Surprise Teeth!

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Ok, so I know that new teeth in a baby aren’t really a surprise… we know that they grow in but this one had us fooled! Abby has had swollen gum’s up top for quite some time and its obvious that her two front are teeth coming in. While they havent broken through yet, you can see the outline of her teeth and you can tell her gums are softening in those areas. She has been cranky lately, so we have been watching for them. Also, Abby is at that point where she hates it when you stick your finger in her mouth to check or try to lift up her lip to look, which makes feeling around for teeth very difficult.

The other evening Abby was sitting in her “saucer” and I thought I saw a piece of lint or string in her mouth. When I went in to retrieve it I found that it wasnt anything like that at all… it was the top of a tooth! While we were monitoring those top teeth, Abby had cut another tooth on bottom. Her bottom left hand side next to her two center teeth to be exact! Didnt have a clue that she was even cutting a tooth on bottom!

That is now 3 teeth and counting!

Abby’s First Birthday Party Invite

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Birthday Parties!! Who doesn’t love a birthday party!! Today we were invited to celebrate a first birthday and it was Abby’s first official birthday invitation. The Guerrero’s, who are friends of ours had their little boy, Harrison, only a few months before we had Abby… on August 8th to be exact. Today was his 1st Birthday celebration and we had a wonderful time!

Harrison’s party was in Calabasas at the park on Lost Hills and Los Virgenes. It was a warm day, but the Guerrero’s had it all covered, including covered seating! The party had a Sesame Street theme and Abby seemed to love that, especially the jolly jump that matched. Unfortunately she is a little too small for something like that, but she sure enjoyed watching all of the kids inside! When we arrived we found the birthday boy making his rounds with Byron and Erika. The two of them were so cute in their Elmo and Cookie Monster t-shirts!

We enjoyed watching everyone play and Abby enjoyed some of her special treats for the day. Shaun gave her a cinnamon and sugar cookie, which she loved and ate like crazy and she had some juice to wash that down with. After we sang to Harrison and he had the chance to make a mess with his cake (managed to get Byron with a full fist of cake) Abby was given an adorable cookie monster cupcake. She loved it! Abby loved the actual cupcake and ate some of the frosting! What a mess, but what fun!

The day was very special and we had a wonderful time! I have to give Erika some major credit! I wish I had taken a picture of Harrison’s cake because it was amazing. Shaun and I made sure to ask where they got it… ideas for Abby maybe? When we asked, we found out that they didn’t buy it… Erika made it!!! The cake was delicious and it looked like a professional cake! Great job on that one… you certainly had us fooled!

All in all it was a wonderful day and Abby seemed to enjoy her first friends birthday party! And so did we!






Hollywood Bowl…

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As a birthday gift to Zoe, we went to the Hollywood Bowl tonight to see Herbie Hancock perform. It was certainly a night that I was looking forward to. Herbie Hancock would be performing with classical pianist Yang Yang as a fusion of jazz and classical piano. I was wondering how this would turn out and after that fact, I can say it was wonderful! They played backed by the LA Philharmonic and I couldnt have asked for anything better. To add to our evening… Jackie and Emerson came with us! It was a perfect night!

The show opened with the LA Phil playing the Marriage of Figaro, which was wonderful and better then I expected! When Herbie Hancock and Yang Yang came out to perform afterward, it was a wonderful piece that I was fairly unfamiliar with, but it was beautiful. The sounds mixed together were amazing and the blend of classical and jazz piano blended very well! Because this piece was longer then most, intermission followed and then Act Two began.

Act Two was my favorite! The LA Phil opened with Leonard Bernstein’s “Mambo” from West Side Story and there was a bit of audience participation with that! Both Yang Yang and Herbie Hancock had the chance to play a few solo’s as well as a few dueling piano pieces. It was great! They of course closed with one of my facorite’s, Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue”. INCREDIBLE! Unlike anything I have ever heard! There isnt much I can say… you just had to be there. It was an amazing way to close the show.

However, as an encore for those peopls who didnt rush off, Herbie Hancock and Yang Yang brought out a special guest, Josh Groban! How amazing! He was excellent and of course has a beautiful voice live. To finish the night, Herbie Hancock and Yang Yang played a medly of Gershwin Themes!

The night was perfect and even though it took a while to get home due to traffic, fun was had by all! It was great to have the chance to talk, laugh and enjoy each others company.

Ten Months and Only Two to Go!

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Abby turned 10 months old today! I think I say it all the time but I cannot believe how quickly time flies and how much Abby has grown. Her little personality is really starting to come out now. The belly laughs and giggles are cuter then ever and now when you tickle her, she screams in delight. Its hilarious and whenever I need a good smile I just give her little tummy or under arms a tickle. Abby is crawling and moving like crazy. She has started an attempt to climb stairs and she is trying to stand on her own. A few days ago, while standing in her play pen, she let go and stood for a few fleeting seconds. As long as she has something to hold on to, she will move around. Although, anytime you try to get her to walk by holding her hands, she just becomes dead weight and wants to swing and use you as her transportation. Smart little cookie if you ask me!

This morning I woke Abby up and as always, she was happy to see me. It really is wonderful to see her face light up and watch her excitement when you walk into her room in the morning or after a nap. The best part of being a parent is being loved unconditionally. When I walked in this is what greeted me!

Seriously?? How can you resist a face like that greeting you every morning?? What a blessing! Her smiles, giggles, chatters and the expressions she makes with her face make my heart sing.

After Abby woke up and did her usually morning things we sat down for a little bit of breakfast. Abby had what has become her new favorite, scrambled eggs and turkey sticks. She loves them! After breakfast it was time for Abby’s mid morning nap which gave me a chance to clean house. Not only was it Abby’s 10 month birthday, it was also Grandma Zoe’s birthday! We were getting the house together and cooking a lovely birthday dinner.

In the afternoon, Abby woke up just in time for Auntie Kenzi to make a quick stop to see all of us and the new house. Being as busy as she is with school and getting her PhD in Physical Therapy, it was so wonderful that she had the chance to come by and visit. It gave me the chance to catch up with her. We miss her bunches!

As Auntie Kenzi was leaving, grandma Zoe came and the birthday dinner was underway. Shaun BBQ’d some chicken, which was amazing, and made some wonderful salads to go with it! Abby had some mashed potates with turkey and carrots which she seemed to enjoy immensly. As you can see below, Abby has also discovered some new things about herself…like her nose. Better yet, she has discivered that she can stick her finger in it! So pretty!

Ah what a little charmer! I cant wait to show this one off to any future boyfriends! The perk of being a parent… blackmail photos!

Watching Her Grow…

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One of the best things about being a parent is watching your child grow… at least I think so. The little changes and connections being made in developement to the physical growth.

Tonight I sat Abby down for dinner with the usual things. Some Gerber chicken sticks, diced cooked apples and diced cooked carrots. I also gave her some Turkey and Rice dinner in a bowl with a spoon. She already needed a bath so making a mess of herself wasnt going to be an issue. Abby is still working on using that spoon, but tonight something new happened. She was having a hard time getting food on her spoon and getting the concept of scooping, so she figured out another way! Abby took her finger, dipped it into the Turkey and Rice and then started rubbing it onto the spoon. She did this a few times and then, when she was satisfied, she put the spoon in her mouth! Great problem solving skills of you ask me! And all on the eve of her 10 month birthday! Gotta love watching her grow and learn.

A New Game For Mommy…

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Ok so as a mom it has been a challenge to find time for myself, but generally I manage. I have finally figured out how to balance time spent with Abby but also finding time to do laundry, clean, organize and make food for myself.

So in order to do this I basically started playing a game with myself. Yeah I know… sad, but hey it gets things done. Over the last few weeks I have played “beat the clock”. Basically I try to see what and how much I can get done while Abby is drinking a usual 8oz bottle or sippy cup. For example, I have been trying to sync up my lunch time with hers and I have been working hard at it. That way I can eat during a time when she is content and is focused on her lunch. At this point, I can make myself a sandwich, add some chips and grab a yogurt and sit down and eat most of it before she is done. Pretty darn good if you ask me. I can also unload a packed dishwasher, fold a large load of laundry and put most of it away before she finishes a bottle as well. I should add that she sucks those bottles down in no time!

I know…sad, but its the little things in life that make a person like myself happy! I wonder what I can do to improve on my own little game? Ill report more if I do!

Profound Moments

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I have always been a fan of So You Think You Can Dance. It allows me to continue enjoying the dance world that I was once a part of. I have seen some amazing dancing in the past 4 seasons and season 5 has brought some amazing talent to the forefront. But tonight was different, it was powerful and hit so close to home.

Tyce DiOrio, who in my book has always been a fantastic choreographer, really truly outdid himself tonight. His piece told the story of a woman living with breast cancer. This is a subject that I am sure hits close to home for many people, as there are so many woman out there fighting a battle with breast cancer. But for me and I know a few others this had a very profound and special meaning.

Its a long story that many may not know but Camille Lawrence, a dear friend and role model as well as company nurse, was a huge part of my life at the dance studio. She was a very special woman and there isn’t enough that I could say about her. Twice she battled breast cancer, but unfortunately the second battle was one that she could not win. After she passed, her daughter Amanda did a solo for her senior year as a tribute to her mom. The song she danced to… “This Woman’s Work”… the Maxwell version. The same song used tonight by Tyce. Amanda chose this song because it was one of her mom’s favorites.

So when Melissa and Ade took the stage and the music began, I could not help but sob my eyes out. It hit so close to home and I am sure close to those people who were close to Camille as well. It was a lovely, amazing, powerful and emotional piece. I cant help but think it was Camille saying hello and making sure that everyone knows that she is doing well. Maybe not, but who knows… She is definitely an angel to many… and I know that there isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t think of her. She is deeply missed, but I think tonight was fate and she was saying a quick hello…

Dinner Time

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Ok, so I just had to share this! Abby is now on to eating “on her own” enjoying her turkey sticks, carrots, apples, and more. She loves it and seems to really enjoy her new found independence. It takes twice as long to eat dinner now, but oh well… she is learning quickly. As you can see below, she loves her turkey sticks and she loves getting her hands in there! Hopefully she will master the art of using a spoon soon! Gotta love her! Ah… the little moments in life that you cherish always! Oh, and don’t mind the Hannibal Lector moment… its just the skin from the turkey stick!

A Relaxing Sunday

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After our wonderful date night, Shaun and I woke up earlier then we really wanted to pick up Abby from Grandma Zoe’s house. Sunday was going to be yet another scorcher so we had made plans to head down to the beach and visit with Aunt Fran… Abby’s Great Aunt. Let me tell you, everyone else had the same idea! Traffic wasn’t great but we did make it to Fran’s house in Pacific Palisades eventually.

We decided to head out for brunch, but the trick was to find a place that wasn’t crowded by everyone. A cafe that Fran had in mind was not open for some reason, so we headed to a small little place called the Lazy Daisy. I highly recommend it! Their breakfast was excellent and it very cozy! If you need to find it, its on Pico in Santa Monica. As for the detailed directions, don’t ask because I cant remember! The potatoes they served were amazing! I need to figure out the recipe… I guess this means time to experiment in the kitchen.

The day was perfect! It was a gorgeous 75 degrees in Santa Monica and a wonderful ocean breeze was blowing. Couldn’t have asked for a better day and it was so wonderful to see Fran again! I hated to have to come back to the valley where it was 102! But its OK, on our way home we stopped at Babies R Us and we purchased some new clothing for Abby and an adorable new bathing suit! I cant wait to take her to the beach or the pool and have her wear it! I am sure there will be plenty of that to come soon. Until then enjoy these pictures!

Abby was enjoying playing with her snacks and trying scrambled eggs for the first time… She loved them by the way! I know shes not supposed to actually play with her food, but who can say no to that face! I am sure I will eventually!

Auntie Fran enjoying Abby’s cute little feet… I certainly cant resist them either.
Auntie Fran enjoying a little talk with Abby… check out the thunder thighs on my little girl!

Fun Date Night

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So Shaun and I finally had a date night last night. Abby stayed with Grandma Zoe for the night, so Shaun and I could have some time together. Its been a while and I think it was needed. Don’t get me wrong, I love my little girl but its nice to have adult time. Shaun took me to the Coldwater Creek Spa in Simi for massages. We each had 50 minute river rock massages and let me tell you it was complete bliss. I highly recommend Coldwater Creek. There staff is very nice and professional and they do an excellent job. My massage therapist was Larisa and she was amazing. My muscles have never felt so relaxed!

After a lovely massage and a shower to follow, Shaun and I left the spa and decided to do some gambling. No we didn’t drive like mad people to Vegas (well do that in September), but instead we went out to San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino. The last few times we went to Chumash we were very disappointed so after seeing San Manuel advertised at every sporting event at Staples, we thought it was time to drive out to San Bernadino and check it out. Not bad…. we gambled for a bit, ate, gambled some more and then headed home. I spent my time at the slot machines, nickel slots to be exact and did quite well. Great actually! I went home with $544 on the nickel slots! Nice job!

After a long drive home, we stumbled into the house and went to bed. All I have to say is that we are getting too old for staying up until 4AM. It was a wonderful day and a fantastic date night! So glad we had the chance to get out.

9 months… and counting!

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On July 1st Abby turned 9 months… can you believe it? She is only a few shorts months away from her 1st birthday! I cant believe how fast time has gone. I know I say this all of the time, but I cant help it! I think as time goes on, life moves faster. If that’s possible. Abby is crawling like crazy and standing whenever she can. She can “cruise” around her play yard and at times has taken a chance and let go. She only stands for a few fleeting seconds, but its a step closer! I cant believe the changes that happen overnight! Even bigger news, Abby holds her own bottle! I am sure all you moms understand the joy I feel… freedom! I can actually feed her and do other things at the same time. Yay! She is also babbling a lot and I have a feeling she will be saying her first words soon. Based on what goes on in the house it will probably be Dog, Jack or Jack NO! Hehehe we shall see!

Because of timing and a scheduling faux pas on my part, our check up with the pediatrician was later then normal. We werent able to go until yesterday. We went in to see Dr. Suze this time, as Dr Calig wasn’t available. Dr Suze was great and so loving and gentle with Abby. Once again Abby was dubbed “absolutely perfect”. She has grown in length to 27.5 inches and she now weighs 22 pounds and 12 ounces. She is getting to be a big girl! I cant believe it! This time I decided to take a few pictures during the appointment. They were on my cell phone so they aren’t as clear as my usual pictures.

Too cute if you ask me! Hitting Abby’s 9 month mark makes me want to look back. This time last year I was 6 months pregnant and trying to survive the summer heat. At the time we were living in Simi Valley at the Archstone apartments. Lucky for me there was air conditioning, but the stairs up to our apartment were killer. I still had my little Nissan Sentra that took 20 minutes of driving at 50 miles an hour to get the AC going and the drive out to Thousand Oaks for work was miserable. Abby was moving around in my tummy like crazy and I loved every moment of it. Tommie was putting together a fantastic baby shower for me and it was only a month away! I was almost to the point of making weekly trips to the doctors office. I was only months away from becoming a mother and I was so happy. I cant believe how the time has gone by.

Goin’ to the Zoo… Goin’ to the Zoo

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So yesterday, we decided to take a trip up to Santa Barbara and go to the zoo! This was Abby’s very first trip and while we know she is still too young to really take everything in, we knew she would enjoy some it. That and Shaun and I enjoy the zoo as well. The Santa Barbara Zoo is an excellent place to go, especially with young kids. Its clean, well done and small enough that it only takes a few hours to enjoy everything there without feeling rushed.

When we arrived we walked started our walk through the zoo and Abby seemed pretty happy to be there, but then again she enjoys being out in her stroller. Who wouldn’t, right? Of all the things she did see, the flamingos certainly caught her attention. Is must have been their bright pink feathers!

After we admired the flamingos, we took off to visit the elephants! I love the elephants not sure why… I just do. Maybe its my love for Disney movies and my fondness of Dumbo, but who knows! They are impressive animals and so smart too. Of course, we had to stop for a picture with the elephants for Auntie Kenzi!


After we stopped at the elephants, we took off to visit the California Condors, the Bald Eagles and the Gorillas. The condors were incredible! Such awkward looking birds, but they are beautiful at the same time. The wing span was incredible and the condors within the habitat are fairly young too. I cant imagine how large that span is once they are full grown. Amazing!

The Bald Eagles were beautiful as well. Luckily we have had the chance to see them in the wild but these Bald Eagles were still just as beautiful. The eagles at the Santa Barbara Zoo are rehabilitation birds and cannot fly. They have been rescued after being injured and given a lovely place to live. Its nice to see a zoo take on such a worthy project.

After the Bald Eagles, we went over to the Gorilla Habitat. Unfortunately, it was warm enough out by that point that they were off sleeping in the shadows and couldn’t be seen. Bummer, they are such impressive animals. Oh well… I understood. It wasn’t an unusually hot day there, but in the sun it was definitely warm. Its OK… we got a picture of a monkey as you can see!

After the Gorilla’s we headed over to my favorite place at the Santa Barbara Zoo, the Giraffe habitat. I loved visiting the little Giraffe Gemina with the crooked neck. Unfortunately she passed away back in January of 2008. The Giraffe habitat wasn’t the same without her but she lived a very long life. I was about 7 or 8 when she was born and I have very fond memories of going to the zoo and watching her grow.

As we stood admiring the giraffes, in the next habitat over you could see and hear a lioness roaring and growling. It was a pretty amazing thing to see. I think it was lunch time and she was letting everyone know that she was ready to eat something! She was sitting over on the rocks that looked over the Giraffe enclosure, so maybe she was hoping to catch herself a giraffe for lunch?? Who knows, luckily those giraffes are safe.
After we visited the giraffes and lions we walked back towards the entrance to the zoo and stopped to visit all of the animals along the way. Our last big stop was at the penguin habitat and let me tell you, they were too cute! I love penguins! Some of them were swimming around and playing, others were waiting in a little cove for what I assume was probably lunch. There is a new addition to the penguin family but the little one wont be visible to the public until the end of the summer.

After a fun visit with the penguins we made our way to the entrance and stopped for a bite to eat. Abby seemed very happy to eat lunch, and mommy and daddy definitely were. Once lunch was over we took a walk through the gift shop to find something to commemorate Abby’s first zoo trip and then we left with a wonderful memory of our first trip to the zoo.

If you would like to see a slide show of our trip to the Santa Barbara, please click the following link.

SB Zoo