You are currently browsing the monthly archive for May, 2008.
Eric and I visited the Skirball Museum in Hollywood to see an exhibit on Bob Dylan (Eric’s favorite musician). A beautiful museum, on lovely grounds just below the Getty. The exhibit was very interesting and comprehensive following his inspirations and aspirations as a revolutionary singer/songwriter.
‘The Times are A’Changing’ sings Dylan, and indeed they are when a poet, not a pop star, fills a hall.
A highlight was the listening bar area. They had various instruments set up, with headphones so you could play your instrument over a Dylan track. Eric and I had so much fun taking turns on the drums. You can really bang on them and no one else can hear but through the headphones. We got a good kick out of it.
They also had a wall covered with all the albums that have covered Blowin’ in the Wind over the years. It was a very interesting visual effect, and amazing to see the longevity and cross culture appeal of his music.
My BFF, and college roommate, Shelby, came to visit us from Colorado. She left her 3 beautiful children and adoring husband at home, to come and love on me as a new mom and get to know my daughter – how great is that. Our other roommate Christina and I picked her up from San Diego airport on Sunday, and had a fun drive back catching up on all areas of life while sipping Coffee Bean Iced Vanilla Lattes. We made dinner that night and took a crucial trip to Trader Joe’s (apparently they don’t have those in the Colorado rockies), so that Shelbs could stock up on her favorites.
On Memorial Day, Kathy and her daughter Savannah joined us as we spent the day at the beach getting a nice base tan to kick off the summer. Then we ordered in Chinese food from Peking Dragon (the best eggrolls around) and played Nertz into the wee hours of night.
On her last day we spent more time at the beach, visited some of her extended relatives in Ladera, and went out with a group of girlfriends for dinner at Javier’s in Crystal Cove. It was my first girl’s night out. Eric video taped Emily while I was gone so I wouldn’t feel like I had missed out.
Wednesday, we were up bright and early to get Shelbs back down to San Diego for her flight home. We made an extra lap around the terminal so that we could finish our goodbyes. So sad! We miss you Shelbs…thanks so much for coming to visit.
Eric and I made the most of our long Memorial Weekend, by spending it at my parents little beach cottage in Laguna Beach. I packed up the car and the kiddo and headed over Friday afternoon to set up the place. I must admit, planning for 5 days away with a 2-month-old is quite an undertaking. The obvious clothes, diapers, wipes, bibs, burp cloths, swaddling blankets, pack-n-play, diaper cream, bubble bath, bottle, extra pacifiers, bouncy seat, Rainforest, stroller, baby bjorn, more clothes, more diapers, more burp cloths, dreft for laundry…I’m sure I missed some things.
The first night it rained, so we stayed in, made dinner, played some Sequence and Nintendo, and watched the Laker game.
Thanks to the rain, day 2 was spectacular. We woke up early, Eric made coffee and breakfast, and we did our devotionals while little one took her morning nap. Then we got little Em in her Baby Bjorn and went for a nice walk down to the Montage and along the beach – it was beautiful. Clear blue sky, white puffy clouds, complete with a view of Catalina.
The rest of our weekend was a lot of the same…beach, relaxation, reading books, eating good food, games, and staring at our daughter. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend it any other way.
Thank you mom and dad for being so generous with your home. We had an amazing time.
On the evening of her 2 month birthday, we were watching Saturday Night Live (on DVR) in our 80 degree home, while Emily enjoyed some tummy time in nothing but her little diaper. I think she was getting bored and wanted our full attention so she decided to roll over, thus forcing me to get out the video camera, Eric to kiss her all over her little naked body, and got us oooing and ahhing at how amazing she is. She knows how to work us.
Now at two months old Emily is smiling often and engaging in some serious baby talk conversations. We went back and forth this morning for about 20 minutes, the more ridiculous I act the better the response I get.
Her favorite toy is her Rain Forest floor mat where she spends about 20 minutes at a time, gazing and cooing at the alternating lights and hanging butterflies. There are many other toys and creatures surrounding her, but she hasn’t discovered them yet. So much fun still to be had.
She’s finally starting to fit into her 0-3 month clothes, so we’ve graduated from the 5 newborn onsies that we had been alternating and are now onto some serious outfits. One of my favorites being a plaid ruffled mini skirt and a navy blue button up sweater, she looks like a little prepster in it.
Eric and I are loving every minute with our daughter. We are overwhelmed by this little blessing and love watching her grow and develop a little more each day. We have her 2 month checkup later this week, I will post all of her updated stats when I know them.
I am now a mom, and so I get to be specifically appreciated once a year for my new role. I felt very celebrated as Eric served me like a princess all weekend. He cleaned my new mom car inside and out – I mean it sparkled. He got up with Emily in the morning so that I could get an extra hour and half of sleep. He made me a fantastic breakfast with all the fixings. He didn’t give me a hard time when I spilled on the couch, under the “no hard times” rule of such special days. He beat me at Sequence, which is in fact honoring me by not letting me win just because it’s my special day – I want to earn it, you know. He sneaked a jumbo pack of Junior Mints into Emily’s diaper bag, for me to find at just the most opportune time – when I’m bummed that I have to change a diaper. And he concluded the Celebration of Me with an hour long full body massage. I’m talking fancy massage table, crisp linens, lavender oil, candles, legit technique. It was amazing! I even got 7 hours of sleep following, as our darling dear slept her longest night yet. Or, I slept through her crying because I was oh so relaxed. Let’s hope that wasn’t the case.
Thank you sweet husband. I am honored to be mothering our daughter. Way to set the bar high…Fathers Day is right around the corner.
Here’s a picture of Emily that I gave my mom for Mothers Day. Mom had given me this tutu at one of my showers. It just shouted “photo op”. I think Emily had fun.
We headed out early Saturday morning for Palm Desert, where Emily could spend time with 2 sets of her great grandparents. She slept the whole drive, let us enjoy a nice lunch with Grandpa Chick and Grandma Lynn at the Club, then woke up for about a half an hour of fun and baby talk with her Great Grandpa Zoom (that’s just what we call him).
Then we went over to Grandma and Papa Bellesi’s house. I specifically asked her not to go crazy when making dinner for us – not possible, and I’m not complaining. We had rigatoni, meatballs, cutlets, salad, salami and cheeses, bread…then coffee, ice cream and berries, lemon bars, and jam cookies. And yes, I ate all of it and she sent us home with extras of everything. Nothing beats grandma’s cooking.
We are yet to figure this out, but every time we come home from the desert we get lost. Literally every time. Once we ended up in downtown LA on the 10. Another time in San Diego. This time we would have ended up in San Diego again, except we noticed that we were passing the 74 which is Ortega Highway – and that didn’t make any sense. So we decided to take Ortega Highway home. An extra hour in the car, while I’m squirming, sweating and yelping at how terrified I am on the single lane highway along a cliff. Miserable! I mean miserable. We’ve got to get that drive home right one of these days. Fortunately, Emily slept the whole time and didn’t hear her mom complaining like a baby about how we were surely all going to die.
Other than the last hour, a wonderful trip to the desert.
For all of our friends and family near and far that haven’t been able to meet our sweet little girl. Photos only show so much. Hope you enjoy.
Well really it was a boys weekend as Eric headed out of town to go camping for a buddy’s bachelor party. Emily gave a sad wave goodbye as we launched our first weekend without dad.
I must admit, I was a little nervous. Eric has the magic touch to get her to sleep so I was afraid of how our nights would go, but the little gem went so easy on me. Friday night she slept for 5 hours and then 4 hours. Which was fantastic because we had big plans for Saturday.
First we went to Hannah Pritchett’s 2nd birthday party at Flo Jo Park in Mission Viejo. So many friends of ours that we’ve known since high school or earlier, that are now married with child (or two). It was a very fun morning watching all of the kiddos interact. Emily slept for most of it, but when she woke up we got a quick pic with the birthday girl.
Then on to the Taste of Ladera. This is my 3rd year attending and I must say it’s getting better each year. However, now they charge for admission ($5.00!), and it’s $3.00 per ticket. I got a wrist band from my friends who worked the Howie’s Game Shack booth – FREE! And I walked a lap and got all the free samples I could find – FREE! Then my friend Kathy gave me an extra ticket she had – FREE! So I bought a snow cone. Emily slept the whole time, but I’m sure she enjoyed the music and fun surrounding her.
After a nice long nap we headed over to Kathy’s house for dinner. I brought over Clueless, which we watched and laughed at all the quotable lines and outfits that we tried to recreate as high school fashionistas.
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Eric had a great weekend, but couldn’t stay away long. He came home Sunday morning and we had a wonderful reunion. He got to give Emily her first bottle, before we headed out for another birthday party.
Little Makenna Moran turned 1. Great food, a bounce house, peanut butter balls, and a Baggo tournament. I got 3 holes in 1 – the highest possible score. I was so proud of myself.
We wrapped up our fun filled weekend at WALK (basically, two couples welcome a bunch of us into their homes, make us dinner and love on us once a month – it’s a highlight). This week we had a guest speaker, Ed Wimberly, who talked to us about parenting. Discipline vs Punishment was a hot topic.
Emily had her first day at the beach today. The majority of the morning was spent figuring out all that we would need for an afternoon in sand and sun. I think it came together nicely. Some key elements were the waterproof blanket, multiple changes of clothes depending on the weather, and my sack lunch. Amazingly, that took all morning.
We headed down to the San Clemente Pier where I spent the summers of my youth “getting my bronze on” and eating abazabas. There we met up with three of my girlfriends and their little boys – it was a comical parade of strollers.
Emily enjoyed the ocean as the sound of the rolling tide slowly lulled her to sleep for a nice afternoon nap.
The older boys played in the sand, while all the moms got to chat and soak in a little sun.
When Emily woke we got a picture with her buddy Ethan in their matchy matchy outfits. Old Navy $6.99
A very fun first trip to beach, I’m so excited for summer!
