Monterey Birthday

Mama's birthday week turned into a birthday weekend, with a family trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, followed by a BBQ on Mother's Day with Grandma Kathy and Uncle Matt. Lots of activity, lots of food! Here are the Monterey pics.


Ronan "delighted" the mostly over-70 crowd at the restaurant we chose with exuberant Hi's and Bye's every time boats passed by our window -- and they passed by every few minutes...


On the beach in Monterey


Classic aquarium shot


Ronan rapt


Mama and Ronan in the circular tank, surrounded by... anchovies?


The jellyfish exhibit was phenomenal!








"Under the sea"


Daddy and Ro touching the seaweed


Yay. A family shot!


Classic Bennett self-portrait... with Gen's new camera!


Ronan's favorite part of the aquarium was the children's play area upstairs. He LOVED the underwater guns and the wave makers. He joined a whole gaggle of kids splashing in the water, and cried profusely when it was time to go, poor thing... :-(


Daddy and Ro


Most of our time at the aquarium (when we weren't in the toddler area) was spent chasing Ronan around, like the blurry "action shot" above. One of us would look at the fishies, and one of us would chase the Ronan. The jellyfish exhibit was just as scary as it was impressive -- scary that it was so dark that we could "lose" him if we weren't tailing him like a hawk! Ronan had a blast exploring and laughing and not worrying about where Mom & Dad were.... Hmmm...


After all the fun, he was asleep within seconds, with half a cookie in his hand...