Vacation part two

The whole vacation I kept getting comments from literally everyone saying how Ava was the happiest baby they had ever met. It was nice to hear but it's really the truth...that girl is just always smiling and she's pretty easy. I'm lucky because if she was a handful like her brother, I might be crazy already haha Ava was teething the whole time we were gone and actually had a tooth (and a half) pop through but she wasn't grumpy about it. I had fun and bought her loads of clothes while we were down there...Target got me with all the cute, and affordable, little girl things. 

My friend Denae, and her boyfriend James, showed me a little on my new camera because I'm still sort of clueless...but I'm learning! That wicker chair was Denae's when she was little, she has a whole little set and it's all so cute. 

After the little picture session, we headed back inside where Braxton was napping. Ava was obsessing over James so I snapped the picture below while Denae held her. Over the past year I have gotten very close with Denae, even though I have known her for years. We get each other and since we're both parents we can relate so easily...it's nice to connect with someone on so many levels. I can go to her for anything, at any time, and I know she will tell me the truth and I'm always honest with her as well...even if we're just asking each other's opinion on a selfie. That's not something you'll come across often so I know she's a keeper haha 

Caiden, Ava, Denae, and Christian

That evening was her son Caiden's sixth birthday party. Caiden is obsessed with Ninja Turtles so he had a pizza party, Ninja Turtles style with a homemade "pizza" cake and Toxic Ooze for the kids. I remember when she was pregnant with Caiden so it's surreal that I was there for his SIXTH birthday! 

Braxton was a huge handful that day. He woke up from his nap grumpy and I don't think he wanted to listen to a single thing that I asked him to do, or not to do. Where I'm used to having Brian's help when we're out, I was really stressed without it. There's only so much you can do when you have a baby in one arm and you're trying to direct a three year old who just turns into jello on the floor when you ask him to do something. Luckily I had friends there who helped me out but still...I had the child who was just ALL OVER THE PLACE. At one point, right before we were getting ready to sing Happy Birthday, Braxton made a break for it and he was hauling ass towards a big playground that was off in the distance. I literally took my eyes off of him for about a minute and he was already so far away. Thankfully he was safe, there was no road getting in his way, and the playground was at Denae's grandfather's church, but still...that's what I was dealing with. Maybe if he listened even a little that night it would have been different but that night ended with me crying because I was that stressed and exhausted. 

The next day we had a beach day with my mom and it was perfect. Braxton had a blast, he got loads of energy out which was needed, and he even got to fly a kite and loved it. Denae came out and I apologized to her about the night before and she assured me that Braxton was totally fine, and I didn't need to worry at all...it was nice to hear. 

Later on, we also got to meet up with my friend Krystal and her daughter Bianca. I have known Krystal since high school and it's nice to still have her in my life. They came up to New York when I was pregnant with Ava so it was cute to get them together again. Braxton was obsessed with Bianca...so many kisses and hugs. Where he kept going in the ocean, and was kind of cold, she had enough with the cuddles so she finally told him "stop kissing me Braxton!"

It was so much fun seeing Braxton acting so freely at the beach. I don't think I have ever seen him have THAT much fun before. It made me want to move back right that second. Having the opportunity to play like that, and around so many people who care, would be amazing. Sometimes I feel like people up here are too stuffy. They're set in their ways and it's boring. I want the chance to explore, and I want the kids to know there's so much out there for them. 

I'll be posting part three tomorrow...