Two Toddlers and Two Terriers: June 2012

Friday, June 15, 2012

Surfside Anniversary -- Part II

So on the second day of our anniversary trip to Santa Barbara, California, we took Max and Charlotte for their very first beach experience!

Of course, we'd been to the beach before:

17 July 2011

21 May 2011

But this was the first time where they could really appreciate it on their own!

10 June 2012

Given that Max and Charlotte love playing in and with water above almost anything else they do, I naïvely assumed that they'd be all about frolicking in the ocean. Shows what I know! In retrospect, it is quite clear that the allure of the enormous sandbox in which they found themselves would trump all else, particularly when there were sand toys on hand!

10 June 2012

Though Charlotte did primarily stick with playing in the sand ...

10 June 2012

... Max was intrigued by the waves. He didn't get too much closer after getting knocked down by a couple, however.

10 June 2012

I just really like this picture of Max. (Note the birds in the background, which also drew their attention for a while during our time at the beach.)

Without qualification, I can definitely say that it was a wonderful trip and a great anniversary! And, with Santa Barbara being so accessible to us, I'm sure we'll be back for more great memories!

--- Shawn (for Jenn and Charlotte and Max and Lucy and Rufus)

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Surfside Anniversary - Part I

For our fourth wedding anniversary, Jenn and I decided to go up to Santa Barbara, California, for a long weekend ... with Max and Charlotte in tow, of course. (It's just too soon to spend an entire weekend without them!) After an extended morning delay we finally got under way. Our first stop was the Santa Barbara Zoo! The goal there was to give Charlotte and Max an opportunity to run around after the ~2-hour drive up.

9 June 2012

The first thing we did was to enjoy lunch. And this character seemed pretty keen on snapping up any crumbs we might have left behind (a privilege normally enjoyed by Lucy and Rufus). Anyone know what kind of bird this is? The one zoo associate I asked couldn't tell me.

9 June 2012

After lunch we got to looking at the animals. Max and Charlotte are looking at some of the zoo's five giraffes. The one closest to us was grasping at some food with its tongue, a food acquisition technique which Max is proudly demonstrating.

9 June 2012

Max and Charlotte discover the koi pond!

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And take a closer look.

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An even closer look was necessary, it would appear.

9 June 2012

Charlotte and Max lounge in one of the lounge chairs in the yard of the Upham Hotel, our temporary residence for the weekend. Charlotte is partaking of the complimentary crackers offered by the Upham at happy hour (they also provide free wine and cheese). The beauty of staying at the Upham is that they have a wonderful restaurant on the first floor. So, armed with our trusty baby monitor, Jenn and I were able to enjoy a nice meal + a glass of champagne (or two!) secure in the knowledge that our babies were sleeping peacefully just one floor above us.

10 June 2012

They also provide free breakfast. Max got a start to his day with some bananas and oatmeal ...

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... while Charlotte had a hankering for some cream cheese.

To be continued ...

--- Shawn (for Jenn and Charlotte and Max and Lucy and Rufus)

Monday, June 4, 2012

The First New Do

I have to admit that I was probably in a bit of denial when Jenn announced that Max needed a haircut. I guess it was just hard to accept that he was already old enough to warrant a haircut. It's not even like his hair has really come in fully!

But, of course, she was correct. Has hair had gotten pretty tangled and unmanageable in the back, probably on account of how he lies when he sleeps. So last Friday Jenn arranged for him to have a haircut, which I recorded with the help of my trusty iPhone.