Up and running

It has been forever since I got on here, no excuses. Just laziness I suppose. Or just not really having a driving yearning inside could be blamed too. But today something happened that I just have to blog about.
My baby girl said her first word. It was perfect. Pronounced beautifully. And oh so fitting for who she worships. She said her big brothers name. Now she has said "ama" for a little bit, but that is just in babbling. It is kind of hard to babble her brothers name. I said it for her very slowly and enunciated it for her and she started out with a Na-na-na-na- and then said it. My mom, "Bob the builder", and I all whipped out heads around to look at her because we had all heard the same thing. It was so adorable. Maybe just a fluke, I don't know, but I am counting that as her first word.

seven months (and a few days)

Oh my sweet baby girl. Where do I begin? You have such a big personality. You have changed so much in just a month.

You have developed your taste buds and the way they have developed makes me question whether or not you were switched at birth. You love veggies. Love them. And that is not all. You despise fruits. I have to trick you into eating fruit in the morning. I am lucky to get half a jar into you. But as soon as I bust out the vegetables, you will gulp down all you can. You open your mouth as big as you can and stick your tongue all the way out. For every bite.

Your new laugh is a funny one. You sound like you are hyperventilating. You open your mouth to laugh and then suck in and out real fast.

You have this thing with your tongue. It is always out of your mouth. Always. Just sitting there, chilling. It is really cute.

And when you don't like something, everyone knows. You have got a temper on you. It is kind of funny watching you throw an out and out temper tantrum just because I took away the rock that your brother handed you. It probably won't be so cute in a year from now, so get it all out now please.

You are my baby girl. I can't explain to you how much I love you. Seeing your face in the morning when you have just woken up and you give me that smile that makes your eyes dance and your whole face up, that is the way I want to start every morning.

Merry Christmas

To all my Liberal friends:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wisher.

To all my Republican friends:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The weekend

His "horsie"

First time in the backpack:

A day hike at Torrey Pines:

The bird feeders we made out of pinecones, peanut butter and bird seed(I hope birdseed is not bad for kids, because Bear had a bite before I could stop him):

The little Bear that could...

The C-A-N-T word has worked it's way into Bear's vocabulary.
"Please clean up your toys"
"I can't."
"Please eat your chicken."
"I can't."
"Can you throw the ball to me?"
"I can't."
"Climb into the Jeep please."
"I can't."
It has been driving me nuts.

So I have been telling him about the little engine that could. And making him say, I think I can, I think I can, when he tells me that he can't do something.

We have also been working on using the pedals of his trike. He just has not gotten it. So today, we were outside and I decided to try again with the pedals. He got on and started chanting, I think I can, I think I can. And he got it! He was pedaling all over the patio saying, "I fink I can, I fink I can."

And on another note, I finally got Bug into the Dr for her 6 month. It was really nice, the Dr. was with us for almost an hour, way better than the Navy Dr's. She has dropped down to the 75% in height and weight. She is 17lbs 11oz and is 27.5 inches long. I am not worried though. She has finally started rolling over from back to front. She still can't figure out what to do with that arm though. And I have got to say, she gives the best hugs and kisses. I forgot how much I missed those infant loves. The open mouth kisses all over my face and when I pick her up, she wraps her arms around my neck and squeezes with all her might. I just love it.

Another California post.

Californians drive in the rain like Washingtonians drive in the snow. It has rained all day. I heard on the radio that this morning there were 136 weather related accidents in San Diego. I laughed-until I got on the road with them. Normally here I do nothing less than 70 on the freeway. And even then I am getting passed up by lunatics that make me feel as if I am in Park. Today though, no one went faster than 40mph. It was hilarious. But not really because when it rains here, it floods within 20 minutes. The streets are not built for rain. Walking through the parking lot of Walmart this morning made me feel like a settler on the Oregon trail trying to cross rivers. Poor Bear almost got swept away by one of those raging rivers. Ok that might be dramatisizing the moment a little bit, but the poor kid had to walk around Walmart with squishy feet. I heard that back home it is snowing. I am a little green with envy. I might have to take Bear up into the mountains this weekend so that we can see some snow. And so that I can show off my awesome Washingtonian snow driving skills...

Mama's taking us to the zoo tomorrow...

I have got that Raffi song stuck in my head because I have been singing it to the kids all day long. I took them to the zoo this morning and we had a good time. I got the butt work out of my life. That zoo has the worst hills I have ever seen. I made Bear get out and walk a few just so I had less poundage to push.