Pier 39

On Saturday night we decided to leave as early as possible the next day so we could drive straight to San Francisco and meet Dana and David for some lunch and hanging out on the pier. We showed the girls Alcatraz and all the seals. It was so windy and kind of cold, but I think they were both so happy to be out of their car seats they hardly cared. 

 Bailey was happy to communicate back and forth with the seals..."arrr, arrr, arrr." She has also grown to love the camera. She loves to try to make funny pictures and then look at them afterwards and laugh.

 This place was like the circus for Bails. There were pigeons walking around eating all the crumbs off the ground. At first Bails loved it and would run up to them with the mindset that they would fly off. Only these pigeons are brave and don't fly away which mostly scared her half to death. 

 After making a quick loop through all the stores we met up with Dana and David at the Boudin restaurant.

 I got the tomato soup and grilled cheese and it was so good. I think I could live off of sourdough bread for the rest of my life.

 When we were done eating we walked out and this little VW van was across the way. Bails kept grabbing my hand and dragging me towards it and would not leave it alone until we agreed to stand and take a picture in front of it.

 Then we invited Dana and Hazel over too to pose for a picture and then she was content to run off and play like it wasn't there anymore. I just wish it hadn't take me five minutes to figure out.

 Next on the list was getting some doughnuts because Sam was with us of course. I have been trained to just expect it and I have reached a point in the marriage where I don't question, give a weird look, or give it a second thought. We are just a doughnut family now.

 

And by doughnut family I mean I am still learning all the names of each one, but the little girls and Sam have mastered the subject.

 We finished off the tour with some pictures in front of the big sign. The sun was super bright which doesn't bode well for our family and pictures. Blinking, looking away, and covering our eyes just about sums up our photo op.

 The coveted souvenir from San Francisco? Two forks and a spoon taken from the Boudin.  

And she was more than happy to run around playing with them the rest of the day. 

Road Trip Weekend

After much debate we are headed on a big circle tour of California for the next few days. Sam got permission to miss his test so we have packed up the car and we are headed for warmer weather. The circumstances are less than joyous since the trip is for my Grandma's funeral, but we are excited to go celebrate her life, and visit some family in the process. 

Betty Jane Galeria March 24, 1926 - February 2, 2013

Bailey Says...

Her speech has come along leaps and bounds these past few months as now she is constantly saying things that make me laugh. She may have inherited her father's humor...which couldn't make me happier.

While eating her greek yogurt for breakfast she spilled a drop on her ice cream cone pajama pants:

B: Look Mom, a gogurt ice cream cone.

Minutes before a gas/potty/treat stop during a 12 hour drive home:

Me: Bay, if you can be a good listener when we stop you can pick out one treat!

B: (excited gasp) and Hazel one treat, too. 

Me: Yes, Hazel can pick out one treat, too.

B: Hazel one treat and me two treats. Hazel one and me two.

Me: Nice try. Hazel gets one treat and Bailey gets one treat.

Robby may have taught her to say 'chicken butt' and since then she walks around the house chanting it and laughing. I would probably be more mad about it if it wasn't so hilarious.

It is mandatory for her to help me cook/bake in the kitchen. While she was helping me stir the muffins.

B: Me turn.

Me: Ok, first its bailey's turn now its Mom's turn.

B: Ok, Mom. We a team.

Treasure Hunt

One of these days...when my little babies are all grown up, have stopped playing with toys, and move out of my house I am going to miss walking through the house each night to straighten up the hurricane of toys that blows threw each day and finding the remnants of their imaginative play.

Of course, it will be nice to not have to clean up the tornado of toys 243 times a day.

The Treadmill

About a month ago I went for my usual Saturday morning run while Sam watched the girls. When I finished Sam decided he would hop on and go for a little run (a rare occasion). I hopped into the shower while he was running and I was shocked at how loud the treadmill was. When he finished his run I told him how loud it sounded and he reassured me that it was super loud when I ran too. Later that day Sam came across our neighbor downstairs (my brother's roommate other Robbie) during a trip to the trash cans. They made their casual chit chat and then Robbie asked if we had run on the treadmill that morning. Robbie asked if maybe Terri ran first, and then Sam; and Sam said yes. He said ok, I thought so. I was watching tv and heard a noise and had to think...is it the vacuum, a loud movie, no, probably the treadmill. Then he told Sam that he jumped on the treadmill and his first thought was "Oh my goodness, the house is coming down!!!" Ha. So much for me being super loud too.

 (Hazel is angry. They are having a fight over the pacifier. One of about a million fights they have during the day. They are either about to claw each other's eyes out or the happiest of friends. They haven't just figured out how to leave each other alone yet. One day.)

 Karma did come back to get me a few weeks after teasing Sam so much about making the house fall down.  I have gone through many scenarios over the past few months to try to find a small chunk of time where I can run in peace. The television worked decently, but I didn't love all the screen time they were getting. I moved them to the back room with toys and snacks, but that only lasts still the snacks are gone or a big fight breaks out (which usually isn't that long). Chair barricades are climbed over, under, or through and I paid the price dearly a few weeks ago. When they broke through the barricade they used to just sit there and watch me run. After a few days then would get more adventurous and touch the belt just barely with their fingers. And soon enough it was sending down toys and almost taking me out.

The final straw was the morning when Hazel decided to trip and fall on the end of the belt and send herself down while taking me out in full swing. Thank goodness I had the magnet clipped to my shorts so the machine stopped about five or so seconds after the spill. She hopped on at the top of the belt and was kicked off about half way down.  Hazel came out unscathed, just scared to death. I wasn't so lucky. My knee came down hard on the belt and then I was launched into the back wall. I have no idea what my shin hit, but it swelled up like a goose egg. I basically came out all bloodied up and bruised. My first fall ever on the treadmill and it was all Hazel's fault (yes I do stoop to blaming my children for things). I called Sam right after it happened and after making sure I was okay his next question was, so was this a horrible incident that needs to be forgotten or will it be funny enough one day that it can go on the blog. Well, there you have it Sam. You are all free to be like my Mom and laugh away.

Dr. Mario

About a month ago there was talk about dusting the good old nintendo off and pulling out Dr. Mario to rekindle our early marriage battles. We never did get around to it, but the game did manage to find a new home on top of our dresser. Bailey would see it on a daily basis and always ask "Mom, what's that?" I explained to her each day it was a game and she would always ask to play it. We constantly put her off, until today, when Sam decided it was time she learn to master Dr. Mario.

Sam did say at one point he was half paying attention to her playing and he became extremely excited about the idea of a Dr. Mario prodigy when he mistook her playing for the demo.

She loved every second and has asked every day since to play more of the game. Her training has begun and don't be too offended when our children destroy all of your children. Let the games begin...

Another Princess Tent

For Christmas this year the girls scored a second princess tent from Grandma Pam. Today was the first time it actually got pitched and you would not believe the shrieks, giggles, laughter, and all out wrestling that ensued as soon as it was upright. (And by upright I mean Sam was inside finishing the final touches on it and they could hardly control their excitement for him to navigate his body out. He may or may not have hollered a little bit at them to calm down and hold on a minute...)

 They were running in and back out, chasing each other around it and then diving back inside, looking out the window, and wrestling each other in and out of the door....it was complete chaos. I thought boys were supposed to be the crazy gender. It took a whole ten minutes before we heard a snap...pop...and the tent collapse over to its side. 

 Sam pulled out the duct tape and after some finagling with a broken pole it was back, but not quite as good as new. It now stands up with a slight (and by slight I mean significant) tilt to the right. The good news? Thanks to the girls it is hardly ever in the upright position.

China may not make quality princess tents like in the olden days, but nonetheless it was a huge hit (at least for the few minutes that it actually lasted). Thanks so much Grandma Pam.