beautiful too…it wasn’t too hot so we could enjoy it all.

 

We even got to actually feed the Lorikeets. Usually that bird cage thingy is crammed with people and the birds are so overly fed none of them will come near you to take your nector.

Owen and I had such a great day. We were able to talk while we roamed.  I love hearing his stories and reasons for liking or not liking things. His little brain is growing and so full of very intelligent information.  He knew which fish and creatures were which before I could even read him the little signs. Damn that Octonauts show is seriously informational!! haha

One of my favorite, most interesting things was seeing these shark eggs. You could see the baby sharks in their little “things” and when their hatch date was. It was amazing to see!  One was even due in September…and Owen thought they should name that shark Bob too! haha

And this series of pictures cracks me up…he wanted the shark in the background…but waiting for it to circle the tank actually scared him.  It was funny to watch his little face.      

Our favorite shark was the one with the saw for a nose…it was huge but we didn’t get a picture of it.  Owen said it was like a dinosaur. It was pretty darn cool!

Then it was time for souvenirs (for him and Ella…even though she wasn’t suppose to know she was left out…such a good big brother).

 

It was a great, easy day…just my boy and me!