SBA->MJD->SED





Daddy driving.  Mommy in rear passenger seat. Lila in middle rear.

Santa Barbara to the Mojave desert.  We woke up on Wedneaday morning just after Lila turned 7 months old.  We planned to take care of a few things and go to the Santa Monica farmers market on the way to the Mojave Desert but we had too much to do.  It takes a lot to work to move across the country. 

We headed out of Santa Barbara at 1:00 and enjoyed the last views of the pacific we will have for a while.  We even saw a couple of dolphins...  Google estimated drive time 6 hours 22 minutes.  320 miles to our destination. 

Mommy and Lila had so much fun in between naps and a bit of whining about being in the car seat.  They sung, mommy danced in her seat and made as many silly faces and sounds as she could think of.  Lila can see daddy in her car mirror and had lots of laughs waving to him.  

We enjoyed spectacular views and colors as the sunset  about an hour away from our campsite.  Lila was ready to get out of the car when we turned into the preserve but still had 20 miles to go.  Mommy broke out the comb and showed Lila how to comb hair.  She really enjoyed combing mommy's hair and it did the trick.  Daddy spotted a few cows on the road and then our site.  

Daddy set up the tent while mommy and Lila waited in the car. Lila had fun exploring the tent before falling alseep.  Burrr rabbits! It was very cold that night, in the low 30s with extreme wind.  Everyone snuggled pretty close that night. 

Lila loved waking up in the tent.  And snuggling with daddy of course. 

The next morning we drive through a beautiful joshua tree forrest while Lila took a little nap.  We grabbed some warm drinks and bagels at the Kelso Depot and headed to the Kelso Dunes. New were told sidewinders have been in the dunes lately so keep a look out. Yikes! 

 We got to the dunes, which are the third largest in the county, and started our hike.  We quickly realized walking in sand is hard and we wouldn't  make it to the top.  we walked a bit and then played in the sand.  Lila loved the giant sand box. 

We took the rest of the day to organize our stuff and just enjoy the beautiful scenery around our tent.   Daddy made hotdogs for lunch and Lila played on her park quilt and then in the tent, she even hung out in her highchair a bit.  She was having so much fun she couldn't nap.  Being outside is her favorite thing after all.   Around 4:30 as the sun was making its way down Lila finally took a little snooze.  After a family photo and the sun set we changed into our warm pjs and listened to game 6 in the car. 

Lila and mommy took a break from the game and played in the tent and read a book.  Then we joined daddy again in the car.  Lila nursed to sleep sometime during the 5th inning and mommy fell asleep t the end of the 10th.  After the game was over we went to the tent and had a much much warmer night. 
We woke up on Friday morning and packed up the tent, and headed back to Sedona via I40.   296 miles estimated time 5 hours and 13 minutes. 

On the way to Sedona we climbed up a few mountains and coasted down a couple with really amazing views.  We could see so far.  The highest elevation was 7000 feet, we saw lots of desert (all different types of desert) , we saw a huge mountain with snow on top, then dropped down into a beautiful forrest and ended in a town surrounded with  beautiful red rocks.  Tonight Lila fell asleep early, poor baby was ready to get out of the car.  She had fun exploring the hotel room and taking a bath with mommy.  Tomorrow we will explore Sedona and set up camp for the next two nights. 

a pretty view from the tub...

Lila's first bath... now, six months later...

v.30

Today Lila is 30 weeks old. This week has been so busy. Full of diaper changes, boxes, climbing and crawling, and saying goodbye to Santa Barbara and our friends here. Last Friday Lila got sick and wasn't feeling good for a few days. A week later, she is still not one hundred percent. A stomach bug is going around Santa Barbara babies. Poor Lila.

 On Tuesday Lila took daddy to infant times and showed him what she does every Tuesday morning. She had fun bouncing on daddy's knee durning the songs but still wasn't feeling herself so we left early to go take a nap. Wednesday between naps Lila and mommy went to say goodbye to the PEP group. When Lila wasn't napping at 10 on Wednesday'​s we would go to this pep circle and swing on any bucket swing around. It is nice to have an excuse to go to the park and play with babies And Burke is usually there too! Lila and mommy went to the Bollmans house on Thursday to say goodbye to Annemarie and Burke. Mommy and Lila will miss them so much. Mommy met Annemarie in yoga. It has been so nice getting to know her and then knowing Burke. Lila is looking forward to seeing Burke in Texas, she wants to climb all over him! Santa Barbara is so full of beautiful parks and we really have gotten to enjoy them.

Lilas favorite park is Alice Keck and on Friday Mamatoto met there again. This week was a costume party. It was cloudy and a bit windy so it was perfect the totos were stuffed into their costumes. A lion, a tiger, a kitty, an astronaut, an owl, skeleton, a sunflower, a ballerina, a dinosaur, and Lila was a duck. She had so much fun with all of her friends. The first mamatoto circle Lila was just 4 weeks old. Tiny and mommy had no idea how to really manage getting out of the house yet. But mommy and Lila were so lucky to have this amazing, thoughtful​, caring group of mamas and their beautiful totos. Friday mornings won't be the same without our circle. The party was so fun and Lila had a great time climbing on her friends and playing with everyone's costume. At first when the we got there the babies were looking at each other with such curiosity. Probably wondering what the heck their friends were wearing. People visiting the park got an extra bit of joy seeing all the babies dressed up. And of course, Lila got a swing in before heading home to spend the rest of the day with daddy.

Since Lila has begun to pull up on everything she can she has mastered ploping down to sitting and falling very controlled and gracefully.  She is testing how far she can go and  has atempted to balance on her own by completly letting go of daddy and mommy's hands.  She takes steps and will stand with one hand on the box and one hand out, testing herself.  We are so amazed watching her grow and learn... one step at a time.  What a gift to be able to hold her hand along the way. 

the pumpkin patch



10.16.11 Lane Farm pumpkin patch



<>

Eating the hay...



Petting the pig

Corn maze with daddy.

huge pumpkins

v.29

Today Lila is 29 weeks old. A couple of fun firsts Lila had this week.  Her first hike, it was at Elings Park which overlooks all of Santa Barbara and you can see the ocean in both directions.  We planned to watch the sunset on a bench but spotted a trail and took that instead.  We made it to the top of the hill.... There were bugs everywhere so we took in the view and quickly headed back down.  
The other first, a dip in the pacific ocean.  On Sunday after breakfast at easy beach grill, the family took  a walk down the beach.  On the way back it was getting pretty hot so everyone dipped their toes in the water.  She got another chance to get in later in the week too (see below)
  Lila has amazing control over her fingers.  It is so cute to watch her explore how she can move them.  Because of this finger control she can make the potty sign very clearly, which is the letter T in sign language and then shaking her fist back and forth.  before she just made a fist. It is so cute to watch her pinch things with her thumb and little finger...   Lila is loving pulling up on anything she can. Daddy is by far the favorite thing to pull up on, mommy's lap is a close second.  Since we are busy moving mommy set up some boxes so Lila can play with them... In and out... Pull up.... Fall down.   When you start to crawl, sadly it seems, you start to fall. 
This week there were a couple of really hot days in Santa Barbara, with no AC Lila found it tough to nap and to wear clothes!  One day we set up the pool, the next we went to the beach (previous post) , then luckily we got a break from the little heat wave.  But for Lila there was no break.  The poor baby has had some tummy troubles starting Friday.  Proabably just a little bug, she doesn't seem to feel too bad.  Daddy and mommy wish they could take away all the pain though.  Today we napped, went to the farmers market, napped, went on a walk, napped and enjoyed the day.  Daddy found a great way to give Lila water.  She opens her mouth like a little bird and... gulp.  We hope little Lila feels better soon. 



eating banana and peaches on Friday



Summer in October

It was so so hot in Santa Barbara today.  The back porch thermostat read over 100 degrees.  So we decided to go to East Beach and escape the heat.  Mommy wanted to take a picture to capture the day and just how amazing the beach in Santa Barbara is. 

"You must live on the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.  Fools stand on an island and look for other land.  There is no other land, and there is no life other then this."

 

March 2011

October 2011

Go Lila.... go go go Lila......

Kaitlyn's mom took this picture while the girls played...

Lila is crawling.  It's official.   She has been mobile for a while... Last Friday she took 6 crawling steps at Mamatotos.  She saw her baby friend Clara and went after her!  She can pull up and crawl over daddy and mommy and other things too.  Today at infant times she was so cute.  This was her favorite class ever.  Laura, the teacher we love so much, had set up a few more things for the babies to crawl around.  Mats and toys with all kinds of textures, and a soft ring that Lila really enjoyed.   Lots of her friends were in class today and she loves Laura and watching her sing and talk.   Another crawler, Blaze, was chasing after her, if Lila knew she pay any attention to him, until he was playing with a fun ball.  Lila and mommy got to dance together, Lila giggled the whole time.  And at the end of class, like always, Laura reads "I Went Walking" which is Lila's favorite book.  Mommy and Lila have been so lucky to have this class and to have met the amazing Laura Sobell.  We will miss her and the class so much...

v.28

Lila is 28 weeks old.  We stayed an extra day in Mexico to enjoy our little family some more.  Lila swam in the  cold hot tub with daddy and mommy and loved it.  Splashing is so fun.  We had a long day on Monday of driving back.  We were held at the border for a while.  Somehow ended up in the wrong lane and were told to go to secondary inspection... It was like the post office at that point... A bunch of government employees moving like molasses.  We were finally allowed to leave and start the drive home.   Lila seemed to understand she was going to be in the car for a while... With Mommys help she napped a couple of times, and we all stopped so mommy and daddy could eat "Santa Ana's best burger"  the restaurant claimed it was the world's best, but... 

About 30 minutes away from home Lila was not having anymore of the car seat.  Although electronics are not Lilas toys (yet, she will have plenty of time with them one day) mommy pulled out her iPhone and started flipping through pictures.  Lila's eyes lit up at pictures of daddy and mommy.  And gave big coos and smiles to pictures of herself too.  Mommy told her about when she was born and showed her pictures.  She seemed to enjoy the last one of mommy before birth and the one of pappy holding her soon after she was born.  

Lila is trying and enjoying so many foods.  She loves apples, avocado, strawberries, watermelon and peaches.  She tried pineapple guava at the farmers market today, mommy and daddy had it for the first time too.  It met the approval of Lila's palate.  The Santa Barbara farmer's market is such an amazing place.  Also this week Lila had a avocado and squash smash, yummy! 

Lila loves falling asleep in mommy's arms.  They are her favorite place to nap as well.  Twice this week Lila and mommy laid next to each other and mommy patted Lila to sleep.  Mommy sings "night night Lila.  Night night Lila.  Night night Lila, it's time for you to sleep.  mommy loves you...." 

Lila poses on Friday in her tutu.... really she was trying to figure out what the heck that thing was

.

  Since daddy is home in the day now, Lila and daddy have been enjoying their walks around the block in the afternoons.  Plus all the extra wrestle time in the mornings.  

Of course Lila is moving now more then ever.  Everyday she figures out an easier way to get to point A to B.  She has taken six crawl steps on her hands and knees.  It seems she wants up on her feet more though.   At infant times she pulled herself up on the big drum.  It took her 5 whole minutes to figure out.  That was Tuesday, now today, Saturday she is climbing up daddy and mommy.  Every time you blink she grows up a little more...

 

 

v.27

Avocado from Hilltop Cannon Farm.  So yummy!

 

 

Today Lila is 27 weeks old. This week has been very eventful.  On Monday Lila turned 6 months old.  We celebrated by blowing bubbles and getting a new book "I went walking".  This book is read at the end of every infant times class.  Lila was always sleeping by the end of class.  The whole class reads long and although she was sleeping mommy always read along too.   One day mommy starting saying the book, she recognized it instantly.  From then on mommy started saying the book all the time.  Lila was trilled when she saw that she now had her very own copy. Another 6 month celebration was eating for the first time.  Lila had tasted a few things before (by sucking on the fruit in mommy's hand) but never got to play with and put it in her mouth.  Very quickly avocado was all over Lila but the next day we confirmed she did swallow some bits.  She really seemed to enjoy it. 

The next day the family set off for a  nice little vacation.  Daddy's last day at arts an letters was Tuesday so Lila and mommy got him from work and headed down to Anaheim.  The rangers were playing the angels.  Lila feel asleep before we got into the stadium but did wake up for an inning or so.  The rangers won and we got to see five home runs.  The next morning we woke up and headed to Baja Mexico for Kristin and Adams wedding.  On the drive down Lila started cooing and "mmmmmmmmhmmmm"ing to daddy and mommy a lot.  She continued all week long.  We know she has a lot to tell us... Lila doesn't like the car seat and is unable to jut fall asleep like some of her friends can.  Luckily mommy is flexible and doesn't min laying her self across the back seat (still buckled of course) so Lila can nurse herself to sleep.  We stayed at a compound of sorts with stunning views.  All of the guests at the hotel were guests at the wedding to so everyone got to know each other throughout the week.  Everyone pretty much fell in love with Lila.  She got the nickname "happiest baby ever".  Plus a thousand compliments on her eyes, smile, and just the beautiful wonderful person she is.   Last week we thought Lila starting  waving, and this week it was confirmed.  All week as everyone was waving to her she kept waving back.   Lila was such a hit at the wedding today.  The bride Kristin got her a dress to match the bridesmaids, she was the flower girl but unable to walk so she just hung out with daddy and mommy during the ceremony.  She was such a hit at the wedding.  Everyone loved her and Lila loved all the attention.  She heard in several languages how beautiful and perfect she is.  Everyone wanted a picture with Lila! 

Update on Lilas crawling... Lila loves getting on her tippy toes.  She gets on her hands and toes and seems very happy with herself. 

6 months check up

Lila is 26 inches tall and weighed 18 lbs.  We will miss Dr. Vic he s so nice.  He told Lila she will go to Texas and mommy will teach her to ride horses...

v.26

Lila is 26 weeks old.  This week we had a wonderful visit from Nana and Poppa.  We took Nana to infant times on Tuesday and had so much fun dancing to the Beatles and getting a little massage. 

Lila has the ability to really make her own choices clearly known to daddy and mommy.  She can twist her body away and to something.  She can crawl to a toy she wants.  She can reach out to be passed between mommy and daddy or turn away from something she doesn't want.  Speaking on crawling to toys, Lila can go where she wants to.  She is not moving on her hands and knees (although she rocks in that position so proudly and with a big smile) she has a little routine that gets her from place to place.  It involves getting on her hands and knees, face planting, army crawling.  What she really wants to do is crawl on her hands and feet.  She pushes up on her hands and feet but hasn't been able to take a step that way just yet. 

Lila knows what dada and kitty means.  Mommys asks her "where daddy?" or " Lilas wheres the kitty?" she finds them and smiles and coos.  Even in the middle of a fuss mommy asks "where's the kitty?" she looks for Mango.  She loves animals.  

Lila has a new favorite game to play.   Everyone lays in bed and Lila rolls back and forth between mommy and daddy. Smiling and cooing and then rolling back the other way. The first time she played she rolled back and forth at least 15 times.  She loves daddy and mommy so much and lives when everyone is together.  She gets a real kick out of daddy and mommy kissing too!