First swim of the summer

Costco baby

Chris says I picked up our baby at Costco. I said if I had, we would have 50 babies.

Anyway, he thinks the Costco diaper box baby looks like Declan - you decide:

Robot Fight!

New camera

I'm the camera person in our family...I'm the one that makes sure that pictures are taken for special occasions. Sometimes it's frustrating because 1) I'm never in any pictures (which is probably a good thing) and 2) because it's a lot of pressure to be the only one who cares about capturing milestones.

That said, I've learned to embrace the role. And I've been complaining about the camera I got two Christmases ago because it's a point & shoot and though it's smaller than my previous generation it's still flat in the finish (if that makes any sense). So I told Chris about a year ago that I should have asked for a DSLR and I made a mistake.

Because he is awesome, listens to me and can't pass up a good deal; I just got a new one!!! Apparently a DSLR is serious business. I'm only just understanding its power and I know absolutely nothing about photography. But with the bare minimum, I've been able to get a couple of keepers. Tell me...can you see the difference?



Can't you just smell the tear??

And, my personal favorite:



Doesn't he look like a Gerber baby?

I have a few of Annika that I haven't loaded on the computer yet, but she's proving to be a tougher subject. The thing with DSLR is that if you don't know what you're doing (a-hem), you sorta need the subject to stop moving. And my darling girl never stops moving.

Prayers

Many of you in the LA area - and beyond - know all too well about the Triangle Complex Fire. It's amazing how quickly it's moved and as it drew closer to the place where my parents call home (and I did for 11 years), I watched with trepidation. On Sunday morning, I checked online to discover that my parents' neighborhood had been evacuated.

I called them immediately and they were in a restaurant with my brother and his wife (they live in an area well away from the fire) and seemed a little shell-shocked, but completely safe. They had a hotel room and seemed to be ready for whatever came their way.

I, of course, immediately started crying, which I'm sure is the last thing they needed...but I'm hormonal! Anyway, I held vigil for the rest of the afternoon hoping that the firefighters would do their magic (and magic it is) to keep the fire safely at bay. They have...so far. God bless them.

It appears that we're mostly out of the woods and I say that with hesitation because the winds could change at any time. But it certainly gave me pause about family and possessions and how although I knew my parents were physically safe, to have to face the thought of your home going up in smoke....well, it's a lot. They are just "things" but those "things" are memories and hopes and physical representations of success and a lifetime. I'm so grateful that they have not had to deal with the worse possible outcome and my prayers go out to those who have had to face it. Sometimes life just isn't fair.

I love you Mommy & Daddy! Annika said she was worried about you and was thinking about you. Me too.

P.S. A quick prayer for the Taylors who also were evacuated. Much love to you - sounds like you are also safe, and I will continue to pray that remains the case.

Annika's first wedding.

No silly, Annika didn't get married! Uncle Tony did.

Loved the dancing. Loved the cake. Loved the veil. (Yeah, that's the real one...don't ask).

Congratulations to two amazing people who don't read this blog!

Confessions of a bad Momma

I'm not a perfect mother.

Confession #1: I let Annika eat "bad" food. Yep, that's a french fry you see dangling from her perfect pink lips. And you know what...it's not her first trip to the french fry rodeo. She eats fried chicken with more ranch dressing than at a salad bar and sometimes simply uses the chicken as a ranch transfer system where she just licks, licks, licks. I tell myself...maybe some protein is finding its way to her by way of chicken crumbs?

Confession #2: She watches TV. A lot of it. She can quote some (ok, a lot of) SpongeBob episodes. She can sing most words to Diego's opening song, even the Spanish ones. She knows that Momma's favorite TV show is Scrubs and that JD can be a moron. She expects the TV to be on. I'm so very proud. (that's sarcasm)

Confession #3: I give in. She wants something...a lot of the times she'll get it. I will proudly proclaim that I'm probably the one person who pushes back the most in her life (a-hem, Chris), but come on...she says please and tells me I'm beautiful...what is a Momma to do? Well, I'll tell you what a Momma is to do - Baby gets to stay up for another two episodes of SpongeBob!

Confession #4: I buy her a lot of crap. For a short time, there was even an unofficial rule that she could get one thing every time we went to a store.  Every time. Not that she was asking for designer jeans, but well, expectations were set. We've (sorta) broken her of that habit, but she gets a lot of stuff. Cute rockstar sunglasses at Gap?  Check. The 15th bouncy ball from the drugstore ball bin? Check. A Halloween sippy cup with a witch on it that scares her? Oh yeah - check. 

Confession #5: I like to go out with my husband. Without the baby. 

Confession #6: I still call her Baby. (sub-confession: I'm ok with that one.)

I write these confessions as a cathartic measure. But maybe the dirtiest confession is that I'm ok with these mistakes (most of the time...someday she's getting brussel sprouts with dinner without ranch!) Annika is so amazing and knows we love her, and that I think is the most amazing achievement in parenting - making sure that kid knows she's loved. But for all you mommies out there who maybe have a few confessions of your own...perhaps you can look at this list and feel a little better about yourself.  

Or maybe you do everything right. If so, please write a book and provide detailed instructions.  Thanks.

But seriously...

Garfield asked me yesterday to give her an update on me...not Annika. What does that even mean?? But seriously folks, there is no me without Annika anymore. She is my life, my love, my everything. Doesn't mean that I don't do things without her...I go to work everyday, I sometimes go to dinner with my friends sans el bebe and Chris and I even manage to sneak away once in a (great) while. But we always want to go back. We are in love - with each other and with her. Ok, ok - enough cheese.

To illustrate some of this, Chris and I had a short weekend together in May to attend my brother's wedding. I like this picture because it looks like we actually enjoy each other's company...don't worry; it's all for show. I kid! But seriously folks, we do enjoy each other, though our alone time is limited and the strains of full-time jobs and a full-time baby sometimes get to us. We are absolutely not perfect, but we definitely try to get it right. If someone could carve me out enough time after work to make dinner, play with Annika, give her a bath, put her to bed, provide some lovely chat time with my husband and get me to bed by 9:30 - CALL ME!

So you don't go Annika-less, here's a picture of her at the Apple Store in Palo Alto when I was there for the iPhone launch. Man, that was crazy. But seriously folks, I am so lucky to have a husband (and even parents - if you squint, you can see my mom in the background) who rolls with the punches and simply handles the business when the demands of my job literally keep me from handling the demands of my real life. That weekend was Annika's birthday, but everyone's patience and understanding really got me through it. I don't even think Annika noticed that I was working...which was awesome. We even managed to squeeze in a party. And a lot of presents.

Garfield - enough rambling. To answer your question: I'm (but seriously) doing great. Thanks for asking.

I'm not old!

Annika, how old are you?

I'm one.

Nooo! Annika...how old are you?

I'm one.

Annika! You're two!!!

I'M NOT OLD!

True story.

She is older, and of course, wiser. She needs longer legs, though - still can't pedal the two (yes, two - it's a theme) tricycles she received for her birthday. She asked us to sing her the happy birthday song twice...yes, yes, a theme I tell you!

I'm sorry for the delay between posts. Nothing delights me more than telling you about her triumphs, but it's been a rough month. Never fear - there is light at the end of the iTunnel.

Random updates: She speaks in complete sentences...she can swim on her own (with a delightful inner tube-like device that makes her feel like she's swimming)...she heard Uncle BB's voice on the answering machine and knew it was him, despite the fact that she's only seen him twice in the last 6 months...she's going to North Carolina in August to see her GG and Uncle Erik...she wears a 2T...she is a Daddy's girl...she loves to bounce on the bed with Grandma...she always asks where Pop is when he leaves the room...she still pinches Nana, but Nana loves it...only Papa can get her out of the car...Uncle Ben makes her giggle...Nico is her best friend...Braden is trying to kill her (don't be alarmed)...no plans for a brother or sister (right now at least).

Much love!

"You are nice, Momma."

Annika actually said that to me today! Wow. It really does only get better.

I love you, Baby Girl! You're nice, too.

Baby wire

There's a lot of things we do right. I won't go into those things because there are soooooo many (uh huh). But there's one thing we do wrong. It's called baby wire.

Annika loves USB cables, cell phone chargers, HDMI cables, power adapters....just loves them. She either refers to them as "that's mine!," "baby wire" or "the cord."

Maybe you're thinking "she's on her way to becoming a computer engineer!" And though that may be the case, I can assure you that her interest doesn't stop at merely being in the presence of these precious goods. Oh no - she usually has to wrap them around herself. Sometimes around her neck.

My parents visited this weekend and I think they were pretty appalled by baby wires. And I was too, at first. But they give her so much joy. Is that so wrong? IS IT?

On the brighter side, she also is obsessed with "wipies." In fact, we can sometimes use them as a treat. As in, "Annika, if you brush your teeth, I'll give you a wipie." She stands below you jumping (which is more like an awkward prance) and begging...sort of like a doggie.

I would say that she's weird, but I remember who her parents are and I let it go.

Wake up, People!

Um, hello. Why didn't anyone tell me about this?