A New Day Every Day

Bad mother!

2011-03-30T13:04:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted for a YEAR!!!

Here's the big problem: as a chronically unorganized person, I thought a blog was the answer to my lack of baby books and various memorabilia. But now I've officially failed at keeping the blog, which makes me THE WORST MOTHER EVER. I will not let this be my legacy, so I plan to start over! (Heard this before?)

Here's a quick 2010 catch-up (since my last post, anyway)

Savannah turned one.

We went on a Spring Break vacation to San Diego.

We had two glorious weeks in Hawaii, one week on Oahu and one week on Kauai.

We went to Florida for Thanksgiving.

We went to Disneyland and Palm Springs after Christmas.

Milestones in 2010 were: Savannah started talking and walking("Mama" was her first word, no surprise there), Scarlett completely potty trained, Scarlett started pre-school, Savannah found her "attitude."

\ We also found out that we're expecting baby #3. Call us crazy, call us a drain on our planet's natural resources, but you can also call us DONE after this one is born!!!

Scarlett's birthday

2010-03-01T12:10:00.000-08:00

Dear ol' blogger likes to do everything backward, so the pictures are in reverse order.
Scarlett's third birthday was at a local bouncy place. Yaaay for no parties at home!
The star of the show was the Minnie Mouse cake made by Auntie Shana. Everyone just oohed and aahed over it. Scarlett just wanted to eat it! (It was delicious, by the way!)

Savannah had too much fun, and fell asleep in Nana's arms

Presents!!! PRESENTS!!!

Ahhh... beautiful!

Uncle Jim, Aunt Alyssa and Lukie on the slide

Perfectly content with a small, half deflated basektbal. Ahh, if only it stayed this way forever!

Allll ready for the party!!!

New playhouse

2010-03-01T12:06:00.000-08:00

Nana and Papa got Scarlett and Savannah a cool new playhouse for their birthdays! It's a good thing Daddy is great at putting these things together. Mommy would have let the box sit in the garage until the magic fairies came and put it together.

Pretty Girls

2010-03-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

Trying to get two girls in their Sunday best to sit still for a picture is hard enough! Factor in smile and stay clean and you have yourself a Herculean task! So, this is what we have.

Ummm... Scarlett? What's so funny?

Savannah Violet

2010-03-01T11:54:00.000-08:00

As my mom likes to say, Savannah is no milktoast! She's gone from the quietest baby you could ever imagine to an opinionated, feisty, near-toddler. She's a climber and she does not like ahving her stuff being taken away from big sister! Most of all, she's sweet, smiley and still has my heart in her tiny little fist.

At her 9 month apt, she was 19 lbs and I've forgotten her height. She was 40th percentile for weight and 70th for height. Tall and skinny. Haha. I wonder where she got that from, and that is certainly no sarcasm!

Climbing on the dinner table? The usual scene around here!

She's even cute when she sneers!

Savannah waking up Scarlett

2010-03-01T11:50:00.000-08:00

When Scarlett naps, Savannah gets very restless. So when its time to wake big sissy up, she's on the job!

Note: These are probably pictures of Scarlett's very last nap. She gave them up right before her 3rd bday. Fun times for Mom. But I'm enjoying the 7:30 bedtime!

Scarlett the ballerina

2010-03-01T11:47:00.000-08:00

It's a little like a bull in a china shop... or at least a little girl who thinks a "chause" is run really really fast in a circle. Uh oh... Scarlett's in ballet!

Christmas

2010-03-01T11:07:00.000-08:00

Santa passing out presents!

Chloe and Scarlett loved Santa! All the other kids, not so much

Santa came to visit! (out of order!)

Savannah's ready for Christmas!

Christmas morning-- Scarlett got her roller skates!!

D isneyland, December 2009

2010-03-01T10:57:00.000-08:00

Since I can't go back to September without drowning in the amount of pictures and stuff we have done, I'll go back to Decemeber.
Ah, December... Scarlett was well-versed on Santa Clause and Savannah just loved the wrapping paper.
After my semester wrapped up and Juan started Winter Break, we headed to Disneyland for three days. We all had a wonderful time, even Savannah. She didn't like Pirates of the Caribbean, but she was a trooper and hung in there.

BACK!

2010-03-01T10:54:00.000-08:00

It's been since Septemeber since I last posted. But I'm back! I hope to keep updated fairly regularly, but life sometimes gets away from you.

Savannah is now 11 months old. Not walking yet, but crawling very very fast and cruising around the furniture. She's chatty and a little clingy. Much more of a Mama's Girl than Scarlett was. Looking back over her first year, she was a very sweet, mellow baby who had a little bit of what I like to call "Stranger Danger!" But a happier, sweeter baby you'd be hard pressed to find.

Scarlett just turned three. She's in ballet and gymnastics and never stops moving. She's very articulate and very verbal. She likes to memorize poems and wants to understand words more. She's better with her numbers than her ABC's, but slowly getting a handle on both. She's bright, energetic and extremely sweet. She has a little bit of a temper and has been know to embarass me in Target, but she also loves hugs and says, "I love you!" all the time.

Grandpa Julio

2009-09-20T15:13:00.001-07:00

Grandpa Julio came out to Florida to meet his newest granddaughter and to spend time with us. It was a fun visit!

Auntie Mariposa did this! Luckily, she thought it was hilarious!

Cool pic taken at sunset

A fire in the firepit we got for our wedding! Four years later, we finally inauguarated the thing!

Grandpa and Auntie hanging out

Grandpa and his girls!

This is a really great picture of Juan and Scarlett in the river. If you click on it you can see them.

Scarlett trying her hand at the bike pump

Grandpa on the bike ride!

Family from Florida!

2009-09-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

Auntie Mariposa and Uncle Sandro came out to visit. While they were here, Noni came by to see everyone!

Auntie Mariposa

Noni

Uncle Sandro

Sundays

2009-09-20T14:43:00.001-07:00

Sundays are the best days to get pictures of our family in our finery!

So, so, so smiley all the time!

I just love these two pictures of the girls. Best friends, indeed!

Mommy and girls

Daddy and girls (Daddy was the only one not finished getting ready!!)

Growing every day!

2009-09-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

Well... it's the middle of September now, so summer's over and we are back to work and back to a normal, vacation-free existence. (I know, shucks!!) Juan went back to work a few weeks ago, and I was actually back in the middle of August. My job is really easy this year, a wonderful class with great students. I'm only working two days a week (for about four hours a time) which is perfect because I get to spend the rest of the time home with the girls. We've had no nursing or attachment issues from Savannah while I've been gone, too, which is great because I really worried about that.

Scarlett and Savannah are just two wonderful girls! Scarlett is speaking in long, full sentences now. So many that sometimes I get taken aback. I don't remember teaching her words that suddenly she'll have. On Friday she said, "Mommy, where is Daddy?" then she crinkled her nose and said, "No. Mommy, where are daddy?" So she has her "to be" verb pretty mixed up but I can't believe she can even recognize the difference between the forms! I guess the daughter of two english teachers has no choice but to be verbal. She's also starting to express her emotions-- "I'm really, really, really happy," she'll say. (Lots of "Reallys". All the time! For everything! Really!!) Or, "I'm really really mad!" I'm glad that she can recognize her moods and put words to them, hopefully the ability to express herself will curb some of her (ahem) natural tendency to act out physically. ("lovetaps" are Scarlett's specialty.) She, of course, still loves her sister to pieces. "I like her!" Scarlett will scream enthusiastically when I walk into the room with Savannah. She also gets very upset when the baby has to go down for a nap. "Wake baby up!"

Savannah is growing and changing so much. Still just as sweet as you could imagine. She's smiley, patient and talkative. I kept waiting for her fuss to kick in, but it never has. She just has a mellow, sweet personality. She can play in her exersaucer forever! She sits up really well now and eats rice cereal well. Tomorrow she's turning six months (aaaaawwww, it's gone by so fast!!) so we will start her on "solids." Only the green stuff for awhile. I went too fast on the fruits for Scarlett, and now she has a no-green policy. I think she'll army crawl soon too. She kicks her feet on the floor in the proper position, there's just no moving forward yet.

Here are some pictures of our lives this past August:

Hanging out in the rocker!

So excited to be in her car seat! I wish it was always like this!

Scarlett loves to hang out in her room and read her books! And we love it when she does!

Sweet Savs before she could sit up all the way. No more tripod for her now!

She is very excited about her rice cereal!

Hawaii (Maui week)

2009-08-10T13:13:00.001-07:00

After Ko'Olina on Oahu we moved on to Kaanapali on Maui...

Ahh!! Marriott's Maui Ocean Club... our home away from home!

Every night on Kaanapali Beach has an amazing sunset!

Dinner in Lahaina

Scarlett had fun exploring the island... (Savannah was there too! She just didn't get to hike and climb as much!)

Hawaii (Oahu week)

2009-08-10T12:36:00.000-07:00

Well, we took our annual trip to Hawaii! This time we went for two weeks (we squeezed into a studio for one of those weeks!) and it was fabulous! Hawaii is such a great place to go if you have little kids-- awesome pools and lots of family friendly entertainment. Scarlett had a great time and Savannah was just happy to be surrounded by her family at all times!

On the plane, ready to go! The plane ride was pretty easy. Savannah slept for a lot of it and Scarlett had her Dora and Kai-Lan DVD's to keep her entertained! This was Scarlett's seventh plane ride... I didn't go anywhere on a plane until I was nine and she's not even three!

On the shuttle bus to the rental car agency... happy to finally be in hawaii, even if it's on a shuttle bus!

What do you do as soon as you get into your hotel?? Head to the pool/beach!

One of the cool beach lagoons that front the resort we stayed at

Hiking the Manoa Falls trail... one of the most beautiful hikes I've ever been on! Juan had Scarlett on his shoulders, Savannah bjorned on his chest. we didn't quite make it to the falls because it started to rain... big big big buckets of rain. We had no rain gear and tried to run the mile or so back to the car, Juan protecting Savannah's head while Scarlett squealed in absolute glee.

We spent most of our days being lazy at the pool and beach... we kept Savannah kind of wrapped up but she didn't seem to mind!

We met up with maja and Susan while we were there...

And, of course, lots of hanging out in the room!

Isn't my baby just adorable?

On our last night we went to Waikiki to enjoy the views and have dinner.

Chloe's 3!!

2009-08-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Well, this is old news now, but last month Chloe had her third birthday party and we were very excited to go! Scarlett was so excited that the night before she didn't want to go to bed, she wanted to go to the party! I tried to explain to her that the party was the next day and she said "no, party NOW" and cried. So we had a "mini" party, where I wrapped up one of her toys, sang her happy birthday and gave her a brownie. Needless to say, the actual party was a lot of fun. I love taht Scarlett can look forward to things now! Savannah had fun too, mostly just being passed around to lots and lots of people who want to give her loves!

Busy pool!

Mom and Alyssa with the twins

Juan holding a sleeping Savannah... tough job!

Shana makes the best cakes! I keep telling her she should turn it into a profession!

Uh oh... who let this happen?

Scarlett found some pretty cool sunglasses to wear!

Chloe and Scarlett love to hold hands!! They're so sweet (when they're not fighting over a toy!) We haven't hung out much lately because of vacations, but Scarlett really misses her. She says, "Where Coey go?" all the time!

June 2009

2009-07-01T10:48:00.001-07:00

Here are some updates:
Savannah is now 3 1/2 months old. She is still sleeping through the night!!! She falls asleep around ten and wakes up again around six to eat, and then falls back asleep until around nine or so. I don't know when this gravy train is going to end, since she's had this routine for about two months now. She's eating very well, and is generally a super content, smiley baby. She has a few more moments of crabbiness than she used to, but still, not that much! She likes to sit in her bumbo and on her play mat, but not for too long. This is a baby who wants to be HELD all the time!!

Scarlett will be 2 1/2 in August. She is feisty, funny and sometimes a little bit bratty. (But we love her anyway) She's talking up a storm and says the funniest things: yesterday I was taking her to timeout and she said, "No way, Mommy!" Very hard not to laugh! She could use some help on her pronunciation, though. For example, "Mac n cheese" comes out "applecheese" and pillow is "pittow". Savannah is "shashanna." We took her to the dentist for the first time and she has a little bit of an overbite from her pacifier, but the dentist said that it will shift back once the paci is gone. So... yes, we pulled the plug. (Haha) I'm not so heartless that she can't have it at nighttime, but we are on a strict no daytime plug policy. Scarlett is NOT liking this change of events and we've had quite a few time outs while we wait for her to get used to the idea. She finished three rounds of gymnastics and we've moved on to swim lessons. Her teacher is very impressed and has already graduated her to the next class. When we get back from hawaii next month, her teacher wants to bump her up even higher. Right now she can swim five feet underwater by herself. She's quite the little fish! The only problem is that she gets so excited underwater that she opens up her mouth to smile and ends up swallowing a lot of the water.

Juan is off work for the summer, and doesn't go back until the day after labor day. So far we've been doing projects around the house and entertaining the kids, with a quick trip to San Francisco thrown in. Right now we're busy getting ready for our two weeks in Hawaii. I go back to work August 17th (I think, I should probably clarify that :) ) but only Tues/Thurs for around four hours a day. I'm glad that my schedule is light because I will miss being home.

So that's what's going on with us! Sorry for the random order of the pictures, organizing is my least favorite thing to do!! :) This is basically how our June has been-- hanging out at the house and enjoying Savannah's smiles and Scarlett's silliness!!

Movin' and Shakin'

2009-05-24T14:21:00.001-07:00

Scarlett's a hula girl!

2009-05-24T14:01:00.000-07:00

My parents brought Scarlett a hula outfit home from Hawaii... she wears it ALL the time!!

mommy' s makeup is awesome!

2009-05-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

One of Scarlett's favorite pasttimes is to play with my makeup. Usually I keep it out of her reach, but one morning I forgot... This is what I found... she's crying because she saw herself in the mirror, not because I punished her!

Scarlett and Savannah

2009-05-24T13:42:00.000-07:00

I'm constantly trying to get a good picture of these two together!
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Savannah had just farted here, which Scarlett thinks is hilarious!!

I tried to get Scarlett to pose next to Savannah in her bumbo-- Scarlett wasn't into it until I said "go sit in your princess chair!" But, by the time she'd dragged it over, Savannah was over it!

Whole Earth Festival

2009-05-24T13:37:00.001-07:00

The Whole Earth Festival is a hippie festival in Davis that Juan and I try to go to every year. There's free music and lots of stuff to do and see, but we mostly like to people watch the hippies!! Scarlett loves it, especially the kid's area. Savannah was there too, but she slept in her stroller most of the day!!

She's already pretty Savvy!

2009-05-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

Some various Savannah facts (at 9 weeks old):
1. She loves to smile, but you have to work for it a little bit.
2. She sleeps the WHOLE NIGHT THROUGH, but has to be swaddled tight. She eats around five and would fall back asleep but usally her big sister's waking up right around then!
3. She kicks her legs and arms when she sees something that excites her.
4. Her whole family loves her very, very, very much!!!

Scarlett and Chloe

2009-05-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I watched Chloe while Shana did her half marathon. The girls had a great time playing together (and destroying the house!) They love each other so much! I can't wait until they're older and they can look at all the pictures they have together and realize that they've been best friends since they were babies!

Changes

2009-05-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

Savannah's starting to hold her head up a little! When she's on her tummy, she can make it ninety degrees!

Siblings

2009-05-02T15:10:00.000-07:00

Scarlett can no longer claim only child status... but I don't think she minds!

Our Silly Scarlett

2009-05-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

Being a 2 yr old is all about having fun...

Scarlett put this outfit together herself!! She came out of her room wearing it and we just thought it was hilarious... she looks like a little Cuban boy!

Our sweet Savannah

2009-05-02T14:57:00.001-07:00

I know I need to stop bragging about this... (because I may be jinxing myself!) but Savannah is still a wonderful, easy peasy baby. She's awake a lot more these days, but her fuss level hasn't gone up. She likes to look around and loves the monkeys above her swing. She's starting to smile, but way to infrequently for me to be able to get a picture. Hopefully that will come soon! Some days are hard, but for the most part, everything just feels so right and perfect now!

Helping Daddy Cook!

2009-05-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

With a dad like Juan, Scarlett's going to be a master chef in no time! She loves to drag her chair over and grab her plastic knife whenever Juan heads into the kitchen. And it's all so much more fun when you're wearing a princess skirt!

Just some pictures

2009-04-20T08:05:00.001-07:00

Both girls sleeping in the car... oh, if it was only always this peaceful!

I love these two pictures of Scarlett. She is my pretty, pretty girl!!!

Gymnastics

2009-04-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

if you've already seen Shana's blog, then you've seen Chloe's gymnastics pictures. Scarlett's in the same class (but on a different day) and she loves it, loves it, loves it! She's pretty good at it, too!! Juan's had to take her lately because I've been home with the baby, and I actually miss seeing her there! Hopefully I can pick up soon!

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

On Easter, we had an easter egg hunt at my parent's house. Scarlett thought it was pretty awesome, especially since the eggs at m and m's inside!! She was COVERED in chocolate and we had to seriously brush her teeth before bed. It was a beautiful spring day and the easter dresses next to the green grass just turned out beautiful! I usually don't like spring (allergies, too hot to hang outside, too cold to go swimming, etc) but this one I am enjoying! Probably because I've been cooped up for so long!

Update... and Savannah pictures

2009-04-20T07:42:00.000-07:00

Here's an update on the newest Valdes (who turned 4 weeks old on Saturday): Savannah is a wonderful, wonderful baby!! We thought we had gotten lucky with Scarlett (who was very easy) but so far Savannah is even better than she was. She does not fuss very much, only when she's hungry, and who can blame her for that? She nurses extremely well and doesn't mind when her big sister goes investigating her. But the most important question... how does she sleep? So far very, very well! I'm probably averaging 7-8 hrs a night total, which isn't bad for a newborn! If only Scarlett weren't such an early riser (6:30 AM is sleeping in for her) then I'd probably get around nine hours every night! Oh, I know this can all change in the blink of an eye, but I'm happy at where we are so far.
As for the big sister, Scarlett loves Savannah so much. We just got a new car and the two carseats ended up next to eachother. (I like having Savannah's car seat in the middle rather than on the side.) Scarlett always has to hold "Sissy's" hand when we're driving. And just now, she ran up to me with a very concerned expression and said, "Where baby?" because Savannah's sleeping in her baby seat and not in her swing where she usually sleeps. She definitely pushed the limits when we first came back from the hospital--- did lots of stuff she knows she's not supposed to do with a "what are you going to do about it?" look on her face. But that has pretty much faded, and now we're finally achieving a routine. Scarlett's still two-- there's no perfect child here, but she loves her sister and that's the most important thing!

some pictures

2009-04-08T13:39:00.000-07:00

Our other memory card has better pictures... but in the meantime, I thought I'd post some from Savannah's first two weeks. She's getting so big already and is such a GOOD BABY. She's sleeping awesome and nursing like a pro. She doesn't seem to fuss that much yet, but I know she's new, so I can't count on anything!! Scarlett is just so in love with her. She always asks "where the baby go?" when she doesn't see her. Of course, there's a little bit of aggression directed at US, but at least she's sweet and loving with the baby! Things are looking UP around here for sure! The first two weeks were a little rough, trying to get Scarlett acclimated and nursing down. But I think we're on a good streak and that it will only continue!!

Savannah Violet

2009-03-26T15:25:00.001-07:00

Savannah Violet was born March 21st at 10:02 AM, weighing in at 8 lbs 7 ozs and 20 inches. She was (is) absolutely perfect!!! We got to go home right on time and she has such a good temperment (so far!) Adjusting to life with two kids is a little rough. Scarlett is a wonderful big sister. She loves to give kisses and makes sure the baby has socks and a hat on at all times. Sometmes she's a little too lovey, but we're just trying to walk that fine line between encouragement and distance!! I'm absolutely exhausted (no surprise, Scarlett decided she didn't want to sleep anymore either). But I'm happy, healthy, and slowly learning to walk again. (Anyone who's had a c-section has to know what I'm talking about!!)

All the pictures I'm posting are from the hospital. I haven't uploaded pictures from home yet. Hopefully those will come soon. Quiet moments are really hard to squeeze in right now!!

Baby's Room

2009-03-14T16:47:00.001-07:00

Other than some teeny details, we've finshed the baby's room. Juan did an amazing job painting (and I did a fabulous job directing) and I love the way it turned out! We didn't want to go pink/brown/green since that's the colors we used (and are still using) for Scarlett. So we decided on a baby blue and purple color scheme. It is TOUGH to find purple stuff for little girls. Everything's pink!! I'm still looking for wall decor, etc, but I really do love everything we've found so far.

38 weeks

2009-03-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

38 weeks along! Can't believe it's almost time... this pregnancy flew by, probably because I was so busy with Scarlett and with work (for half of it, anyway!).
I haven't "popped out" as much as I did with Scarlett... which is funny, because I'd heard it was the other way around. But trust me, I got enough "Are you sure you're not having twins?" jokes to last me a lifetime when I was pregnant with Scarlett! I certainly don't miss those!

Dress Me Up!

2009-03-14T16:38:00.000-07:00

Scarlett's learned the fun of dress-up... she has "interesting" taste. Rain boots and princess dresses? No problem! Abby backpacks and mom's shoes? Her favorite!!

Things

2009-03-03T11:26:00.000-08:00

A round-up of Scarlett's new and continuing habits:

1. She likes to use the personal pronoun whenever possible. I.E. Every morning right after Juan leaves for work, she looks at me and says "Where'd my daddy go?" (except for it sounds like "wheremydaddygo".) She also likes to distinguish what belongs to whom-- Daddy's hair, or Mommy's foot, or Elmo's book.
2. She plays mommy and she's terrible at it. she alternates between smothering her babies with kisses and throwing them.
3. Out of nowhere, she'll sidle up to you and say "Candy?" and if that doesn't work, "Cheese?" and then, in a final act of desperation, "Dora?"
4. She has a cowboy walk--- she'll throw her legs out and walk bow-legged for no apparent reason, just to entertain herself.
5. No chance of EVER getting rid of the pacifier, or potty training. I'll be sending a kid off to kindergarten in a diaper with a pacifier.
6. She has a cold right now and she'll say "Need a wipe!" when she has snot hanging down past her lips. Sometimes she'll just come up and wipe her nose on my leg.
6. So many more, but she just woke up!! Oh yeah, include, REALLY TERRIBLE NAPPER.

Disneyland

2009-03-03T11:08:00.001-08:00

Formula for a successful trip to Disneyland with a 2 yr old and a 9mos pregnant mom:

1. Get there right when the gates open so you can go on lots of rides with no lines.
2. Let mom sit down.
3. Stop every once in awhile for a Mickey Mouse shaped ice cream.
4. Meet lots of characters-- but understand that two yr olds can be very scared of Goofy.
5. Let mom sit down.
6. Accept the end of the day melt-down/dirty shirt/fit throwing.
7. Don't complain about the heat-- there's nothing you can do about it anyway.
8. Appreciate how many rides at Disneyland have no restrictions for toddlers and pregnant ladies.
9. let mom and toddler go back to hotel to take a nap.
10. Make friends with pint-size Tinkerbells
11. Have lots and lots and lots of fun!!!

2nd Birthday Party

2009-03-03T10:51:00.001-08:00

Trying out her new car from Nana and Grandpa!! Scarlett is the world's WORST driver.

So many presents!!!

Everyone enjoying their cake

Who needs a fork when the cake goes right into the mouth anyway?

Right after this, Chloe blew out the candles for Scarlett!! Scarlett couldn't figure out how to do it anyway!

This picture's dark, but I think Elijah is the spitting image of Shana here!

Our family photo-- even has the new baby in it, if you count the tummy!

Scarlett's cake. We love Costco cakes. A funny looking princess, but a delicious cake!!!!

2nd Birthday Pics

2009-03-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

These are pictures from the day Scarlett turned two. Cute kid on a special day!!

Two years old!

2009-02-17T14:53:00.001-08:00

Today is Scarlett's second birthday. We've had a fun day full of gymnastics class, lunch at Chick-Fil-A with Chloe and now a much needed nap. Tonight she gets her favorite food (spaghetti, even though I'm sick of it!). I have to say that I'm glad she's not quite aware that it's her birthday. I'm not ready for the demands that will certainly issue once she does know it's "her" day!

She had her two year appt last week and she's healthy as a healthy horse. (Never really understood "healthy as a horse" because horses get sick, too...) She's 31.2 lbs and 34 inches tall. She only had one shot this time and she didn't even flinch! She just accepted her Dora stickers and told the nurse "Tank oo". What a good girl!!

Scarlett on her actual "birth" day!!

Scarlett on her first birthday.

Second birthday pictures are to come once she wakes up! I don't dare risk waking her up!!

Amgen Tour 2009

2009-02-17T14:40:00.000-08:00

On Valentine's Day, we went downtown for the CA Amgen Bike Tour prologue leg. It was cold but it was a very fun day! We saw Lance Armstrong for the half second he whizzed past us (these guys are pretty fast!) but there was also a festival, sidewalk drawing, picnic lunch eating... a great way to spend a Saturday! Scarlett had a great time, and did us a favor by falling asleep in her stroller so we could sit down and actually watch the race.

Scarlett loved riding Light Rail! She kept saying "Wow, Mama, WOW!"

this is Juan trying to get Scarlett to pose with a Lance Armstrong poster. I think it's hilarious.

These are all shots of the race... the bottom shot is our blink-or-you'll-miss-him Lance Armstrong sighting. You'll have to take my word for it, because these guys all look the same once they're under helmets.

Valentine's Cakes

2009-02-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

I bought Scarlett a Valentine's Day Cake kit. Unfortuantely, she's still pretty uncoordinated and her sense of "art" is a little different than mine! She had fun though, but had to have a BIG bath afterwards.

Arts, crafts and tutus

2009-02-09T20:35:00.000-08:00

Scarlett has a little toy camera she calls her "cheese". (because I always say "Say cheese!" when I have my camera out.) She was running around the house with it and decided she looked too cute in her Sunday clothes for me not take a picture of my own!

I thought it was time Scarlett got into arts and crafts... washable water colors worked pretty well! She was more interested in dipping the paint in the water than in actually painting, but at least she stayed relatively clean!

Hanging out at Joe and Shana's

2009-02-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

The greatest thing about having siblings is that your kids have cousins to play with!

Luke gets very serious about his food

Sweet, stubborn Mia!

Nana and Eli

Chloe and Scarlett very busy playing

Scarlett taking a rare moment to actually look at the camera. She's been impossible lately! Whenever it comes out she hides or says "no!"

Christmas babies

2009-01-19T17:11:00.000-08:00

It isn't easy getting five kids under 2 1/2 to pose for a picture!!

Fairytale Town

2009-01-19T15:26:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Juan and I took Scarlett to Fairytale Town. Great fun for her, a total snoozefest for us! We had fun watching her run around, though. It's kind of designed for toddlers, which is great, so there wasn't too much trouble she could get into.

Pictures of our life!

2009-01-19T15:14:00.000-08:00

So happy at dinnertime. She probably threw her food on the floor right after this picture was taken!

Juan and I took our first ever "away" night from Scarlett (she stayed with my mom an dad, hardly punishment!! She got fruit snacks, chocolate milk and elmo all night.) We went to the snow, where we had to stop so Juan could sled.

With a dad like Juan, Scarlett's not going to get away with not riding a bike for long!

We love our bikes!

Juan's sister, Mariposa. We love her, too!

Crusing down the street

And, back at home, a little dancing with the wii!

Christmas 2008

2009-01-19T14:30:00.000-08:00

By the end of the night on Christmas eve, the kids were over it!!

Scarlett giving Chloe a hand

Cute, cute Eli!

The stockings were hung by the chimney somewhat haphazardly...

Scarlett, Grandpa and Mia.

Scarlett and Grandma

matching tutus are awesome!

Christmas dinner with the Soza's

Scarlett's got the present unwrapping thing down

Christmas can really tire a kid out!

Making a cookie jar

2009-01-19T14:24:00.000-08:00

The cousins all got together and made a cookie jar for their nana for Christmas. They dragged their parents along, and wouldn't you know it, we got stuck doing all the work!! It was a fun, if not relaxing, experience!

The finished product (somehow these pictures got turned around)

Chloe and Scarlett were extremely excited about the whole process

Sometimes the adults had to help, too!

Everything stops when the twins need to eat!

Christmas in Sonoma

2009-01-19T14:15:00.001-08:00

A few days before Christmas, Juan, Scarlett and I went down to Sonoma to see his mom and sister and have some early Christmas festivities. It was a fun day-- wine tasting (for Juan and his mom, not me and Scarlett!) dinner in Sonoma Square and presents.

San Francisco

2008-12-22T13:19:00.001-08:00

While Scarlett traipsed around the mission with Juan and his sister, Migdalia...

I had a long, lesiurely lunch with these ladies. (Friends/Roomies from London)

Fun day, all around!

Around the house in December 2008

2008-12-22T13:13:00.000-08:00

Giving the kitty loves!

Who doesn't think overalls, rain boots and a fanny pack make a pretty sweet outfit?

My mom got Scarlett a rain coat and boots. Which she, of course, has to wear all the time!

Thanksgiving in Maui

2008-12-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in our favorite place-- hawaii! We're going back in July, so that lessens the pain of being home a little bit!

So happy to go to Maui!

This was at our favorite restaurant in Maui, The Gazebo.

We had a little restaurant outside our room that played live hawaiian music every night. So we could stay in and still feel a "part of the scene"

We saw the amazing race while we were waiting for our rental car. We were super excited, mostly because it's our favorite show!

Scarlett not sure about her lei. She yanked it off right after this.

Cheesy smiles at dinner in lahaina.

This is the ocean view from our room. Our first day there was a little damp, but it did amazing things with the color of the ocean!

Scarlett playing receptionist!

September, October catch-up pictures

2008-12-22T12:27:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Shana for saving me from the utter devastation of the loss of my pictures by giving me hers!! Luckily we do a lot of stuff together!

(Some of these are repeats from Shana's blog, so you're not having deja vu)

Scarlett loved her bumble bee costume. A few days ago, she found it and insisted I put it on her.

Trying to get all the kids together for a Christmas picture! It was fun- and no, they weren't cooperative at all! Scarlett enjoyed her cousins Luke and Mia, though. Now that they're a little older she's finding them more interestng. She always forces them to hug her and give her kisses. The phrase "Scarlett, GENTLE!!" has been heard a lot more often around our house lately!

Shana and I took Chloe and Scarlett to an indoor gym/bouncey place. It was fun, mostly because we go to sit back and not chase!

Where I've been

2008-11-20T18:26:00.001-08:00

So... if you're wondering why you haven't seen any new pictures lately... I lost my camera!! I think it was stolen, which is the worst part. LOST you can always find. Anyway, so I thought I'd give a wordy up-date and throw in pictures as I get them. (Luckily, all the recent events like Halloween have been covered by other people's cameras as well!) But here's what's happening in our family lately:

Scarlett is a very feisty, very chatty twenty one month old. She has tons of words, most of which I can't understand, but I pretend to because I want to encourage her talking. Her favorite activity is to play with the phone: When I'm on the other line, she likes to pick up the office phone and say "Hi" to whoever I'm talking to. It's sometimes cute, sometimes not. She then garbles some stuff, usually says "Dora" or "Elmo" somewhere in there, then hangs up after a cheerful "BUH BYE". Her other favorite phone activity is to pick up the cordless, balance it between her ear and her shoulder and write on a note pad. It's absolutely adorable.

Scarlett's officially in her big girl bed, which at first was a nightmare, but I think we've worked out how to make it work. We've had a pretty decent two week run of her going to bed on time and staying in bed all night. The problem is that she's waking up at 5:30/6:00 AM which is pretty hard on her mom. We really got help from Dr. Ferber's book, Solve Your Child's Sleep Problem. I know Ferber is controversial but he's always worked for us. He basically says that when moving to a big girl (or boy) bed you should recreate the crib environment by making the whole room a crib. Scarlett's always been a good sleeper, with bad phases here or there. We've been pretty lucky. When we first got the bed, she spent three or four nights in a row in our bed and she is a terrible bedmate. She kicks and steals your pillow and sleeps horizontal and wakes you up by pulling your hair. So we had to nip that in the bud. We are not family bed people!!

We had our 20 week ultrasound a few weeks ago, and we had a terrible, grumpy tech who didn't want to work with us too much. She says she thinks we're having a girl, but she was unwilling to put a percentage on it and basically kicked us out while I was still wiping the goo off my belly. I thought about doing the 3-D ultrasound to make sure, but then I decided it would be fun to be a little surprised! We're pretty sure it's a girl though, so we're doing a purple (since Scarlett has pink) room. A boy would have been great, but Juan and I are very excited to have "the girls!" I always wanted a sister, so it's neat that my kids will have one! Not to mention I don't have to buy much of anything! Of course, if you know me, you'll know that I'll figure out a reason to buy things anyway...

So for the upcoming holiday Juan and I are leaving for Maui tomorrow (Friday). We'll be there a week, just soaking in the sun and enjoying the relaxation. Work has been pretty stressful lately for both of us, so it's a great opportunity to get away-- even if before we do so we have to make sub plans and cancel classes and do all sorts of grimy work.

I hope you enjoyed the update on our little family! I'm sorry it's been so long and hopefully after the semester is over I'll have a little more time to update. It's been a rough, challenging and probably my favorite semester so far! My students are awesome, just a little opinionated. Which I enjoy, I do!! I swear!!

Aaargh!!!

2008-10-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

So Scarlett's climbing out of her crib now. We videotaped her to see how she does it and it's quite the process! So, needless to say, the last two nights we've been woken up by little feet coming into our room and then a loud "BAAA" noise. Which is Scarlett speak for "Wake up!!!" I honestly don't know what to do. I think she's too young for a big-girl bed. I don't think she can comprehend the idea of staying in her own room, especially if she has unlimited access to the rest of the house. I was thinking about a crib tent, but I'm afraid she'll freak out. But I'm more afraid that she's going to hurt herself climbing out of her crib in the middle of the night. AHHH. Just when you think you have things figured out....

hair cut

2008-10-06T13:10:00.001-07:00

Scarlett had a little bit of a "bangs in the face" problem. So she got her first trim! She was a very good girl and sat VERY still when the scissors came near!!

Just Scarlett!

2008-10-06T13:01:00.000-07:00

With her friend and neighbor Addie

I don't know if she was fake sleeping or smiling in her sleep!

She's started to enjoy putting her finger in her nose... uh oh!! It's not "picking" yet, though!!

Scarlett likes to take her Mr. Potato head glasses and read!! I think she thinks she's being like Mommy and Daddy!

Camanche

2008-10-06T12:57:00.000-07:00

Of course we went up to Camanche a lot this summer!! And of course I always forgot to bring my camera!

Ready for the water!!

We went up with our neighbors...Scarlett and Addie had a great time getting into the stuff under the sink!

With nana in the boat!

Chico

2008-10-06T12:50:00.001-07:00

she rides with the luggage!

With Daddy at one mile

Playing with Ryan

Dancing with the music at concert in the park!

At Caper Acres... a cool park that I never visited ONCE the whole time I lived in Chico!! I never even knew it existed!!
This is a little late... but we've been busy!! Here are some pictures of what we've been doing since the end of summer!

In August, we went to visit our friends Ryan and Shari in Chico. It felt like we were going home. It was neat to get to introduce Scarlett to all the places where we used to hang out!!

one BIG update!!

2008-09-02T13:29:00.001-07:00

Some of you already know...some of you may be surprised to know that I'm pregnant again! I'm due March 28th. (I'm 11 weeks along) We have to be crazy to do this twice, right???

Shana tagged me... so I'm it!!

2008-08-28T18:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, I guess I'm it. I have to come up with seven little known facts about myself. Which is pretty hard, considering I feel like I'm an open book.

1. I'm very inarticulate. I really struggle for the right word or phrasing (especially in class) and I think I sound dumb a lot.

2. I really love to have all the new gadgets and gizmos that come out, but when I get one I really only know how to use one or two features. And I'm too lazy to sit and look through the owner's manual!!

3. I hate traffic so much I compose letters to Caltrans and the Sacramento City Gov't as I drive. They're always mean and hateful, but as soon as I get to my destination it's over.

4. If I didn't have family here, I think I'd move out of California. I don't really like the culture, the politics, the housing costs or the weather.

5. I hate the sound of people eating. I get very annoyed at noisy eaters.

6. I have three reoccuring dreams: 1) I'm trying to drive a car from the back seat, 2) I'm standing in front of my class completely unprepared, with no lesson plans and 3) my teeth fall out and I try to shove them back in but they keep coming.

7. I think I'm on the slobby side because I'm a perfectionist. I'm not willing to halfway do something (like mopping my floors, for instance) so I'd just rather not do them at all. Or at least that's what I tell myself.

So who do I tag...? How about Gina and Marila??

I promise to update soon!

2008-08-28T08:54:00.000-07:00

So here's an update on my updating status... I promise to put lots of pictures up soon! We've been pretty busy over here-- I went back to work on August 18th, and Juan is going back next week. So lots to keep our brains scrambled! Oh, and on August 26th we celebrated three years of wedded bliss. Three years!! I guess we're no longer newlyweds. Well, anyway, in honor of that beautiful, long-ago day here's a picture of that, at least:

Man, I was tan!!

Not for the squeamish

2008-08-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

This is a little hard to watch... but Scarlett certainly enjoyed herself!! Bike helmet had to be firmly on, of course...

Highchair antics

2008-08-03T12:29:00.001-07:00

Scarlett like shoes

2008-08-03T12:16:00.001-07:00

North Lake

2008-08-03T10:11:00.000-07:00

Another reason why it's awesome to teach and have summer vacation: last minute camping trips! Juan and I decided to take off to North Lake Tahoe for a couple of days. We had a lot of fun and got VERY dirty.

These pictures were taken while rafting down the Truckee River. I highly recommend it! Scarlett was really good and didn't try to climb out of the boat or anything. And the scenery couldn't be beat.

Ready for crusing on the bikes!

Look, Ma!! Dirty Hands!!

This looks like she's fighting the bike helmet-- actually, she insisted on wearing it the whole weekend.

Bike Helmet+Dirt+Dinner= Gross Kid

Sweet moment between daddy and daughter

Question

2008-08-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

Who's the six month old and who's the six week old in this picture?? Ha!!

so much smoke!

2008-07-09T16:06:00.000-07:00

Just a little grumbly note... the air quality here in Northern CA is so rotten we can't even go outside! It might as well be raining buckets for as housebound as we are, except then at least I'd be enjoying it!! (I'm a nut for rainy weather.) These stupid fires are really bumming me out. And it's 107. Good thing we have solar power, because our electric bill is looking to be pretty huge, what with the A/C running all day and night!!
Ahhh... I'm looking forward to when we can open the windows again....
Anyone have any great advice on how to entertain a 1 1/2 yr old when you're both clawing at the walls?

For Nana and Grandpa

2008-07-07T12:27:00.000-07:00

Hi Mom and Dad... this is a little video of Scarlett showing off!!
We hope you're having fun in Europe but we can't wait for you to get home!! We need our babysitter back!! :)

Cousins

2008-07-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

Chloe and Scarlett (the "old" kids) romping around

Scarlett trying to jump

Chloe actually doing it! This picture's so perfect for Chloe... constant motion!

Jim and his baby girl Mia

Talkin' babies

All the kids together! chloe was having a little bit of a meltdown, but that's ok!

The kids almost outnumber the adults by this point!

Bath time

2008-07-07T11:27:00.000-07:00

Every blog has a bath post... so this is ours!!

Ick

2008-06-22T14:08:00.001-07:00

So we have the flu here... I got it first, and then passed it on to Juan and Scarlett. So there's really no one to blame but myself when I'm woken up at 2 AM to a crib full of throw-up. It's probably the grossest situation I've ever been in. It gives me the shudders and the shakes. But I have to say that Scarlett is a real trooper. Her spirits are up, and when she's not throwing up she's feisty and chatty.

She has a few new words too:

fish (she says "shhhh") and shoe, on top of the old standbys "cat" and "mama/dada"

we're working on her alphabet. I really want her reading at three!! A big goal, but it's kinda fun to work on it!! And don't worry... she has no pressure! I saw a 17mo old on the Today show who could read "kangaroo" and "nice to meet you". Crazy!!

One of those days

2008-06-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

It's 1 PM... so far today, I've:

1. Wielded a broom in strange ways in order to resuce Scarlett from the bathroom she had locked herself in (don't ask)

2. Mopped up a whole sippy cup full of apple juice/water after Scarlett decided to drink and spit.

3. Put all the pots and pans back in the cabinet the child proof lock failed me on.

4. Cleaned up all the lysol antibacterial wipes she pulled out, one by one, probably licking them as they came out.

5. Accidentally dried a plastic shoe that "somehow" got snuck into the dryer.

6. Endured a long howl when I dared to wash the precious, but oh so stinky and dirty, bunny.

And we haven't even had lunch yet!!

Beautiful Lake Tahoe

2008-06-11T09:51:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Juan's sister Mariposa was up to visit so we took her to Tahoe for the day. It's not that far from our new house. The trip was tons of fun, and once again,we left asking ourselves, "Why don't we go more often??"

These were all taken at Emerald Bay

These were taken while we were hiking around Fallen Leaf Lake, my favorite little spot in Tahoe. I think we all agreed we wanted to move there!! (Or at least vacation there!) The last picture is Scarlett touching snow for the first time. She didn't really have an opinion on it...

A very tuckered out little baby at the end of the day!!

A new nephew!

2008-06-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

No pictures yet, but last night around 3 AM Shana quickly and valiantly brought a new baby boy into the world... he's around 9 1/2 lbs and his name is Elijah Joseph. That's all the info I have, hopefully we'll see him soon!!

my pretty (funny) girl!

2008-05-19T14:55:00.000-07:00

she doesn't like getting her picture taken at lunchtime!

our next door neighbor and Scarlett's new friend, Addy!

Just being goofy!

Mother's Day

2008-05-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

Last week, we had a mother's day/Joe's birthday/housewarming party. What a lot of fun! Be warned: LOTS of pictures coming!!

Chloe and Scarlett having a lot of fun!

All the moms and their babies!

This is my mom and all her children/grandchildren

they share a grandaughter AND fashion sense!

me and my grandma! Most of us in the group shot wouldn't be there without her!

scarlett hiding from the camera. This doesn't happen often!

Aunt Peg and Marila

The guys had to stick together!

Jim and Alyssa with their hands full!

Juan and his mom!

Our new house!

2008-05-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have asked (and those who are just curious!) here are some pictures of our new house. Or at least some pictures of the rooms I could quickly get clean.

The outside!

Formal living/dining

Family room

View from family room into the kitchen

the kitchen. My favorite room in the house. Oh, and April popped in to say hello!

Scarlett loves cheese

2008-04-30T09:14:00.000-07:00

While watching Scarlett eat lunch yesterday, I realized that whenever she eats cheese, she talks. A LOT. My mom thinks she talks a lot all the time, but somehow cheese especially brings out the chatterbox in her.

Moving in!

2008-04-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

Here are a few random pictures from our first days here:

Scarlett helping her dad paint

Hey! Get outta my way!

The cabinets are just her size!

The U-Haul. UGH. I was so glad to see this thing go!

Sprinklers

2008-04-29T16:57:00.001-07:00

On one of our last days at the old house, Scarlett had a great time running through the sprinklers and playing in the dirt. She threw a fit when we made her come inside!

Moving

2008-04-28T12:21:00.000-07:00

You might have wondered where I've been... MOVING. It's exhausting!! Anyway, so we're finally getting settled so expect an update soon. We love our new house, but we hate the work involved! I remember when I was in college, when moving was just loading up my Honda Civic and going around the corner. And I thought THAT was hard work. Anyway, so hope everyone's well!!

Good Night, Indeed!

2008-04-09T14:38:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd share something pretty cool... for the last little while Juan and I have been working with Scarlett on the sign for "night-night". Yesterday in the afternoon she signed it for me, and I said, "Do you want to go night-night?" and she did it again. So I put her in crib, and NO FUSS. She fell right asleep. And today she's done it twice, both times unprompted!! Already it's making naps so much easier because I don't have to guess when she wants one, she can tell me! I LOVE signing!!! Anyway, just thought I'd share my good news!!

Update on reading blog

2008-04-07T11:54:00.002-07:00

Shana and I decided to change the web address on the book blog from "welikegoodbooks" to http://reallyreading.blogspot.com

Sorry if you got confused!! This should be permanent now!! Oh, the link on the post below should still work because I edited it.

Readers unite!

2008-04-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

Shana and I have started a new blog about some of our favorite things... no, not our kids, our books!! We hope it can be a place where people can exchange information about good books, bad books, children's books, anything of the sort! Anyone is welcome to join in. The more readers, the merrier!! You can find the blog here.

Hawaii.... oh, Hawaii

2008-03-30T17:33:00.001-07:00

So, considering we're going back to Hawaii in November, some people might think we go a little too much! Not so! It's actually the opposite! You can't go to Hawaii enough! I'm actually going to go on record and say that it's my favorite place in the world. This was our first trip to Kauai, though, and I have to say, I think it's the most beautiful of the islands. You just have to give up the shopping a little bit. Which wasn't that hard, surprisingly. Thanks to mom and dad for letting us crash their timeshare!! (Warning, lots of pictures!!)

I don't know why she's so fussy-- she's going to the beach!

Juan chasing Scarlett on the gorgeous grounds of the hotel! Amazingly beautiful place!

Scarlett takes apple eating very seriously

Dad and Scarlett in a brief moment when she's willing to wear her shades!

This is us at the Waimea Canyon, called the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific". Pictures don't in ANY way do this canyon justice!! It was amazing!!

An absolutely amazing waterfall! No, I don't remember what it was called, but it was gorgeous! And it probably had a lot of vowels in its name (just a guess...) :)

Hanging out at Poipu Beach. I know Scarlett's bikini top has slipped... I think it's cute, for now... :0

Juan and I took advantage of the free babysitting and went on a snorkel cruise to the Napali Coast (where Jurassic Park was filmed!) These are some dolphins we saw on the way. We saw some blue whales too, but we were too busy looking to take pictures!

The Napali Coast is one of those places that defy description, so I won't try...

what a great trip!

lots of cousins!

2008-03-30T17:24:00.000-07:00

Now that Luke and Mia are a little bigger and stronger, we've gotten to see more of them! Scarlett likes to point at them and say "ba." We're not sure what this means, but she seems very earnest about it! The other night we went over to Joe and Shana's and had fun!

We're playing in here!

Mia with my mom

Luke with his mommy

God made dirt... so hopefully dirt don't hurt!

2008-03-30T17:19:00.001-07:00

Juan took Scarlett outside to get some early season gardening in... this is what I came out to! The funny (annoying?) thing about it is that she seemed to enjoy dirt more than pb&j or anything else I have to offer!!

28th Birthday

2008-03-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

Juan made me this sweet video for my 28th birthday. It actually made me cry!! Here you go, enjoy....

PS Kauai pictures to come!! I promise!!!

Scarlett's 1 year photos

2008-02-29T13:55:00.001-08:00

Scarlett had her one year pictures taken on Thursday. She was a little bit of a booger (it's amazing how a usually smiling, giggling kid turns into a total grouch when there's a professional camera around) but I think I got some cute ones! If anyone (i.e. grandparents, mostly!) wants a copy, contact me and I'll tell you how to get to the website, etc.

Birthday Party

2008-02-26T10:26:00.001-08:00

Saturday was Scarlett's first birthday party. It was a lot of fun! Thanks to everyone who came to make it such a fun time!! Scarlett really enjoyed herself, especially the cake. At first she didn't know what to do with it, then figured out that eating it was probably the best thing to do. She also got to eat mozarella sticks, taquitos and chocolate chip cookies. Let me tell you, the day AFTER the party was a big let down when she was back to oatmeal and yogurt!!

Warning: Lots of pictures!!

Scarlett was VERY interested in her balloons all day, even when she was still in PJ's.

Scarlett giving her cousin Will a hug

Will decided he had enough of Scarlett hugs, and Scarlett was very offended!

Scarlett with Grandpa, Uncle Joe and Uncle Max

The birthday cake. Mmmm, delicious!!!

Figuring out the cake eating stuff! Once she warmed up, watch out!!

her big gift from Noni

her big gift from Nana and Grandpa

And, at the end of the day, fun with the balloons again!

I wish she could understand how lucky she is!!
These are all pictures stolen from my mom's blog:

Funny Story...

2008-02-26T10:19:00.001-08:00

So... I was at the gym yesterday working off some indiscretions with birthday cake when a staff member comes up to me, looking very concerned, and asked my name. When I told him, he said, "You have a call downstairs. He says it's an emergency." Flustered (and sweaty!) I grabbed my stuff and hurried down stairs, trying to appear cool but with every single terrible thing that could possibly happen tripping through my mind. I picked up the phone and I hear Juan say, "You need to come home. I need your key. I've locked Scarlett in the Jeep." I think I said a salty word, grabbed my keys and ran out to the car. I almost creamed a couple of elementary school kids on my way home. When I pulled up, there's Juan, standing by the Jeep, and inside, playing on the front seat and grinning at me, was Scarlett. The funniest part was, when I went to pull her out of the Jeep she made a fuss! She was having a great time!!

We took a picture, but the glare kind of got in the way: (Notice the keys underneath her butt)

Catching Up

2008-02-26T08:52:00.000-08:00

So, Scarlett turned 1!! AAHH!! All of a sudden she's a kid and no longer a baby. Now that she's walking she's a lot more independent than she used to be-- and a lot harder to dress! We had her 1 yr dr's appt. She's 23 lbs (79th percentile) and 30 inches (79th percentile also). The dr. said we need to start weaning her from the bottle, and I was like, yeah right! That's how I get her to sleep! And they weighed her on the big kid scale. Where's my baby???? She did great on her shots though. What a good girl! Here are some catch-up pictures:

Scarlett in her big girl car seat!! It was so much fun to turn her around!

Goofing around at the house

This is Scarlett on her birthday at our new house. Notice the sweet dress. I love all the easter dresses! I just wish she could wear one every day!

I love this picture! She looks like she's 19 or something!

Princess Wishes

2008-02-17T19:30:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, Marya, Shana and I took our girls to go see Disney on Ice's Princess Wishes. I didn't know if Scarlett would be too interested, but she actually was! She didn't follow the stories, of course, but she really liked the lights and the music. Towards the end she snoozed a little on my shoulder, which was fine because I got to enjoy the show! It really brings out the kid in you. I have to say, Ariel's my favorite princess (and Prince Eric is my favorite prince!). Thanks to Marya for the pictures!

Scarlett and Sequoia, holding hands!!

The girls all dressed as princesses

Scarlett's got something better to do!

The moms with their princesses!

Cinderella closed the show.

Happy Birthday!

2008-02-17T13:43:00.001-08:00

Today we hit the big ONE!! All moms say this, but I can't believe it's been a year. The best-- and fastest-- year of my life! We're so blessed to have such a sweet, spunky and cute baby. Every day of this past year (even the particularly rough ones!) were full of sweet and poignant moments that I treasure. Cheesy, I know, but true!!! I haven't taken any first birthday pictures yet, so here's a few of brand new Scarlett.