State Fair / Paw Patrol

I’m playing catch-up from our trip to the State Fair last Friday...

Awhile back I heard that the Paw Patrol Roll Patrol Road Tour would be at the NY State Fair.

Well, Paw Patrol is Jaxen’s favorite cartoon.

And out of the 6 pups, Chase is his very favorite.

The description of what it was:

The fully interactive tour, inspired by PAW Patrol, 

Spin Master's popular animated series, features an 18-wheel semi-truck PAW Patroller 

which opens to reveal a life-sized PAW Patrol Headquarters through which kids can walk. 

Within the PAW Patroller experience, there are interactive games, 

a life-sized Lookout Tower (with working periscopes) and a slide to take kids on to the next mission. 

The tour includes activations featuring two new segments launching this fall – Jungle Rescue and Roll Patrol. PAW Patrol fans can take photos in the Jungle area featuring the new pup tracker, 

and then ride on life-sized Roll Patrol racers around a track and finish their day 

by taking a photo with PAW Patrol pups.

Nik and I talked about it and decided we wanted to take Jaxen.

It gave us an excuse to go to the NY State Fair and we knew Jaxen would love it!

So we hit the road early Friday morning, and drove to Syracuse (only 45 minutes).

We arrived just as the fair was opening and headed straight for the Paw Patrol area.

Only to find a line.

A very long, long, long line!

We got settled in the line and then for the next 2 hours and 20 minutes

we took turns saving our spot in line and entertaining Jaxen.

Good thing we brought the stroller and the baby carrier.

Zane rode in the stroller until Jaxen got tired.

Then Jaxen took a turn in the stroller and we carried Zane.

I also packed snacks and drinks - good thing too - because we snacked and drank

our way through that line!

Zane was such a trooper through the entire day!

He loved the sights and sounds and had a great time with it all!

Outside the Paw Patrol area

Finally there!

We had to ‘register’ and get bracelets put on.

And as of this post…Jaxen is still wearing his :)

Once we were inside I immediately got in the line to have his picture taken 

with some of the pups (fingers were crossed for Chase).

While we took turns in the line (again) - we let Jaxen run around and 

play with everything they had.

And let me just say… the description was a little misleading.

The picture line and the 18 wheeler truck in the background…

riding the Roll Patrol Racers…

looking through the periscope…

the new pup, Tracker…

playing with the paw patrol toys...

and finally…picture time!

Chase was not there (they had switched out pups), 

I pulled him away from playing with the toys to get his picture made,

and the photographer was not real patient with us while we tried to calm him down.

3 hours and 20 minutes later…

this is what we have to show for it!

Haha! Good thing he had so much fun with all the other Paw Patrol stuff!

It was totally worth it.

We had a great day.

First Day of Pre K

Yesterday was the beginning of a new era at our house…

Jaxen went off to Preschool.

And not little-preschool, like he went to last year.

This is a-big-deal-preschool.

He goes to the big elementary school (we will drive him each day);

walks down long hallways with lots of classrooms and kids;

into his room; and stays for 6 hours; even eating lunch in a cafeteria!

It’s a big deal!

I have been telling Jaxen for about a month now - that when summer is over he will go to school.

I have taken him to his new school (for me to fill out paperwork)

and we have played on the playground many times.

Last week, we started a countdown and even went to an open house.

After that open house - he was super excited to start school!

Monday night we all gathered in Jaxen’s room and talked about school

and then prayed for his school year together.

We prayed for him, the teachers, his friends…and that is pretty much when I cried my tears.

I was holding Zane and Jaxen in my lap

and I just could not get over the fact that not too long ago,

Jaxen was Zane’s age and now here we are.

Jaxen, on the other hand, was thrilled to go to school and slept well!

Our day started at 6:45 when Jaxen woke up!

He told me he wanted to watch Paw Patrol before getting ready for school.

We had plenty of time, so no big deal, to grant that request.

Once he was dressed, teeth brushed and hair fixed, we gathered in the kitchen.

I tried to get him to eat a little breakfast and then we had family Bible time.

And then it was time to take a first day of school picture (above)!

It is really hard for him to just stand still and take a nice picture.

But that’s okay…he is pretty cute in the above pics.

Once we got to school and signed him in, we started walking down the hall.

He kept saying “I can do it by myself”. 

We laughed because he had no idea where he was going!

We just stayed right behind him and then told him where to go.

Teachers who were hanging out in the hallway were laughing at us -

because Jaxen was just so excited (and a bit loud)!

The minute he saw his teachers and classroom he became a bit shy, standing back some.

We walked him in his room, he found his seat and was all better!

We put his things in his cubby and said bye.

He hollered “bye” and “love you” to us - and all was well!

He saw his speech therapist at school yesterday and did his first session.

At this point, he will have 3 speech therapy sessions and 1 occupational therapy session.

These will mostly happen at school.

If we have make-up sessions, then they might come to our house after school.

So after we dropped him off - Nik, Zane and I headed out to breakfast!

We had the best breakfast at a diner in Fairhaven and then headed out of town.

We were on the hunt for blinds (for the house) and a few other things.

After a full day of running errands we headed back just in time to get Jaxen from school.

And this is where the second set of tears almost happened…

Nik went in to get Jaxen by himself because Zane was sleeping in the car.

And after 15 minutes of waiting, I texted Nik “what’s the hold up?”

After 20 minutes of waiting, I called.

Apparently, they did not hear his name called, when Nik went to pick him up.

So they put him on the bus he was assigned to…and he happily went!

I’m not sure what piece of paper I missed signing

that told them that he would be dropped off and picked up everyday…

but we will clear that misunderstanding up!

Once he was safe in my arms car - we began to hear bits and pieces about his day.

He had a great day and tried telling us all about it,

but some things were hard to understand!

All in all - he wanted to go back!

Here’s to day 2 of Jaxen at preschool :)

Last Week of Summer

Last week was our last official week of summer. Not sure if I am happy or sad about that - haha! I’m sad because we have done some really fun stuff this summer, but I’m happy because that means that fall is right around the corner and we can finally get back to a routine and a bit of structure. Yea! We have been without routine and structure for far too long for my taste (since April 11 when Zane was born, to be exact).

I tried to end the summer with a bang!

One last beach day with our friends from Watertown…Jocelyn and Louka!

We got to the beach super early and set up ‘camp’…

umbrella, tent, beach chairs, beach mats, coolers…the works :)

Then we went to the playground and let the two kids play until they

were hot, sweaty and ready to run in the water!

We stayed the majority of the day and the kids had a great time

swimming, playing with the sand, eating and making duck faces from Pringles chips.

Thursday I took Jaxen bowling for the first time with some of his friends!

He had a great time - and loved everything about it.

Of course, the bumpers were up and he loved this little ‘slide’ 

that helped his ball go down the lane a bit faster. 

His friend, Avery, bowled with him on his lane while the 3 older kids shared a lane next to them.

Even though these pics don’t look like it -

they had a great time together!

And to really end summer with a bang - we went to the NY State Fair!

Post coming soon….