Philadelphia

Joel had a poster accepted at a neurology conference, so his work paid for the conference, meals, and travel arrangements and the hotel.  The kids and I decided to tag along to the conference since it was within driving distance.  Therefore instead of missing daddy/Joel for four nights, Joel drove with us.  Gas was covered through his work and we found a great deal on a hotel which was also covered.  We stayed a little further from the conference site, but it worked out great.  We found a Homewood suites that had a full kitchen.  I am totally looking for something like that again if we do hotel stays with kiddos.  The staff was great and the accommodations were perfect.  The hotel offered free breakfast 7 days a week and free dinner on the weekdays.  So although, I had packed microwave dinners or easy ones to prep, we didn't really need them.


Joel had to attend the conference for at least half the day on the days we were there, but he also was able to spend a few hours in the morning or afternoon with us to do a little sight seeing.  We came into Philly on Saturday evening and left Wednesday morning, so that left us 3 days to find fun things to do.

When we got in Saturday, we ordered a pizza and hung out at the hotel.  The kids loved to go swimming--we did that at least once if not twice a day.  Even though the kids sat in the car most of the day, they were pretty tired and went to bed really well the first night.  Kyper got to stay up a little late because Little Mermaid was on the Disney channel that night.  He thought it was a fun movie.

The room had a king size bed in it, so we took Kyper's sleeping bag and he slept under the desk.  We called it his jungle cave since he put the fake hotel plant in front of him.  Anja's pack'n'play is set up behind the sheet.

Sunday morning Joel had to go to the conference in the morning.  So, the kids and I dropped him off and then headed back to the hotel.   The kids and I went swimming and had lunch at the hotel.  That afternoon we picked Joel up and headed to the Seaport museum.  Philadelphia was having a science week, so with our admission we got an hour of free rowing.  So first, we toured a submarine and another military ship.  Then Joel and Kyper went rowing.  Since Anja is our wiggle worm, she stayed on shore with mom.  Kyper had a smile on his face the entire time!  We then looked around the museum a little bit.  The museum had a wood working shop in the back--where local high schoolers actually made real boats.  How cool!  After the museum we drove to the famous Geno's, where you can get Philly cheese steaks.  It was so busy and the kids had a long day we decided to try to find another place closer to our hotel.  So, we headed back to the hotel and asked the front desk.  She gave us a name of a place close by.  Meanwhile, one of Joel's co-workers came in and joined us for dinner.  The cheesesteaks did not disappoint.

Swimming selfies:

  

Independence Seaport Museum

Monday morning, Joel was able to do a little sight seeing with us before the conference.  This was the morning that Kyper was excited for!  We got to see the Liberty Bell!  It was actually one of the main reasons the kids and I decided to tag along on this whole trip.  Kyper's preschool had a history curriculum this year and they talked about the Liberty Bell.  The whole drive Kyper actual called Philadelphia "Liberty".  It was so cute!  Kyper was so excited to see the bell.  He actually posed very nicely with the Bell too, because we told him the picture was for Ms. Dee, his preschool teacher.  After seeing th eLiberty Bell, we walked to Franklin Square and the kids played on the playground.  Joel then drove the kids and I back to the hotel.  We had lunch there and then hung out the rest of the afternoon since Joel took the car back to downtown for the conference.  We did some swimming and Anja took a nap while Kyper and I played Headbandz and colored in the hallway.  We were a little too distracting for Anja to actually fall asleep while in the room. :)  That evening the kids and I headed down to the lobby for dinner and I put the kids to sleep since Joel had a residency forum that night.

Liberty Bell and Independence Hall

 Franklin Square

Joel had the morning off on Tuesday as well., so first thing we did was hit breakfast and the pool.  That morning we drove downtown to visit the Reading Terminal Market.  We just looked at everything and ended up buying a little treat from one of the Pennsylvania Dutch vendor.  yummy donuts!  We bought pie to take home and also some wine.  We ate the pie after our vacation and it was delicious!  The kids and I then drove back to the hotel and had lunch.  After lunch we decided to forego Anja's nap and the kids and I went to the Please Touch Museum.  It was so much fun.  Kyper asked to go back the minute we got back in the van to go back to the hotel.  That night, we hit the swimming pool again.  The kids slept very well considering the long day.  Anja even fell asleep on me, which never happens!

Please Touch Museum

 Reading Terminal Market

One vendor had all kinds of chocolate covered organs...brains, livers, kidneys, hearts and lungs with all sorts of puns.  We would have bought a liver one for a girl in our church who had a liver transplant recently, but the vendor was still closed.

We had originally thought about going to Valley Forge on our way home, but it was rainy, so just stayed at the hotel a little longer.  We went swimming and then packed up.  The kids were rock stars in the car, although lets be honest they had a lot of screen time thanks to a portable DVD player, especially on the way back to Dearborn.

Fun at the Hotel

It was a great vacation!!

Anja is TWO!

My spunky, feisty and beautiful little girl is already 2!  She turned two on April 22.  We got to celebrate her birthday with Grandpa and Grandma Koning the weekend of Easter.  It was fun to have family visit us a for a holiday instead of us traveling to them.

We didn't do anything big or spectacular for Anja's birthday, but she did get some cake and some gifts.

Some thoughts about Anja:

Anja at 2 is a spunky little peanut.  She is small--only weighs about 23 lbs, but her size doesn't stop her.  When she was first born, we had to remind Kyper to be gentle, but now it is often the opposite.  We need to tell her to be gentle with him.  She is quick and pretty much fearless.  For instance, I take the kids swimming about once a month at a community recreation center.  She just walks right into the water and is still smiling when she is up to her chin in the pool. 
She doesn't have too many words, but understands almost anything I say.  She and Kyper have a great relationship--it is rare when they do not get along.  But, I have a feeling that in a few years she will be the one leading the charge to do the naughty things. :) 
She likes to take things apart--I can't even trust her with board books in her crib as I come in to find them pealed about. 
She is still a great sleeper, but not always when it comes to naps.  She goes to bed between 6:30 and 7:30 and then will sleep until at least 7, but can sleep past 8.  Unlike Kyper when she goes to bed later, she sleeps later.  Love it!  Naps on the other hand do not always happen and I have let the fact that it bothers me go a little bit.  She still does quiet time, but sometimes I hear her chatting away in the crib the whole time.  On the days she doesn't end up sleeping during quiet time she does go to bed early.
She is hit and miss with eating.  She isn't a great eater, but at least she still gains weight.  She is still on whole milk and I'm pretty sure that is where she gets most of her calories for the day.  I've been debating about switching to 2% in hopes she may actually eat some of her calories. :)  Although, she does have a sweet tooth, so if I offer her a treat she readily accepts it.
She is such a beautiful and strong little girl.  I thank God everyday for the blessing of Anja Rose.

Through the years:

Happy birthday Anja Rose!

April Happenings

The month of April was a busy one.  I'll highlight two of the bigger events in separate posts.  My little, spunky Anja turned 2 and we headed to Philadelphia at the end of April.  Check back for those posts.

Here are some of the other things we did in April.

We had some beautiful crocuses bloom by the side of our house.

Kyper played the guitar in the hammock.  (Joel loves that this hosue has a built in hammock spot in our backyard!)

We headed to the zoo on a nice afternoon.

Saw a baby gorilla playing.

Anja is pointing to a lion.

Anja liked hanging out in the tunnel looking for seals and the polar bears.

Before heading home, we hung out with the frogs.

This happened after the zoo.

 

 

We visited Belle Isle and saw the aquarium.

Uncle Aren and Tia Leah visited and also went to Belle Isle with us.  The conservatory was beautiful.

Unlce Aren and Anja

Anja loves to go down the slide!

We are happy that we can play outside!

Another playground picture.

Kyper wanted to spin on this mechanism.

Yes, that is underwear on the outside of their pajamas and heads.  Why not?

Joel got an extremely early Father's Day gift--a bird feeder.

Kyper and two of his friends from school and church.  They were waiting patiently to search for eggs at the Preschool egg hunt.  They got to hunt for eggs in the dark with a flash light.

Anja even got to go on the hunt.