Thanksgiving Cruise with the Footes - Part 4

We made it to our other port, Cozumel, Mexico!  We hit up our go-to resort - Paradise Beach.  Cheap entrance, food, freshwater pool, and a great beach!

She had a great time playing at the beach

We happened to be in Cozumel the exact same day that Maxwell's friends from Castle Montessori, the twins, were also in port while they were on a cruise!  So we met up with their family John, Claire, Joshua and Lucas and the boys had a ton of fun playing together.

They played on the big inflatables out in the ocean (made me super nervous because the life vests were pretty big and it wasn't quick swimming to the other sides of the toys if they fell/jumped off.

After awhile they switched to the pool 

Joshua - Lucas - Maxwell

Such silly friends

Unfortunately they weren't in port as long as we were so they had to leave part way through the way.  It was still a lot of fun to see them in another country!

Enjoying life on the beach!!!  Even though it was a cloudy day, it still was enjoyable.

Tired but not sleeping.  We made her lay down for a little bit.

Enjoying some street tacos

Maxwell and I decided to go snorkeling.  I wasn't sure how if it would work since the mask was so big on him.

Out in the ocean

We switched from the snorkel mask to his goggles and it worked just fine.

He loved snorkeling and we saw some cool fish and even a gorgeous spotted stingray!  He was really excited about that one.

Playing some more on the smaller inflatables

Such happy faces!

Emmalyn did not want to stop being in the water!

Maxwell got really brave and climbed up this big slide!!

Everyone is clearing out but we stayed as long as we could.

Maxwell was still out there having fun and since most everyone had left, he wasn't having to watch out for the big kids anymore.

Family picture

Back to the boat after some quick shopping.  No need to buy a lot of souvenirs in Cozumel since we've been there so many times.

We hit up karaoke again that night after dinner.  It was fun to be back with the Footes who had spent their day on Cozumel doing other things.  Max sang "Take on Me" by A-ha.  I ended up going up on stage with him because the boat was rocking so much and I didn't want him to fall.  Emmalyn came up and stood there too.

Tammy, Taylor, and I did Jason Mraz.

Maxwell didn't get time to do another song before the family karaoke time was over and he had a full melt down.  He's quickly become very passionate about karaoke!

At dinner each night Emmalyn wants chicken nuggets and fries and I've just given into it.  Max has tried a couple thing but only things from the kids menu.  He does like the Carnival Molten Melted Cake for dessert each night (my favorite!).  The kids have been getting worn out on the cruise.  This morning Emmalyn didn't even really want to wake up until 7:45 am - - a very big deal!

I was on kid bedtime duty tonight and Peter went and had some fun in the casino.

End of September 2016

I volunteered again to help out at the elementary school during Kindergarten Lunch Time (again- at 10:30!)  It's a tight run ship during that half hour.  The kids just sit there and eat.  They aren't really allowed to get loud and talk a bunch.  Towards the end of lunch they will play some calm music as well but that's really it.  The kids are getting the hang of it - I was needed far less than the last time I came.

Landen

Avery

Mr. Dimple

His lunch is usually a slice of deli turkey, apples, cheese, snap peas, crackers or pirates booty, and some dried blueberries.

He is wiped out from those long days from 7:45 - 2:55

My car is always a mess, especially since now Emmalyn is big enough to contribute to the mess by bringing stuff into the car.  

I had one last work trip for the month - I went to a leadership summit for the Network of Executive Women in Orlando.  It was a great conference plus it was a lot of fun that I had a good group of friends from work there too.

Unfortunately, it appears that Emmalyn has gotten Hand Foot and Mouth Disease when she went to Britt's church (when Peter and I were in Chicago).  So it was hard to leave her knowing that she was sick.  

Kallie, Kari, Beth, Amy, Jessica, Stacey

Beth!!  Her office used to be right next to mine and it was great.

A couple of us went to Downtown Disney for dinner.  Dinner was just eh but it was fun to walk around and I got a couple of Disney shirts for the kids.

This musician was playing a didgeridoo.  It was impressive!

A picture I got of Emmalyn in the morning.  

Hanging with dad at Maxwell's tennis lessons.

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He's on the right side, smallest kiddo there.

Snapchat entertainment with dad

We had some time before the dinner gala so we went to get pampered!

I sat with Laura, who works for one of my clients, at dinner.  It has been fun building a friendship with her especially since she was pretty cold and aloof when I first joined the team.

Facetime at bedtime.  So glad I can still see my kids even when traveling!

Red carpet

We clearly were letting loose!

Kari Jessica and Beth

We decided to leave the party and go to Kari's favorite line dancing club.  We all piled into an Uber and it was non-stop laughs.

This line dancing place was like nothing I've ever experienced.  They lined danced to everything from country to Brittney Spears.  It was a ton of fun.

We had an epic time!

Amy Purdy was the keynote speaker in the morning.  She was great!

Never a shortage of cheese

Playing with one of the toys from Peter's birthday

We were "BOO'd" by our neighbors!  The kids were really excited!

A big moment happened this week.  On Sept 26th, it was the first morning that when Emmalyn woke up, I didn't nurse her.  It was time to be done nursing.  I was really proud that I nursed her past 2 1/2 years.  She was so upset with me.  I had even prepped her a few days ago and told her that she was a big girl now and didn't need Momma's milk.  In the saddest voice ever she goes, "I'm not a big girruhl... I'm not!...I'm not a big girruhl."  ("Girl" is a two syllable word for her.)  It was super sad.  Then when Peter came into the room she told him she wanted to nurse.  It was so hard for me not to give in!

The next day on the 27th was rough again.  She had slept horribly and was up at least 6 times crying and whining throughout the night.  When I said no, she yelled at me, "I...want...to...nurse!!!!" Multiple times.  She was so mad at me.  I felt awful :(

Emmalyn is such a Momma's girl and misses me a ton when I'm not there.  She just clings to me and begs to go to work or wherever with me.  She's getting feisty though too.  She hit me today when we were in the eyeglasses store because I was stopping her from running around. 

Maxwell still says, "Demember" instead of "Remember" and "Cucancumber" for "cucumber" and "panacake" for "pancakes".  I love these little things.  :)