Annual Photos

I've been super lazy with keeping up with this lately. With Mr. No's school days and my during the week work hours, we really didn't have too many adventures lately.  Though I really need to catch up on the ones we did have if I'm going to really keep this going for Mr. No.  I'll have to start with last year's Disney World trip.  I can't believe I still haven't posted those photos.  Crazy. 

Well, after weeks of rain that seemed more like months, we finally were able to all be home on a sunny day to head to Wickham Park in CT for No's annual photo on the steps.  I can't remember how we even found this place or why we started taking a photo every year of Mr. No there but it's one of the rare things we actually keep up with.  Since I can't believe my little baby is now a Preschool graduate and heading to Kindergarten in the fall, I've decided to post all his annual photos instead of just this year's.  So proud and yet so sad...

6 months old

18 months old

2 years old

3 years old

4 years old

5 years old

From adorable chubby baby to handsome lanky preschooler...I cannot believe how quickly he's grown!

Back to Wickham Park

This week we decided that we needed a little fun family time out so we spent Wednesday at Wickham Park.  I love Wickham Park.  It's only a few dollars to get in and we can hang out and relax as long as we want.  Of course we had to start at the potty.  Poor Mr. No.  It was a rough car ride at the end but worth it since the potty is right next to the best little kid playground.  He loves the tube to crawl in and he even got me on the merry go round with him.  We barely got him off of it which is such a change from before where we couldn't get him on it!  Then it was picnic time.  No was so excited to have a pic-nic (he stresses both syllables which is super cute!).  Not sure why eating the same food outside is so wonderful to him but he loves it. 

munching his pb sandwich and clementine

We picnicked next to another playground so of course Mr. No had to play there too.  This one had a seesaw!  Actually H and I went on it first then Mr. No wanted to ride with H.  This didn't go too well of course with a 6'1" daddy and a taller than average but still a little 3 year old.  So I got on the side with Mr. No and he loved it!  His favorite part was leaving H up in the air and then slamming him to the ground.  H had the amazing idea to put his feet up on the seesaw on the way down and slammed his rear into the ground.  Good thing there was a tire there to somewhat soften the landing.  At least Mr. No doesn't ever have to try the stupid things and get hurt because H does them first and shows him the often painful consequences. 

After playground fun and 2nd potty break, we went to feed the ducks. Well first Mr. No had to stop for a photo with the statue he loves.

 For once we brought bread and Mr. No was super excited to feed them.  I feel so bad but it's so hard for him to understand that they don't want him in their little duck faces.  We had to get him to sit and  wait so they would come back and eat.  So hard for a little guy to sit calmly.  We gave up after a few minutes.  He just wanted to be near them.

the ducks were crazy...splashing and charging at each other

trying so hard to sit and watch

There was a blue jay circle about screeching at us and trying to get some bread.  The guy would swoop out of nowhere and snag a piece.  There was also a cute little chipmunk munching on some seeds that Mr. No had to try to visit, too.  Of course the poor little guy stuffed his cheeks and ran. 

We had to visit the frogs before we headed home.  There were so many polywogs and we were told there weren't any frogs visible but we actually saw a ton.  Mr. No stomped in the water (oops) and loved waling at the edge and watching them all jump in. 

H...um...yeah, H

H and Mr. No wanted to stop for a photo.  Then apparently they didn't...H start poking at his bug bites while Mr. No was attempting to cooperate.  Then I finally got H to cooperate (even though it was his idea)  and Mr. No was done with it all.  He finally decided he'd sit but he was going to be silly Mr. No.  I was done with it all before we even started.

Yeah, these were the best ones.  Whatever.  Mr. No is so much more fun when he's just being Mr. No anyway.

We were going to head home after that except H had the brilliant idea to climb some stone steps to see where they lead.  Well, they led all the way back up the hill to other playground.  Even poor Mr. No was sweaty and exhausted.  Guess who went to get the car while the other 2 sat on the bench?  Yep, the one with the brilliant idea...

Wickham Park

I'm so glad we had one nice day this week where we could get out and play!  I absolutely love Wickham Park In Manchester, CT! It's only a few dollars per car to enter and, if you bring a picnic lunch as we usually do, you can spend the entire day there.  After only a 20 minute detour on a failed search for a cup of iced coffee for H, we arrived without getting lost.  This is an amazing thing for us.  Last time we went, even though we've been there 10 times before, we took the wrong exit and ended up going 20 minutes out of the way before we could get back on track.  Pretty sad, I know.  I don't know why it is that we can't go anywhere without getting lost or hitting some random crazy traffic. And yes, Mr. No seriously needs a haircut.

Once we finally made it to the park, we headed straight for the largest playground since Mr. No so wanted to play on the playground!  He was our new brave Mr. No and headed straight for the spiral slide (that H almost fell off of the last time we were there).

brave Mr. No

He was all over the place playing and even put himself on the merry-go-round and asked to be spun. H spent most of this time fighting with the vending machine trying to get a Mountain Dew...well a 2nd one since he attempted to perch his first one a very narrow and uneven portion of the playground equipment and it promptly fell to the ground.  He was not amused when I laughed.

giddy-up ducky!

Mr. Cutes!

We spent quite a while there until Mr. No decided that it was time to move on to the birds.  The geese were right at the fence hoping for a treat.  All 3 peacocks were showing off their plumage .  The rest were either at the fence or strutting their stuff.

the very impressive white peacock

they were checking each other out for about 3 minutes

Mr. No then ran off toward the sensory garden.  He always wants to see this garden and then rushes through it.  He loves the fairy statues and the pegasus and the fact that one part of it tells you to go ahead and touch the statues.  It's always amazing to Mr. No when he's told to go ahead and touch.

Bee in the sensory garden

Mr. No wanted a little more playground time so we compromised and drove to the smallest playground near the frog and duck ponds since the playground we were at was getting a bit crowded...with adults taking over. Mr. No who may have to be known from now on as Eagle Eye spotted a cutie little bunny hanging out in the grass.  I tried to sneak a good photo in but Mr. No pushed by me in excitement and rushed at the poor thing.  Oh well, he thought it was fantastic.

poor little bunny

Mr. No was a monkey all over this playground as well climbing up the slides and sliding down backwards.  For those who know Mr. No, you know that this is a pretty big deal for him.

having loads of fun!!!

a pro at climbing up

being silly sliding down backwards

After H claimed he had a tick on him, we decided to move on to the duck pond much to his dismay.  Mr. No loves the steep bridge and adores the ducks.  We even fished out our only quarter to buy some duck feed from the machine.  Turns out we didn't really need it.  A very nice Mommy with her 2 kids gave him a bagel half to rip up and throw to them.  It's always a wonderful surprise when people are generous, isn't it?. A bagel half made a little boy's day.

I love this one!

We did a little more exploring before we went to check out the frog pond.  Mr. No really loved the dragon statue.

an actual smile?!?

 We've been disappointed by a few so-called frog ponds in the past where you could maybe hear 1 frog if you were lucky and certainly didn't see any.  This one was amazing! There were literally over 20 frogs in the pond and they were huge!  Everywhere we looked there was a frog...or fish...and most of them didn't even budge when we got close. It was awesome for me so I can't even describe how excited Mr. No was!

peeking at a frig

Hello big fella!

calling H back to see the frog

he was huge and handsome

another frog saying hello!

Then it was time for us to leave.  We didn't even wander through the gardens or walk the bird trail this time. There's also a fitness trail but we tried that once and it most certainly defeated us.  We're so sad!