Family Vacation 2009--7 days in the Florida Sun

Family Vacation to Singer Island in Palm Beach Shores (near West Palm Beach), Florida. A wonderful vacation with the family of four! Plus a chance to see Grammy & the Patterson family. We really had a chance to connect as a family and make lots of memories!! There is nothing like family fun time!!

Day 6- Our last full day here....spent the day by the pool & ocean...Marci was here in the morning to spend some more time with us playing!!

Day 5- Along with our usual pool visit, we went to Sailfish Marina which is walking distance where you can feed the fish, see the fishing boats come in and listen to music.

Day 4- lunch at Cheeburger Cheeburger at City Place where the kids meal came in a car! You can see how excited Zach was when it arrived!! We met another couple with a 2 year old, Anderson, on our first day here. Zach & him have really been enjoying having a vacation playmate!! We met them tonight for a evening playdate at the hotel playground. Day 3 -another day at the pool and collecting shells at the beach. we also walked to the port at the end of the block to see the boats up close

Day 2- we spent the morning in the pool, then let Grammy take us to her favorite pizza restaurant. We brought her along for the first 3 days of our trip to celebrate her 60th birthday!Day one - Happy Mother's Day!We were right on the ocean! From our room, we see the beautiful ocean and many boats.

The Patterson's came down from Orlando to play with us!! It was so fun to see them!! Zach waits for the flight. He has been on 7 different roundtrips but this was the first time he got his own seat. He was so excited to carry his own bag of toys on the flight!

The best of friends

Everyday it becomes more apparent that these two are really enjoying each other!

In no time they will be able to really play together and the friendship continues!!

As parents, that is our biggest wish for them...that they grow-up to be the best of buddies!!

Singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"

Runningback Zachary Nelson

This is one of Zach's favorite games to play in the backyard. Daddy hands off the BALL and he runs (while laughing) until it is time to spike it! He is so funny!

Who is this??

Grandma Jo brought over Andy's baby book...I found this picture and it made me smile. Zach is so much like his Daddy!

(Taken April of 1981)

Quack Quacks

Look what came walking through our front yard!!

Zach is SO funny!

This was the first time we have ever heard Molly laugh so hard...which made Zach laugh harder. He really put on a show for her...and she loved it...which brought him (and us) such joy!

Zach's comfort

Grandma Jo reminded me that I should try to capture Zach's comfort move. Zach has never used a pacifier, blanket, thumb...but has comforted himself with his hands...see picture. This is the same way he always was in every sonogram picture...and has done this everyday since birth. In the car ride home, I was finally able to get a picture of it. This is our Zach!!

Kansas Trip 2009

We spent 4 days in Kansas and had the best time!

We were able to spend some quality time with family and friends!

Zach & Cousin Hannah were able to get know each other and play. Theyare 9 days apart.

Great Grandma Hawk, Mommy & Zach. Zach was able to serenade her with his ABCs.
We spent a lot of time outside playing in Grandpa & Grandma's yard...swinging & playing. Zach got a chance to play with his 2nd cousins too.

Time with Grammy...had an Easter Egg Hunt, celebrated Zach's 2nd birthday, went to story time at the Library, went to the Zoo...we had such a great time!! Here are a few of many great picture we took.

Zach HAT

Mommy's friend, Gretchen, made hats for Zach & Molly!

They are the cutest hats I have ever seen!! Zach loved it!

He opened the package saying Molly's hat, Zach's hat...put it on and wanted to wear it all night...even inside.

Thanks Trudy for sharing your talents with us!!

Mommy already put in an order for one for her!! from my cell phone camera in the car

Will get a picture of Molly in hers soon! Zach's has his name and Molly's has a ribbon flower...how fitting!!

Be one with the BALL

It is the end of Basketball season...but the season is year round in our house.

Zach now points out every basketball hoop in sight as we drive to school.

Last night, he decided that HE was part of the hoop.

Hunting for Easter Eggs

First Annual Easter Egg Hunt...7 kids.

(Grayson Robbins, Wyatt Defries, Zach & Molly Nelson, Hailey Hardt, non pictured...Lars & Danny Martin)

Celebrating at MOA

Park at the Mall of America...

Zach's first time on the rides...he loved every part of it except when it was over!!

(double click on picture to enlarge)

We had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe... They sang happy birthday and Zach had a birthday sundae...that he wasn't interested in sharing:)

If you haven't been there, they have a "thunderstorm" in the rainforest every 20 minutes with dancing Apes...Zach was very impressed!

Birthday Party at School

Zach's teacher, Shelly, throws a party for every birthday...pretty sure her party was better decorated than ours! When we got there this morning, every wall was covered with Happy Birthday banners...then when I got there to pick them up, I saw the whole place with streamers covering the ceiling. (see pic)...it was really cool! I let her use my camera and she did a great job capturing his party at school!
Molly was there for the Party!

Zach with some of his friends (Ava, Blake, Trey & Samantha)...the twins Blake & Samantha are our neighbors.

Zach is 2 years old today!!

Mommy made Zach's favorite muffins (gingerbread) to breakfast and to take to school!! Had more basketball cupcakes tonight and Zach blew out his own candles!

Zach's 2nd Birthday Party

Let the games begin...let Zach's birthday week begin! Today, we had Zach's birthday party with friends and family!
We plan on celebrating Zach all week! He is my son and I think birthdays are a week long celebration. Tomorrow is his birthday party at school! Thursday, Mommy & Daddy are going to pick him & Molly up early to celebrate with some rides in the Mall of America! This all follows a great weekend of basketball (yeah Jayhawks!) and lots of playing outside with friends!

He has grown so much in the last year! In the last year, he has learned to walk, run, jump, talk and sing...where does the time go. Click here to see his birthday party last year.
http://babyzacharynelson.blogspot.com/2008/03/party-timezachs-1st-birthday-party.html

Some of my FAVORITE things...

Zach loves balls! He loves to throw...catch...kick...hold and run with balls. He knows which are footballs, baseballs and his favorite..basketballs. Tonight, he took a ball to bed with him when he heard the ball was tired. We just went in to check on him 2 hours after he fell asleep and here he is...still hugging his ball! Zach is like his parents and loves sweets! Particularly Cookies!! Oreos here just like Grandpa Hawk!

Celebrating our Hailey's birthday!!

Hailey is Zach's closest friend...they are 3 weeks apart and have grown into the best of buddies!

Helping Mom bake Cookies