Lopez Family: June Update

June 5th

I have always loved how Adrian sticks his lips out when he says "O". I finally got his fish lips on camera!

Adrian learned how to climb into the picnic chairs GGM and GGD sent the boys for their birthday. It's really cute to watch. The only thing is he can get in but he can't get out, but he could sit in the chair for hours. Here are some of his adorable smiles...don't you just want to pinch those cheeks!?!

So this new Phoenix Children's Museum opened in phoenix. And for the summer Target is sponsoring an event called "First Free Friday", meaning that the first Friday of every month throughout the summer the museum is free for everyone! Patrick was out of town (at scout camp) so I thought what the heck! Let's go check it out! When we got there 30 minutes before the free night began, the line to get in was around the block!! The line moved pretty fast, but it turned out that we had to wait in line to get a number and than wait until our number was called to get in. It's been a while, but I think our number was like 81! They only called a few numbers at a time, and they only called numbers every 10-15 minutes or so. You can do the math, we were out there for a while. But being a children's museum they didn't leave parents empty handed. They had target tattoos for the kids...

Here is Anthony sporting his. He didn't like that I made him pose for the picture

They also had sidewalk chalk for the kids to draw any where and everywhere. Here is Anthony filling in someones tic-tac-toe they drew.

Not wanting to chase after two kids and considering Adrian couldn't walk yet, he was bound to the stroller. He still seemed to have fun watching all the kids and Anthony

Well after about an hour and a half (so around 7:30pm) we finally got our number called. The first thing Anthony wanted to do was go upstairs and when we did they had cars to race on giant race tracks. I had to only show Anthony once what to do and he just went to town.

Anthony learned pretty quick where to place the car, how to pull the lever to make it race, and where to pick up another car to race again.

Anthony even drove the cars on 'work bench'. He drove them everywhere...all I had to do was watch him smile!

A couple of times Anthony had to wait his turn to get a car. Every time Anthony came back with his car he was literally screaming with joy! Here is jubilant face...

Adrian is watching all the fun helplessly from the sidelines...Sorry dude maybe next time.

Anthony loves motorcycles. They had this cool motorcycle made from spare parts (stationary and safe of course). Anthony waited patiently and finally got his turn to 'ride' it. He is already tired of me taking pictures :)

Being the resourceful mom I try to be, I wanted to see as much of the museum on the free night because it is expensive otherwise. So I literally had to drag Anthony kicking and screaming away from the cars to another room. This room had some stationary and some moveable pipes, bottles, cones, and other household items you could make tunnels out of and roll a balls down. It was neat to see Anthony learn how it worked so quickly.

Poor Adrian...he knows what he is missing.

Again kicking and screaming I drug Anthony to another room where Adrian could get out and play. You had to be barefoot and leave your stroller out side. It was gated so kids couldn't escape. I think it was called Toddler Corner or something. Adrian played with the dishes for ever. He loves to play with the dishes at home. Taking the tops of pans and putting them on different pans to see if they fit.

In addition to the kitchen, there was also an area with blocks and tumble mats. By this time it was like 9:30pm. Adrian was getting sleepy and took a quick power nap (like 30 seconds) to refuel before he could play again.

Another 30 second power nap on a different cushion

Adrian discovering the blocks

There was this dark corner under the bridge with lights simulating bats in a cave. Anthony kept pointing at it and asking if it was scary. I told him to look and see what was inside...he just stood and peered in, when the 'bat' eyes light up he ran away.

Adrian crawled up the bridge and is peering through the window to below. The yellow thing is a big bouncy ball, that kids could roll around between some polls.

Anthony stole someones cart and Adrian climbed in. Anthony enjoyed pushing Adrian around, and Adrian enjoyed being pushed. I hope they always have sweet moments like this where they enjoy making each other happy.

The last place we went to were the bikes. They had all sorts of bikes and trikes for kids to ride. They set up a nice easy track for the kids to ride on and each kids had to wait their turn to ride. They even had little helmets! Anthony is free styling it as he hold on to his helmet.

Right next to the bikes they these...whatever you call them (they look like pinball machines to me). Similar to the golf balls earlier, you placed the wooden wheel on one of the anchors...

Then watched as the anchors moved different directions as the ball races to the bottom.

Adrian is tired, worn out, and extremely jealous Anthony got the ride the bikes and he didn't. Adrian won...It was 10:30pm time to go home.

The museum was so fun! I think they have extended the First Free Friday, so we will have to go again, this time with Dad so no one gets lost.

June 15th
Our nephew and his family were passing through Flagstaff, so we and Jessica (Patrick's younger sister) went up to see them. Carlos is 8 nearly 9. It has been a few years since we saw him. We are so glad we made the trip because we were able to set up some time for Carlos to come visit us.

from left to right: Anthony, Patrick, Meagan, Adrian, Rashaad (Daniel's husband), Daniel (Carlos' mom), Jessica, and Christina (Daniel's sister). Carlos and his cousin Amber (Christina's daughter) are in front.

We are so glad we got to see Daniel and her Family! Missing from the picture is Daniel's youngest Trey and Daniel's nephew Aaron. It is always fun to Daniel and her family. We hadn't seen Christina in forever and it was so nice to finally see her and finally meet Amber. The last time we saw Amber was when she was born! Hopefully we can all get together again.

June 20th
Patrick discovered there's a lizard that lives in the where our sprinker connections are. Anthony discovered that he can take the cover off the hole and watch the lizard (aka throw rocks and scare it). Patrick thought the lizard was dying because we didn't think it could get out. This day Meagan let Anthony outside (she never goes out with him because she would melt) and he came running to glass door "Mommy! Mommy! A lizard! A Lizard!" So Meagan grabbed the camera and went to investigate.

Anthony had been scaring the lizard by throwing rocks at it. Meagan convinced him to sit still for a while and be patient and the lizard would come out.

The lizard must have been listening too because after Anthony was still for a moment he came scurrying into view. Isn't it so cute!

Then as quick as it appeared it left through the tiny hole you see in the top of this picture below. After a minute the lizard's tail appeared and it backed into the hole again...this time with a roach in its mouth! YUCK! Anthony was mezmorized and we watched the lizard fight the roach and bite pieces off. Anthony needed no explanation of what was going on because he said: "look Mom the lizard's eating the roach!"

The roach finally escaped but not until part of his insides were taken by the lizard. Gross to think about but it was actually pretty cool to see! (probably because Meagan wants all roached dead)

Poor roach. He's actually playing dead. He laid still for a while and the lizard left it alone. Then it scurried to hid behind a rock. I am pretty sure it didn't make it.

Denali wasn't much intrigued with watching nature at work. She enjoyed scratching her back with the grass

Dash is always close by Anthony watching him.

Dash started to scratch and wouldn't stop. The look on his face is hilarious. I can't believe he can scratch under his chin with his hind leg.

The lizard finally disappeared for good and Anthony got bored. On the way inside he found something interesting.

Could that be another lizard?? How did he pick it up? Just kidding...it is just one of his plastic lizards. Anthony is pretending it is eating bugs.

June 25th
Meagan went upstairs to do something and left the boys downstairs. Anthony was playing his computer game and Adrian was watching. They were noisy for a while, then it got silent. After a minute of silence, Meagan went down to investigate. Anthony was playing his game nicely but where was Adrian?? There he is!

He must have been really tired because climbed into the stroller and fell alseep holding Daddy's bookbag.

June 26th
The boys love to play under our bathroom sink. Anthony found this can of Cars bath foam. I remember loving this stuff as a kid. Anthony wanted to play with the can so I told he could if he took a bath. Anthony couldn't spray the can himself, so I took the liberty of squirting foam on their heads...

Adrian wasn't too sure about it at first

Anthony seemed to enjoy it

They soon forgot about the foam on their heads and just played with their bath toys. I could have left the foam on forever and they wouldn't have known!