A Very Happy Holiday!

We really enjoyed Christmas this year with our family and friends! We celebrated early with Scott's family in Walnut and were surprised when his brother Steve and family drove from North Carolina to celebrate with us. It was so exciting to see them and for Audrey to spend time with her cousins and Aunt whom she had never met. We really want her to be surrounded by family and it has been great spending time with them.

We hosted a Christmas eve celebration with my family and our friends, Jeff and Lisa. It was so great listening to Christmas music and enjoying some quality time with our loved ones. We spent Christmas morning watching Audrey open gifts and play with the tissue paper; maybe next year she will like her presents too. Later that day we went to my grandma's house to see my granny, mom and aunt Wendy. Audrey had a blast running around the house in her favorite tutu like she owned the place. Finally we went north the day after Christmas to see Audrey's grandparents. We surprised them with the Fisk's arrival, since they had no idea that Steve and his family were in town. We all enjoyed a picnic in Laguna Beach and played till we were wiped out. We hope you all enjoyed your holiday too!

Don't call it a comeback!

Audrey was sick for almost 2 weeks, but she is back to her lively self. We have been on a few play dates with her friends and she was so excited to be around other kids again. We have been preparing for the holidays by introducing her to Santa. She saw him at the mall and we had planned to get her first photo with him, but she thought it was best to admire him from afar. She clung on to me so tight that it actually hurt. I didn't want to force a photo, so we'll have to try again next year. Audrey loves Christmas lights and we have been going to Garrison Street in Point Loma to see all of the lights, decorations, etc. These people are not messing around! There are so many lights and it gets bigger each year. I have included some photos below, but you should really go and see them for yourself.

Little one down!

For the last few days Audrey has been sick and she is not sleeping. This is only the 3rd time that she has been sick, but it is by far the worst. She has had a fever, congestion, cough, runny nose, etc., and it is hard to see her so unhappy. Instead of being happy and smiling, she is sad and crying. We took her to the doctor today and we are doing everything we should be doing, so now we just have to wait it out. These last few days have been rough on all of us, and we hope she is back to her happy self soon. We have seen a completely different side of our little one. She has been irritable and demanding and even throwing tantrums. I remember seeing kids in stores, restaurants etc., and seeing their parents dreadful expression while their child does that lifeless melting thing, and now my little Audrey is doing it. I hope that is not here to stay.

Happy Holidays!

We had a great Thanksgiving with Audrey's grandparents, Jim and Lynda. We had fun baking pies and cooking a great meal. Audrey didn't eat any of it, not even the pumpkin pie. She is into pasta and pizza, or anything that involves tomato sauce. We had a mellow day and then on Friday we visited Audrey's other grandpa, my dad. We hung out on the beach and they went for a long walk. Audrey learned a new word, pier. She was so excited to see the pier and to walk along the beach. The pier made a big impression, so much so that she kept repeating the word and even woke up in the middle of the night saying, "pier, pier." I will have to thank my dad for that! Here are some great shots of Audrey with grandpa Johnny and grandpa Jim. Hope you all enjoyed time with your loved ones.

The Early Bird

For the last few weeks, Audrey has been waking up around 4:30 and 5 a.m. It has been a long 2 and 1/2 weeks and we have seen better days. It's amazing how old we look now; a child really ages you in the first year of their life. Now I know that I really should have listened to my friends when they told me to sleep in as much as possible before the baby. Dammit, why didn't I do that? Every few weeks she goes through a growth phase or a cognitive phase and we lose sleep. I am pretty certain that this is more of a cognitive phase since she wakes up when it is still dark and is ready to have a conversation. She wants to recite all of the words that she knows, colors, numbers, the Ghettysberg address, you get the idea. I wouldn't mind waiting until 6 to hear about these things. This morning she woke up and asked about her tutu, the little skirt she wore for Halloween. She wants to wear it now whenever possible and today at 5:30 a.m. seemed like the perfect time to her. Despite the lack of sleep, this is a really fun time and although we are exhausted, we are all happy and healthy.

Time Flies

The past months have gone by so fast and I can't believe how big Audrey is now. I am so glad that I am home and I can enjoy each and every day with her. I was looking through some of her photos and can't help but get a little emotional when I see how small she was. I realize that the last year and a half has flown by and she is not a baby anymore. Although the beginning of her life was stressful for us, being new parents and not really knowing what we were doing or what she wanted at times, it went by way too fast! I remember people telling me that I need to enjoy each and every minute because they grow up so fast and they were right. Here are some of my favorite photos of Audrey over the last 19 months.

Family Photos

We have tried to get some family photos taken every few months to document Audrey's growth and ever changing personality. This last time our friend Frank Rogozienski took some shots of us at our home. Our main focus to take pictures of Audrey in her home doing what she does best, having fun and entertaining us. We were not sure if she would be in the mood to have her photo taken, but she was fine. She welcomed Frank with a smile and played music and danced, shared toys, etc. It was a fun time and we are getting some great photos of Audrey. Check out the photos and Frank's new site here:
FRP Faces

Happy Halloween!

Audrey enjoyed her first Halloween and she was a great fairy princess. She never got the whole trick-or-treating thing, but as soon as we arrived at someone's door and they offered her candy, she knew exactly what to do. She never said trick-or-treat, but she did say "thank you." She loved seeing all of the kids in costumes and watching them walk around the neighborhood. We finished the night with "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," which was always part of my Halloween experience as a kid and it's great that Audrey can enjoy that too. We look forward to next year when she really gets into it.

Fall Fun!

We have been enjoying this beautiful fall weather and keeping busy. We took Audrey to her first Lakers game and she sat in her seat for about 20 minutes, then decided that we should show her around. We were happy that she watched the players warm up and the first 1/4 of the game. She was a little overwhelmed by the amount of people that were around and she kept clinging to me and saying "people." Her favorite part was getting a souvenir from the game. We took a photo of her and she was very pleased with her new purchase.

Dinner with Friends

We brought dinner over to our friend's house to welcome their newest addition, Paige. She is a beautiful little girl and it was so fun for Audrey to visit with the new baby and their son, Ty. Audrey and Ty were instant friends and they played great together. First they enjoyed some pizza, shared toys, looked at Halloween decorations and had some cookies for desert. It was a great visit and because the kids were having fun, us adults were able to enjoy our dinner and even hold a conversation. It is so nice to spend time with friends and we love those Tuminello's! We look forward to our next visit and Audrey is already asking us, "Where'd Ty go?" Here is a photo of their dinner together.

Dining Out

Going out to eat with an 18 month old is never dull. We make it a point to dine at kid-friendly places and bring plenty of entertainment with us for back up. Our ammo consists of books, crayons, wind up toys, and sometimes a ball. If I forget something, then I resort to plan B, which is allowing her to empty and refill the sugar holder. Each experience is completely different and not always pleasant, so we have to be prepared. I have included a photo of one of the good times at Rock Bottom downtown. We were so excited that she sat the entire meal and ate really well. Most of the time she eats a few bites and wants to get down and cruise the place. Usually Scott and I take turns walking around with her, while the other inhales their food. It's quite different from the old days when we could carry a conversation and we ate at a normal pace. Whenever I am out to diner with friends, I have to remind myself that I can eat slowly and enjoy my meal. Bon appetit!

Think Pink!

On Saturday we went to OktoberBreast in Encinitas, a great event to help fund a cure for breast cancer. Boobs on the Move is the team who puts the event together and I am a proud supporter. I participated in the 3 day walk when I was 5 1/2 months pregnant with Audrey and it was so fun to be a part of the team and spend time with these magnificent women. This was Audrey's second year at the event and it was great because she could run around and play with the other kids. She enjoyed some pizza, a cake walk and some hoolahoop time. She was a little confused and wasn't sure what to do, but she was having fun. Her cousin Mila came with us and she had a great time and won a cake too. This was my 4th year at the OktoberBreast and it is always fun. We bid on an auction item for Audrey and we won, yeah! Here she is enjoying her new purchase.

Family Reunion

We recently took a trip to Grandma's house in Walnut to see Audrey's aunt Sandi, whom she had never met. It has been awhile since we have seen Sandi and it was great to introduce her to her niece. Audrey was happy to meet her, but she was enjoying the pool at the time, so it may not have come across that way. We had a nice visit and a big surprise when her Aunt Barbara and family arrived to surprise Sandi too. Audrey loves to spend time with her cousins and they are so sweet to her. We enjoyed some time with everyone and then it was time to head home to San Diego. We didn't get enough time with Sandi, so we drove up to Laguna 2 days later to meet her for lunch. We were so happy to get some more quality time with her and there was no swimming pool around to distract Audrey.

Beachy Beach

Little Audrey loves the beach and we have been spending lots of time playing in the water. At first she was afraid of the water, but she got over that immediately! She now asks us every day if we can go to the beach. She refers to it as 'beachy beach." I am not sure where that came from but that's what she calls it. Our trips to the beach have changed dramatically with a toddler. We have tons of gear to lug, and it is not as relaxing as it used to be. I remember sitting on the beach, reading a magazine and enjoying the sunshine and now I am usually covered in wet sand and expected to fetch pails of water till Audrey is done making mud pies. The part that I don't get is that we walk down to fill up her bucket, then we go back to our play area, she immediately dumps it out, then asks for more water. It gets tiring going back and forth and Audrey figured that out, so now she prefers to be carried. It's tiring, but so worth it just to see the big smile on her face when we head towards the water. I included some pictures of some beach time and Scott heading toward the ocean to fill her bucket.

Vacation

We just got back from a very interesting trip to Santa Barbara with Audrey. It ended up being fun, but it was more like a scene from the movie Vacation at first. We made reservations for a place that a friend suggested and it looked like a great place, kid-friendly, etc. The website made it look like a paradise and they even referred to it as an 'oasis'. If their definition of oasis is being located 10 miles outside of the fun part of Santa Barbara, next to a freeway, then it was an oasis alright. Our stay there was short and sweet. When we arrived we went straight to the pool, which Audrey loved. After some swim time, we went back to our room to rinse off and we discovered mold on the wall near the tub, then the spigot fell off...it was a little scary. We decided that we should go search for other accommodations and that this was not the place for us. We called a few places and most of them were booked, but we found a place that only had availability for the one night, so we took it since it was getting late and we needed food and rest. We would have to find another place the next day, which was a bummer, but Audrey was getting tired (and so were we) so we settled in for the night.

When we woke up the next day, Scott called the place that we stayed at on our honeymoon and got us a room there. I was so excited and impressed by his negotiating skills. We never thought to call there because we were looking for a kid-friendly place with a pool for Audrey to enjoy. We remember it as being a romantic place and we never realized that they even had a pool. It worked out great and we plan to go back there. It is a great place, kid-friendly and the people there are amazing! The Inn of the Spanish Garden is officially our favorite vacation spot! We enjoyed our anniversary and we were able to share that with Audrey too. We even stopped by the hotel in Laguna where we got married 3 years ago. We wanted Audrey to see how beautiful this place is and admire the ocean view. We took some shots of us on the deck where we had our ceremony and reception and one shot in the hotel lobby, where we had our fist dance.

On our way back home we stopped in Ventura to see Audrey's grandparents and pick up Ivory. She enjoyed her vacation with the other dogs, but I could tell that she missed us, well Scott :) We survived our trip and we are looking forward to the next one!

Whales, Dolphins and Sharks oh my!

We went to Sea World on Monday and we had a great time. We took her to see the killer whales, dolphins, sharks and beautiful Clydesdale horses. We arrived just in time to get in line and pet one of the horses and enjoy a beer too. Audrey just enjoyed her water, but she seemed OK with that. They have a kids area known as The Bay of Play. Back in my day, it was called Captain Kids World and it was way cooler. They don't have those colored balls that you can sink yourself into anymore; I used to love those! Audrey enjoyed some play time with a few other kids until she was tired out.

We are leaving for a few days to go on a family vacation to Santa Barbara and celebrate our 3 year wedding anniversary. It won't exactly be a romantic getaway, but it'll be fun! I'll be sure to post some photos of the trip. Gotta run to pack and get ready.

Sweet dreams.

We heart North County!

We took Audrey to one of our favorite beaches, Cardiff, to enjoy a sun and fun-filled day. The weather was perfect and we had a great time playing in the water. Audrey loves the ocean and it makes her dad so happy, since he has big plans to get her on a surfboard as soon as possible. She would stay in the water forever if we let her! We enjoyed some yummy burritos at Mozy's, another one of our favorite spots, and Audrey was crashed out in the car before we even left the parking lot. I included some beach photos for you to enjoy.

On Sunday we participated in a walk to benefit Hunter's Hope, (www.huntershope.org). It was their first annual walk and was a great event; it felt good to be a part of it. If you have not heard of this organization, please visit their site. Audrey had a blast with all of the kids and we got to see the Stivers family and enjoy some great music from Hullabaloo.

Family Fun!

We took Audrey to the new Corvette diner in Liberty Station and she loved it! What's not to love? There's a game area, milk shakes, balloons, loud music and complete and total chaos; it's a good thing that they serve alcohol. We ate and played till we were tired out. She loved the game area, even though most of the games were too tall for her to play, and you can see her trying to shoot hoops. Scott and I enjoyed a competitive game of hoops. I won the first round, but then Scott game back with a vengeance and as he always says, "you are only as good as your last game."

Audrey loves balloons and she is shown above politely asking for one. She's signing, 'please', to the hostess, so cute! I love that she knows how to ask for something, instead of just grabbing for it. Teaching her a few signs was one of the best things we did. We are going to continue the fun with some beach time and a family vacation.

Can you say...

Audrey has been talking so much and she can repeat almost anything we say. This is exciting and scary, but mostly exciting. The other day we were eating lunch and she refused to try something new, so I commented to Scott, that she was a picky eater and she looked at me and said "picky" with a big smile. She went on to repeat "picky" for a few minutes. I guess out of all the words I could have said, that is not a bad one to repeat. Her vocabulary has grown so much and she is now trying to master people's names. Her favorite name to say is "Branko." This is her uncle (my brother) and it sounds more like "Banko" when she says it, so cute! Whenever we ask her if she can say "Grandpa," or "Grandma," she replies with "Banko."

I have not posted anything in a week, but we have been doing some fun stuff and enjoying the cooler weather. We have been to the beach, the Science Museum, park, So Childish, Halcyon Tea and of course, Con Pane. Today we are planning to visit the Zoo and looking forward to that.

Happy! Happy!

On Tuesday, we took Audrey to the aquarium at Legoland. It was really cool and she loved it! Once we entered and she saw all of the fish, she could not stop screaming, "Happy, Happy!" It was great to see her smile and she was so intrigued with all of the sea life; if you have not been, you should check it out. Audrey had never seen a shark before and she enjoyed watching them swim around. I included a photo of our trip and we can't wait to go back.

We also took a quick trip to see the wonderful woman that delivered Audrey. We never took a photo the day she was born and we have been trying to go back to see her ever since, but something always came up. I will never forget the first time we met her. I had expected to see this reserved woman in a white lab coat and she came in the room wearing a bright yellow halter top and she must have dropped the "F" bomb 5 or 6 times. I remember leaving her office feeling a little uneasy and wondering if I should try another doctor, since she was the first person that we went to. We stuck with her and I am so glad that we did. She is not your traditional stuffy physician. She is incredibly intelligent and VERY direct. We dig that about her and will definitely go back to her if/when the time is right. She is the lovely woman in the photo next to the tired looking one holding Audrey, (that's me).

17 months old!

Audrey is now 17 months old and we can't believe how fast the time has passed. Everyone told us that it goes by fast and it does. I am so happy to be home now to enjoy this time with Audrey. We have been laying low and staying out of this crazy heat wave. On Monday we went to Con Pane for breakfast and Audrey enjoyed her scone bite while running around the bakery like she owned the place. She loves to look at the display case and shout out the different types of bread, or what she thinks they are called.

Later in the day we played a round of dress up. Audrey wore the beautiful dress that Jeff and Lisa gave her, since she can FINALLY fit into it. I took some photos to commemorate our 17 months of survival. We finished our day with a trip to the Science Museum in Balboa Park. I have heard that it is a great place for kids, plus it was air-conditioned...ahhhh. Audrey had a blast, despite the fact that a younger boy lobbed a few pieces of plastic fruits and veggies at her, it must be love :) She really enjoyed the alphabet board and I included a photo of that too. We are looking forward to more visits at the cool Science Museum.

Summertime Fun

Audrey and I have been keeping busy and trying to stay cool. On Friday morning we met my friend Roya for a tea in Solana Beach. Roya welcomed Audrey with a sweet gift and a smile, it was great to see her. It was a good visit with minimal conversation since we were interrupted by Audrey's interest in the stairs, the birds, a fountain, tree, leaves, etc. Going out with Audrey definitely keeps me busy and helps save money on a gym membership at the same time. We spent the rest of the day trying to stay cool.

Today I made breakfast for us, french toast. I have never made this for Audrey and I was not sure what type of reaction I would get. Whenever I try anything new, I am always curious to see how she's going to react. It must be similar to what a Chef feels when a critic enters their restaurant, especially when she picks up the food with caution and smells it before she takes a bite.

We hung around the house for most of the day and made smoothies, which Audrey loves! She is really into drinking from a straw, and once she starts, she doesn't stop till the cup is completely empty; I included a photo so you can see the determination on her face.

We had a nice visit from Audrey's aunt Christ and her cousin Mila. She LOVES Mila and they always enjoy each others company. Audrey is talking more and more every day, and as soon as she saw Christ's car pull up, she shouted, "Mia, Mia!" It was so cute! We took a nice nap after they left, and met some friends for dinner. We are looking forward to some beach time tomorrow and more smoothies.

Play Dating

We started our day at Con Pane again and went to the swings in Shelter Island. Audrey had a morning snooze and then we were off to meet Brody and his mom at So Childish for some playtime fun! They are so cute and they play very well together. We are so happy to have met them and it is always fun to meet for play dates. Audrey loved to play with all of the toys, especially a tent they had set up. She kept running in and out of it, putting a ball or toy inside, then taking it back out...very technical stuff! She also brought me EVERY single piece of lint or dirt she found in the tent. She's so my daughter! I have included some photos of Audrey and Brody at play. When we left, she was so exhausted and fell asleep before we made it home.

We hope to get out after she wakes up to enjoy the beautiful weather.

Weekend Update

Audrey had a busy fun filled weekend with family. Saturday we had a visit from her Grandma Pat, Aunt Barbara and 7 of her cousins. She was so excited to have visitors and they played with toys, laughed and enjoyed the afternoon. We all went to lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe and then came back home for more play time. This was the first visit that Audrey has had from her Grandma Pat and the Myers family and it was a great one. We took a photo of Audrey and her cousins; they are an amazing bunch!

Scott and I had big plans for the evening and we were scheduled to go out and listen to live music. Those plans changed to an intimate dinner at a favorite sushi spot of ours, Azuki. We realized that we could either go sit in a crowded place or just hang out with each other and talk. We made the right choice. On Sunday morning, we went to Con Pane and we ran into Audrey's new friends, Brody and Jasmine. Audrey loves them and they play really well together. We visited Yole and shared a farewell lunch with her and her daughter at Brazil by the Bay. Oh how we love Brazilian food! Yole left for Brazil today and we look forward to staying in touch and seeing her again soon.

Our weekend ended with a visit from Audrey's cousin Mila and her Aunt Christi. They brought some toys that Mila wanted to share with Audrey. I guess you could say she was a little excited about that. It was a fun visit and Audrey was wiped out after a fun family weekend. We enjoyed a mellow day at home today and we have a play date planned for tomorrow morning, time to get ready for bed.

Friday Funday

We started our day at our favorite spot, Con Pane. It was a perfect morning to enjoy a coffee and scone on this cozy day. Audrey and I had another play date with her new friend, Brody. We went to the play group at an adorable store in South Park called So Childish. The store is filled with handmade toys, books and so much more. Audrey was the only girl at the play group and she had so much fun with all of the boys. She was completely wiped out when we left and was asleep before we got home.

The weather was cool today and it even rained for a bit. We spent most of our day playing at home and enjoying the day. We did get out for a quick Trader Joe's run and I learned that Friday afternoon shopping is a bad idea. Later we napped and met her cousin for dinner at Islands, our other hangout. They are so kid-friendly, we love that place!
Audrey enjoyed her first bite of a chocolate sundae, which she enjoyed. She kept licking her lips and looking at me as if I had been holding out on her. We have a busy weekend ahead, so I better get some sleep.

Happy Times

I am loving my time at home with Audrey and the days are flying by! We are keeping busy with play dates, walks and good ol' fashion fun. We have been enjoying some quality time with Yole too, since she will be leaving on Monday. The year that we have known her has gone by so fast and we are really going to miss her. I took this photo of them the other day, so you can see this sweet, wonderful Woman.