Back to the Zoo

We went back to the zoo nearly every other week through the fall.  The kids have gotten pretty savvy about what they want to see and where they want to go - and it rarely doesn't include the steam train.

My little filth monster!

Junior Turned Three!

Our buddy Junior had an awesome third birthday party based on the theme of Mickey Mouse ClubHouse.  The kids were so excited to wear their brand new Mickey Mouse tshirts.  There were a ton of kids and a ton of food and games and bouncy houses and all sorts of things to enjoy, including baby Lilly, seeing whom was one of Caroline's biggest thrills.

Max enjoys the ball pit!

Daniel scoots along.

There was even a piñata!  Max volunteered to give it the first whack!

Daniel got some help from Uncle

And then it was time for CAKE!

Who needs forks???

There were a set of teeny tiny twins at the party as well and Caroline (and another little friend) enjoyed caring for one of them as the party wound down.

Giants Employee Party, 2013 / Farewell Auntie

One of the big perks of working at the ballpark is getting to bring the kids to the end-of-the-season employee party where they get to hang out on the actual major league field.  This year, the party was themed around Halloween and fall festivals, with a mini hay bale maze, pumpkin decorating, and bouncy houses.

Uncle and Max picking out a pumpkin

Daniel at the pumpkins

The bouncy inflatable slide in left field included a pretty challenging maze section and the boys had to be helped through it by bigger kids when they tried.  Caroline, of course, just turned on turbo-mountain goat mode and zoomed through a bunch of time.

Daniel in the maze (those are Max's red-socked feet beyond)

Caroline at the top of the slide

Action - through the wonders of Google!

 Poor Max was not feeling well this day, and it was really warm and a little muggy out on top of it all.  I didn't realize just how badly he was feeling until he squatted down in left field.  The poor guy had an accident and I, bad mommy, did not have a change of pants for him.

Poor Max

Daniel is a little happier.

I ended up having to take him into the bathroom, rinse his pants out in the sink (not successfully), and  try to dry them with the air hand drier.  And he still wasn't feeling great, but well enough to enjoy climbing around in the Giants dugout.

Can you tell it's a little hot?

Max looks like he cheered up a little bit

Social butterflies that we are, we moved on from this party to the next one - a going-away BBQ for Auntie Lee Ann before she leaves for her new job in Chicago.  Her friend Sabrina was hosting in Martinez, so we were in for a long car ride with a stinky, unhappy Max and some hot and sweaty siblings.  Luckily, we had brought a change of clothes for everyone to wear at the party, some cute little outfits that Auntie had brought back from Hawaii.

The boys' outfits included shorts, so we were able to ditch the stinky pants and I was starting to feel a little proud of myself.  The kids came in and made themselves comfortable.  Max's eyes got big at the fruit plate and he filled up on raspberries, climbed up on the beige couch, coughed, and promptly threw up all over himself and the couch.  I was horrified.  I'd brought my sick kid out into the world, so I was a bad mommy, obviously.  And then he threw up and probably destroyed the upholstery on the host's couch, so I was a bad guest, too!

And then something magical happened - the hostess didn't lose her cool.  Uncle swept Max up to rinse him off while she came in with a pile of wet and dry paper towels.  She wiped up the mess, wiped it again, and it was gone.  I was stunned, relieved (and instantly wanted to buy a NEW COUCH!)

Uncle and Daniel in his "uncle shirt"

Max, feeling better, showing off the beads he collected at the party (don't ask me what he had to do to get them...nobody told me!)

Caroline in her "uncle dress"