InstaFriday 6.22.12

InstaFriday time!

This week, oh this week. Long and short. Fast and slow. Some ups and some downs.

Nighttime sleep is (mostly) under control again, but now naps aren't as consistent. It's so frustrating to see your clearly tired child very awake. Just go to sleep, baby!

Solid foods are not happening. They were so not happening that we're taking a week break from them. It's not worth struggling with her over it just because she turned 6 months old and now is supposed to be eating solid foods.  She had all the textbook signs of readiness though. She keeps me guessing, that's for sure.

We were in southern CA last weekend for Ryan and Katy's wedding. It was super fun, but wedding with babies? A totally different scene, and I'm still getting used to that transition. It was fun to see Cora spend time with Stu's high school buddies. Because both of our families live so close together, we rarely get to see them for more than an afternoon when we are home, so it was nice to have some extended face time with them all. I was shockingly bad at taking pictures with my phone though. Probably because Stu was in the wedding party and I was caring for Cora all day long without a real home-base. That was exhausting. The wedding was beautiful though, but you'll have to take my word for it.

We spent a significant amount of Father's Day hanging out with the cows on the I-5, but before that we headed to Chipotle and Huntington Gardens for a little Father's Day celebration. Cora slept most of the time, and Stu took pride in wearing her in the ergo despite the heat. He's such a wonderful dad!

We got home and it was like the week of packages! Little fact about me? I love getting mail. I don't care if it's from Amazon and I ordered it and I know it's coming. Seeing a package at my doorstep gets me all giddy. So, when I got not one, not two, but three packages this week? Winning! Even if they were technically for Cora.

Grandma sent Cora a super cute romper and it came with it's very own handwritten note. Thanks Peek customer service!

Nana sent up some toys that Cora enjoyed. Mortimer Moose was a fast favorite!

Baby G is very lucky to be loved by so many! Grandma sent up a box stuffed full of super nice clothes. My mom is one master shopper, and Cora benefits greatly from it all.

Cora likes packages too!

The loot.

Modeling for Grandma.

We went to the park on Wednesday to hang out with Cora's buddy Emmett. He's winning in the arm rolls department.

And Cora's new trick this week? Giving kisses to her reflection on the table. It's hilarious and she's impressed with her mad skills as well.

One thing I love about our neighborhood is how walkable it is. I had a hard day on Wednesday and never got around to cooking dinner, so we walked down the block to our favorite sushi restaurant, Mijori. They know us there, but they were happy to see us all eat there for a change rather than just do take out.

 

Ah yes, summer in the Bay has arrived. Enjoy your hot days and delightfully warm summer nights, people. As for this Family by the Bay? We'll be breaking out our North Face fleeces, pants, and beanies until August. 

I'm only a little bit bitter, but I am very pale.

Happy Friday!

Cora's First Swim

Cora loves water. Loves it. She cried all of two times getting out of the bath when she was very new, but ever since then whenever she is cranky a bath solves all of life's woes.

So I was fairly confident that Cora would be thrilled to be in a big bath when we were staying at a hotel in southern CA for a wedding. She was probably the most excited that I have ever seen. No joke.

She kicked, squealed, and snuggled in close. Repeat. Repeat. We stayed in until our fingers were wrinkled and our hearts were content.

InstaFriday 6.15.12

Simple, grainy, cell phone photos that tell the story of our week. It's InstaFriday time!

We had family in town this past weekend, and then we left for southern California on Wednesday, so this week feels like it has gone by in a flash. Out of the ordinary weeks make life so fun! Except when those out of the ordinary weeks include going through not one, but two iPhones. The first one was totally not my fault so it was replaced for free, but the second one? That was all me. Sigh. Goodbye lots of pictures. Goodbye money, nice knowing you.

The apartment search continues for us and about 2,000 other people. It's bleak, people. Bleak and frustrating. This was the line to talk to the landlord, the instagram square hardly does it justice; there's more behind that lady in the green dress. No joke.

On the bright side, Nana and Pops were here along with Uncle Keith and Aunt Lindsey. Keith and Lindsey are moving to Berkeley in August so Keith can start his PhD. Smarty-pants. There were pictures of Cora with her aunt and uncle, but RIP iPhone #2.

The swaddle is done, done done. Yay! We moved Cora's bedtime up to 7:45ish, with her routine starting at 7 and no swaddle. It was a rough (sleepless) transition, but I think we've turned a corner in the past couple of days.

Morning naps after those sleepless nights totally save the day for the both of us. 

We spent a very hot day in Walnut Creek searching for something for Cora to wear for a few weddings we're going to this summer. Honestly, what does a baby wear to a formal wedding at the Biltmore in LA? I'm all ears for suggestions.

This picture was taken on the drive to southern CA about 5 minutes before Cora lost it for the next two hours. It was heart wrenching, especially when she started to reach out for me as I tried to comfort her. It broke my heart and I still get all teary thinking about it. She eventually fell asleep, but it was rough. 

We got to the hotel around 1:30am and Cora had a party. We're staying so close to Disneyland, but no Magic Kingdom for us, lots of wedding festivities and trying to figure out the maze that is the Orange County freeway system.

I hung out at South Coast Plaza for the afternoon while Stu was at the rehearsal. This mall is nuts. 

The rehearsal dinner was a ton of fun. I can't wait for the wedding tomorrow! Yay Ryan and Katy!

Cora had fun hanging out with her buddy Piper. They haven't seen each other since Christmas, they've grown so much! 

Michelle, doing what she does best, instagraming.

Ayra, Walter, Cora, Mike, Pat, and Piper. I promise Pat isn't flipping the camera off, he just had a piece of bread in his hand. I love that she has so many of Stu's guy friends to love on her. It's so stinking sweet!

With Katy, the beautiful bride-to-be.

I'm trying out some curls for the wedding, but I wanted to do a test run. No heat, just a headband, some damp hair, and a good nights sleep. My hair was super curly all day today, total lioness. I'm working on taming the frizz for tomorrow. 

We all went to Balboa Island today. It was fun to play tourist and just walk around. I would say "and enjoy the weather," but it's June gloom time. It feels like every time we come to southern CA lately the weather has been less than stellar and it's warmer back home by the bay. Strange.  Cora slept in the Ergo on the way there, and was pretty mellow on the way back. We got back to the hotel and she went into the pool for the first time. She loved it! All of those pictures were with the fancy camera though, and that deserves a post of its own.

Happy Friday!