March

Jack's birthday date!

For Jack's birthday we went to London to see Wicked and have dinner.  The show was fabulous!  We had a great dinner at The Cinnamon Club.  Walking around the city and enjoying each others company was a much needed break from parenthood.

On the train ride into the city

The set for Wicked

Delicious, overpriced ice cream that we bought during intermission

Westminster Abbey - around the corner from the restaurant where we had dinner

Skiing in St. Anton, Austria

Jack loves to ski and since there wasn't much skiing back in Maryland and there isn't any in England, as an extension of his birthday present, we went on a little ski trip.  We waited until the first day of spring to go because the hotel rates were much cheaper.  Going later in the season was a gamble with the weather that we didn't win. It turned out to be a little too warm for really good skiing.  We were still able to enjoy the beautiful town and mountains.  Jack went skiing and Lyla and I enjoyed playing in the snow.  All in all it was a good family trip.

Lyla chillin' on the plane enjoying her chips. If I were this small then I think air travel would be much more comfortable.

Walking through St. Anton

Daddy and Lyla at the top of the mountain

Lyla wasn't too sure about the snow.  She didn't like when it got on her.  She said that she didn't want to get dirty. :)

Looking down from the ski lift

Thomas the Train

Lyla loves everything Thomas the train.  She watches Thomas movies often, plays with figurines, she has Thomas panties (don't tell her that they are boys underwear), pajamas, backpack, slippers - you get the idea. :)  When we learned that Thomas' 'birth' place is just about 40 minutes north of us, we took advantage of the opportunity to go and see him and ride on the train.  Lyla was ecstatic when Thomas approached.  It was fun to see her so excited.  She was a little disappointed that we didn't get to ride on Thomas himself.  But everyday since our ride this past Sunday, she has asked to ride on Thomas again. 

Watching Thomas get hooked up to the passenger cars

Lyla sat next to her friend Deyton during the ride.

Marrakech, Morocco

Jack and I took a trip to Morocco.  Thanks to our awesome friends, the Reddingtons, we were able to go without Lyla.  Since we have hardly had any time alone since moving to England, it was a much needed time away for us.  It was great to be able to have time to lay in the sun and enjoy uninterpreted conversation with Jack.  Since we were in a very different place with a foreign culture, we were able to see a different side of each other.  It was a good experience for us to have to work together to navigate the ridiculous and mostly unmarked maze of streets that were swarming with annoying shop owners trying to get you to buy something.  It wasn't the most restful trip I've ever taken, but it was a fantastic new experience.

Jack in the Riad that we stayed in eating breakfast.

Spice Market

Stopping for a mint tea and coffee

Jack loved the mint tea

Bahia Palace

Jamaà El Fna square during the day.  At night is was a crazy mess of people and stalls.

Snake charmers in Jamaà El Fna square

Walls around the Medina

Koutoubia Mosque

Getting ready to leave for the hot air balloon ride over Marrakech

A Berber village

Apparently the wind was a little stronger than expected and we had a bit of a crash landing.

breakfast in a Berber village

freshly picked parsley, olive branch and cashew leaf

at the Majorelle Gardens

in the Souks

I have no idea what this is but it is something I did not taste.

The tanneries, which smell every bit as bad as people say. Yuck!

 

Ben Yousseff Medersa

Jack on a scary bridge that didn't look very secure.

Atlas Mountains

Growing Up

Everyday Lyla is surprising me with something new.  She is officially 2 years old and acting every bit of it.  We have successfully completed potty training and Lyla has transitioned from crib to bed.  Here are just a few pictures of some of her 'big girl' things.

Lyla's first night in a big girl bed.  She was so excited about her new bed and did fantastic sleeping in it.  Now instead of being woken up in the morning by someone yelling for me, I wake up to the sound of little feet and a sweet face standing by my bed (even if it is 6am.) Long story short, the mattress and frame we had didn't match, so Lyla spent her first few weeks on a mattress on the floor until we got her a bed frame.  Since this picture, she now has a 'real' bed. :)

If you look closely at this picture you can better understand how ridiculous it is.  The blanket and pjs helps to provide the details of the circumstances of this particular jump on the trampoline.  After waking up at 6am, the first thing Lyla does is run to her trampoline.  In fact, she started jumping on it before I could get to the playroom and turn on the lights.  That thing is easily the best 12 pounds I've spent in a long time.

 

This is a cute quick video of Lyla walking up the stairs backwards, which is now her choice way to ascend the stairs.

Lyla's Birthday Party

We had a fun day celebrating Lyla's 2nd birthday.  Since Lyla's good friend Seth's birthday is just a week earlier than hers, we thought it would be fun to have a joint birthday party.  We had a Rainbows and Race Cars party.  It was a ton of fun planning and having a birthday party with our friends.  I am thankful for all of great friends we have made here so far.  We had a great day of hanging out with friends. :)

the birthday girl all dressed up

eating yummy food with some friends

Seth is 4 and Lyla is 2!

Lyla was so excited about the singing.  When she did finally blow out her candles, she got too close and burnt her lip. :(

brushing her teeth with her new Thomas toothbrush

Lyla loves her new Thomas toothbrush

excited about her new animals from Grandma and Grandpa Gray