Puerto Vallarta

We just returned home from our first "family" vacation. Ian and his family have been going on family vacations to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico since he was one year old! He has so many special memories of his childhood there, learning how to swim, going on jungle walks, getting fresh tortillas from the tortilleria, and the walking on the Malecón. It was special for Ian to get to share so much of his personal childhood with our boys.

Elijah and Joaquin were completely spoiled from all the attention they were getting. Gamma and Gampa, Uncle Stu, Aunt Katie, Uncle Chris and Aunt Melanie as well as Lita (their great-grandmother) were constantly playing in the pool, around the beach, going for walks, and sharing fancy meals. Gamma and Gampa let Ian and I go out with the brothers and sisters while they watched the boys a couple nights too! It was an amazing vacation. We spent most of our time at the pool during the day, then after the boys napped we would all get dressed and head into town for dinner! We got numerous comments from all the locals about how cute Elijah and Joaquin were with their blue eyes and blonde hair. We felt like such proud parents to have our kids oohh'ed and ahhh'ed over. Elijah really broke out of his shell and gave high "cincos" to everyone in town and Joaquin was a constant flirt with all his dimpled smiles!

Ian went above and beyond for our anniversary (but that will be another post later...) Here are some pictures of our wonderful family time in P.V.

View from hotel room.

Our attempt at a human totem pole... Daddy, Mommy and Joaquin

Ian and I in front of the Iglesia de Guadalupe

all the big guys...

Aunt Katie and Elijah (this was way past his bedtime)

Gamma and Gampa and the boys

Aunt Melanie and Uncle Chris

the family in the pool. there was a large baby area with water about a foot deep. the boys loved it!

Ian and the boys in front of a fountain on the resort grounds

Mommy and Joaquin under my favorite laying-out hat

Ian and I after dinner one night

Stuart, Elijah, Ian and Joaquin on the Rio Cuale

Everyone out at dinner one night

Joaquin has such great balance. He loved showing off his skillz in the pool with Daddy.

Elijah on the stairs outside the flea market

Downtown

Katie on the Malecón

crazy sand sculptures

Stu during breakfast one morning

Gamma keeping Elijah occupied while we were trying to eat breakfast.

Daddy and Joaquin engrossed in the World Cup game

One silly night out at Senior Frogs

Daddy and the boys with their sombreros

tequilla shots! owwww!

Elijah was doing his g-funk dance Uncle Stu taught him!

Mojitos at La Bodeguita del Medio

Cheers!

Brothers!

Elijah crawled up next to daddy to "lay out" like daddy was. It was so precious!

The center of the pool had an island that had a hot-tub in the center of it and waterfalls off every side. It was beautiful!

Gamma and Joaquin during sunset on the Malecón

(I don't remember exactly why he was pantless)

Performers on the Malecón

our little family all dressed to go out to dinner one night

Gampa and Elijah on the bridge over to the island in the pool. This was one of Elijah's favorite things to do... go on the bridge and look for Iguanas.

Joaquin surfing on Daddy's tummy :)

poolside chilaxin

swim up bars! ahhhhh! Elijah always got a lemonade and he thought he was super cool! He loved sitting on the little stools in the pool.

Aunt Katie, Joaquin, Uncle Stu and Elijah on one of the waterfalls

The crew headed out to dinner one night on the Malecón.

Uncle Chris, Ian and the boys in the pool

Ian and Joaquin

Ian's stained feet. The tanner on his sandals rubbed off on his feet and would not come off! It was so funny I had to take a picture!

View from the living room/kitchen area of our room.

Chris, Melanie and I outside the tortilleria

the shakey bridge

The boys having lunch on the living room couch.

If you can't tell... WE HAD A BLAST!