Turtles, Sharks and Fish Oh My!

With the addition to our family in April and breaking my ankle the day before Jaxon's birth, I really didn't have much time to plan a birthday party for Bryson. The momma in me was disappointed in myself with not getting it together and putting my big girl panties on and giving my sweet little boy a party, but I just couldn't find the energy or the time to give him the party I thought he desereved. Clay and I talked about it a few  months before his birthday and thought it would be fun to take him somewhere just the 3 of us and spend the day with just him.
Bryson is really into fish and sharks, dolphins and whales right now so we thought the Chattanooga Aquarium in Tennessee would be the best place to take him. He was so excited the night before and all he could talk about was seeing Nemo! :) I think we watch Nemo at least 3 times a day if not more.
Clay's grandmother kept Jaxon for us so that Clay and I could spend all our time with Bryson. I've realized now with having two how important it is to try and find that time to spend one on one with the older child so they are reminded who much they are loved and how important they are.
The trip up to Chattanooga was pretty easy. Bryson entertained himself with his new Leapster LeapPad and Clay and I had some good adult conversation. We both need that every now and then. Ha!
When we got into the aquarium Bryson went crazy! I don't think he ever stopped talking from the moment we went in til the time he fell asleep in the car.

This was Bryson's seeing the aquarium for the very first time. I wish y'all could have seen how big his eyes got when he first went in. He was amazed by everything.

The seahorse was one of my favorite parts. There were so many of them and they were just too cute.

Bryson getting to see Nemo! I think he said "momma, daddy that's Nemo!" a thousand times. And what really took him by surprise was when he saw more than one. It was so sweet to watch his face.

They had these little holes inside some of the exhibits where the kids could crawl under there and look inside. B thought that was the coolest thing. He was such a ham in there!!!

Daddy showing Bryson the different kinds of fish.

I thought this picture was hillarious! He loved seeing the turtles.

I took waaaaay to many pictures, but I picked out a few to post. I loved the stingrays. And the picture of the jellyfish is amazing to me. They really are beautiful creatures. And it's so amazing to see all of this amazing and beautiful creatures and know that God created each and every one. To look at some of these things I don't know how anyone couldn't believe that God doesn't exsist.

There were several exhibits where they let the kids touch some of the fish. This was at the stingray pond. Bryson attempted several times to touch one, but would get scared. But they would just come right up to the edge and swim to the surface.

This is another picture that makes me laugh!

Towards the end of the aquarium there is a place where you can look up and see the fish swimming over you. Right as Bryson started looking up one of the sharks swam over him. He thought that was the coolest thing! He was afraid of seeing the sharks when we first got there, but I think they might have been one of his favorite things to see.

We had such a fun time with Bryson! Getting to spend time with him and taking him somewhere that he enjoyed. It was much more fun than spending all that time planning and stressing over giving him a party. I know this is something we won't be able to do every year and that's okay. But with everything going on in our lives right now it was the perfect time for Clay and I to spend with our first little boy!

Our very first family picture (hours after you were born), your first birthday, your second birthday and your third birthday.