Krista has an art show!

Once a quarter one of the little shopping districts in El Cerrito turns into an artist's mecca for local artists. We call it the "Stockton Avenue Art Walk." On average 50 - 60 artists display their art work, and there is often live music playing. Wine and hors d'ouvres are flowing, and people are wandering about. I haven't ever shown, nor did I think to. Until now.

For the first time in years, I had an art exhibit. The weather was unseasonably warm and the moon was full. It was a good night to be out. No, I haven't been painting so I didn't have anything new to show. But it felt wonderful getting out there and showing my work.

And it was Melia's first.

Aunti Mel comes for a visit

A few weeks ago Aunti Mel came up for a visit. Although Melia had a good time, I suspect that Aunti Mel had an even better time!

A visit wouldn't be a visit without presents. And boy were there presents! If you remember, Melia had a pair of sparkly red shoes that she wore for Beccah's wedding. She loved those shoes; she felt like a princess. When she grew out of them Aunti Mel promised to buy another. Well...

She received every size from 5-1/2 - 10! I think she is set for awhile.

On Saturday we went to Sausalito to check out the Bay Area Discovery Museum. The weather was a bit gloomy, and at times rainy. But we still had a blast!

(Composing music outside, playing dress up- I wasn't fond of this, playing in the "stream" with Aunti Mel, riding the moon bike with daddy, painting and making a fabulous mess, playing on the lily pads with mommy)

Melia's Top 10

Top 10 interests...

10) Reading "Bright Baby First 100 Words"

9) Kissing mommy's nipples (yes, you read it right)

8) Cottage Cheese

7) Climbing fences, or anything for that matter

6) Stickers

5) Signing "tree," "moon," and "lights" and saying "yep"

4) Belly Buttons

3) Putting a barrette in her hair and then running to the mirror to see it

2) Holding Tiger by his tail, draped over her shoulder, and sucking her thumb

and...

Melia's #1 interest?

1) Throwing anything at our poor cat, Abby

(Pictures: Striking a pose, heading out to play in the first rain, crawling through a rock tunnel at Bay Area Discovery Museum, and playing with stickers and packing peanuts, sent by Aunti Mel & Uncle Les)

How do you get 9 toddlers to sit still together for a picture?

A couple of months after Melia was born, Krista joined a mother's support group. Well it's turned out to be one of the best things for us, as we gained instant family friends with kids all the same age (within about 6 weeks). Over a year later, the mom's group is still going strong, meeting every monday for a play date and once a month (including the daddies) on fridays for a potluck dinner. Last halloween they all got together to get pictures with all the kids together and they wanted to do the same thing this year.


Well the thought of going back to a photography studio with a bunch of kids running around didn't sound like the greatest idea, so they opted for a park and hired a photographer (Anita) that Krista knows. I don't think they realized how difficult it could be to get nine 1 1/2 year olds to sit still. (Watch the video at the end of this post if you want to see how hard it was and some crazy parents) Anita got some great shots!


Melia with mommy and daddy.


Oh boy, what is this thing - this is fun!


I think I'll just climb out of this place. Daddy couldn't belive how far up I can climb fences :)


This is Emma - she's my kissing partner. She was also my first kiss ;)


Daddy suggested we hold hands so we wouldn't lose each other.


Ok, this is the video you've all been waiting for. This is parenthood at it's greatest - when you lose all sanity for the sake of a picture ;) Sorry moms (and Bjorn) but I just couldn't resist!

A day at the zoo with a buddy

We went back to the SF zoo last weekend (Oct 25th) for the 3rd time in 1 1/2 months to see Boo at the Zoo with Evan and his parents (Eric and Cindy). They decorate the zoo for Halloween and let the animals go crazy with treats in their pumpkins.

Getting ready for the zoo, Melia is hugging the pumpkin that Boompa brought her.


If you look closely behind the smaller tiger you'll see part of a pumpkin. You'll also notice the mommy tiger and her cub carrying a big bone in their mouths.


Melia and Evan taking turns riding the tractor.


This is a cross between a Rhino and a colored turkey (not really but man what a horn). Melia loved watching the giraffes eat.


Mommy getting artsy wtih the camera (pretty cool shots).


After we left the zoo, we drove into Pacifica to watch the sunset and hear the roar of the waves (biggest waves I've see at ocean beach).

Round and round, I love being scared!

Well you know how most kids don't like being scared? Well our daughter is one of those strange kids that actually likes being scared. So this has become our new favorite activity.


Melia has started going round and round in circles lately and making herself dizzy. Too funny.

Just a basket of shoes??

When you look at the picture below you might say "it's just a basket of shoes" - what you don't realize is that this is the first time Melia has been a victim of child labor. That's right folks - the joy of parenthood has begun ;) You see, mommy has done a good job teaching Melia to put her shoes away everyday and they almost always makes it into the basket. On this day (Oct 19, 2008 @ 1pm) however, daddy decided to see if she truly understood the concept of putting shoes away. So he asked his precious daughter if she could put daddy's shoes away as well and this picture is the result. What a great daughter we have ;)


Now fast forward 6 hours and after we got home from dinner, daddy took his shoes off near the kitchen table. A few minutes later he realized his shoes were missing somehow. Well guess what - our amazing daughter (Melia in case you forgot) had put his shoes away without even being asked.


I think we truly have the best kid in town......

Random Oct pictures/video

Melia just loves having mommy put her head band in her hair and then looking in the mirror at herself. We're trying to work on getting her to keep her barrettes in her hair.


Melia sure loves her chair that grandpa and grandma gave her.


Don't laugh too hard - apparently she's going to need glasses at age 6


Melia sure does love her Abby cat and poor Abby is too stubborn to move and just takes the abuse.


Melia in the clothes basket with her doggy that Uncle Lance gave her. She just loves laying on top of him on the ground and giving him hugs.

Early Fall Update

Ugh. I know. We are slackers. Haven't updated the world on our oh-so-fahbulous and exciting lives in awhile. Well, this is your lucky day because you are about to get the update of a lifetime, or at least a couple of months worth. We didn't go anywhere (I think we topped out on traveling for the year) but had a lot of visitors!

On Sept. 12th Ryan and I celebrated our 4th anniversary- I can't believe it has been 4 years!

The following weekend my dad and Marcia came into town for the weekend. Melia had the BEST time with her grandparents, and as usual, they showered her with gifts. Melia's favorite was her new car. A license should be required to drive!

We also went to the SF Zoo- Melia LOVES the zoo so we decided to get a membership (we have been multiple times since!).

Feeding the goats

Lance, Ryan's brother, came into town the first weekend in October. We went to the Ferry Building and then walked up to Fisherman's Wharf to check out the aquarium. Melia was a little hesitant at first, but then she warmed up to the fish. We then walked over the Ghiradelli Square for dinner. It was a short trip, but Melia had a blast with her Uncle.

On Wednesday, Oct. 15th we met Jill & Pat at the NEW California Academy of Sciences. It was the first *free* day since it opened, and by the time we got there, it was a 2 hour wait. But it was worth the wait! If you are ever in the City, this is worth a visit. Can you see the people below the water? They have a tunnel under the water that lets you look up and see the fish and rain forest. This is the largest and greenest building in the US and even has a "living roof".

You may have noticed that Ryan was able to go to the Academy of Sciences on a Wednesday. Well, he had the day off. And the day after that. And the day after that. Unfortunately he was laid off from PayPal the week before. Although don't feel bad for us, this is actually a good thing. He was quite unhappy at work so this break for him is a good thing.

On October 19th, Christy and I completed the Nike Women's Half Marathon, 5th year! Ryan, Jill and Melia were troopers- they woke up with us at 6am to come and cheer us on in the City- their 5th year as well.

Finally, last weekend we were visited by Ryan's dad, aka "Boompa." We took Boompa and Melia to a pumpkin patch in Nicasio Valley. It was a beautiful drive, but the pumpkin patch was a total dud. Note to self: don't go there next year.

Ok, that sums up the last couple of months! Now that Ryan has some time on his hands, hopefully there will be more updates.