Baby madness

Yesterday, Annika saw the ocean for the first time! The Hakes ladies, Lisa and Nico went to see Mandy and Travis in Mount Hermon (just outside Santa Cruz). The plan was to feed the babies at Mandy's house, go to the beach with the babies and come back, feed them and then take them home.

The plan was pretty sound, and it worked for the most part. As you can see from the picture of us with the baby carriers...well, it was a scene. We got to the beach and first went to lunch. Travis was hungry, and needed to be fed - discretely (and that's all I'll say - go Mandy!) We got quite a few comments in the restaurant (which was gratefully very casual and loud enough to conceal our babies' cries). Nico slept the whole time (shocking) and Annika was just active (even more shocking). But all three did extremely well, and the mommies have learned to each easy foods - Mandy and I had quesadillas and Lisa had calamari. Nothing that needs two hands!

Then we walked the streets of Capitola, with eyes following us. The kids are within a week apart, so we looked like we had planned this baby thing together - because that's easy to do (right). But I appreciate that people think we're that organized.

Then we headed home to some traffic, at first. Annika did not like the stops and starts of the car, and voiced her concerns. Lisa and I thought we heard Nico during that stretch...but couldn't be sure.

Finally we headed back to Mandy's where we commenced a baby photo shoot. A couple of things are important to note in this shot: 1. Each kid is in a different outfit than they started in that morning. Whether it be pee-pee or poo-poo or spit up, their original outfits did not last. 2. Nico was a photo hound, and would lean in and grin for almost every shot (and there were many shots). 3. We couldn't stop laughing. 4. Annika ended the shoot when she realized she was being squeezed on each end by a smelly boy. Good girl!

And this last picture is of each mommy with a different baby. My friend Katie had told me a long time ago that holding someone else's baby was a lot of fun. I thought to myself at the time "that doesn't make any sense...when you have a tight baby of your own!" But she's right! It's so much fun to see another little face and to play with a new little mind. Because, I have much to teach the next generation....