I wanted to write this blog now, while the vacation memories are fresh in my mind. This was our first real family vacation since Ben has been born. Jeremy and I were really nervous about Ben being away from his usual environment. Well, it turns out we didn't need to be so worried because he did great! The first night, I let Ben sleep in the bed with me (we had two queen beds). Ben slept great, but not me! I felt like I had a newborn again...waking at every little peep or movement. The next night, we took the hotel up on their offer of providing a crib for him. We ALL slept great that night! Ben really, really, really enjoyed the pool. The pool has this huge, octopus-shaped slide for the kiddos. Jeremy and Ben went down it about a million times. I have a picture of it posted below. We were also able to take Ben to Downtown Disney where we ate at the Rainforest Cafe, shopped, and rode the carousel & "choo-choo" train. The hotel is pretty amazing. There is an Everglades section with tons of fish, turtles, and gators! There is also a Key West section with a huge sailboat and more fish. The restaurants at the hotel are very pricey, so we ventured out for most meals.
It's hard to explain the vastness of this hotel. Check it out on the web if you're not familiar with it. It's also the hotel that hosts the ICE display during the Christmas holiday season (http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-palms/best-of-florida-christmas/index.html?source=http://www.gaylordpalms.com/ice). My first trip to the Palms was for the ICE event. Jeremy and I stayed one night and went to the ICE display to celebrate an anniversary.
We had so much fun and will definitely make this an annual summer trip! Enjoy the pictures...I've posted a million!
Random shot of Ben from last week
Loves to chew on his toothbrush
Ben & Daddy riding the carousel @ Eagle Ridge last week
1st hotel shot...checking out the waterfall
sporting his shades on the way home from dinner Friday night
elevator shot :)
"fish mommy!"
loved the big fishing pole in the Key West area
checking out the landscaping.........
Ready to SWIM!
I think he was pointing at the seahorse that sprayed water in this picture :)
My favorite pool shot! There are no words to describe how much he loved this pool :)
"Stop drinking the water, Ben!" Must have said that 50 times, haha!
cool jellyfish waterfall (water was freezing under this!!!)
Downtown Disney!
waiting to eat @ Rainforest Cafe. He loves the aquariums :)
cool fish in the aquarium
creepy rainforest monkey.....
Ben did NOT like the creepy monkey....check out his scared face, haha!
Ben loves riding carousels
riding the "wo-cy" on the "sel" :)
riding the "choo-choo" train with Daddy...might have been his fav thing!
more pool shots from Saturday evening
squinty pose face
taking it all in..... 
playing with his race cars
pool shots from today
octopus slide!
He didn't want to ride in this float as much as he wanted to push it, haha!
