Boo, peek!

Callie and mommy play peek a boo through the window in the play room. My favorite part is the infectious laughter. I love that laugh!

Silly Straw

GiGi left Callie these silly straws and today I gave her one for the first time. Of course she thought it was so cool so she drank a full cup and a half of water!! Hopefully we don't have a wet bed tonight. Silly straws make everything better. I will have to get a thicker one so she can drink kale smoothies with it, tricky mommy....

Marvelous Monday

Today Callie and I had no plans. She slept in until 7 and I was feeling well rested and finally back to myself with no pain. So while we were eating breakfast I decided we should do something fun on this beautiful day I have to spend with Callie. And what can we do on a sunny day for a few hours? How about the zoo? Callie and I set off for the zoo at around 8:40 so we could be there at 9 when they opened. I packed up quickly and we set off for the morning. On the drive there I thought, jeez we should have invited Tia Mari and so I sent her a quick text on the off chance she was available and wanted to join us. 40 min later and poof Tia Mari to the rescue! It was actually really great that she made it as it made my trip much easier as Callie frequently wanted up, down, up again and again and that much lifting would have likely been too much for me. I had never arrived at the zoo at opening before. It's a perfect time! Still very cool outside, the zoo keepers are out feeding the animals breakfast so they are all awake and very active at this time. We went to see the new Koalafornia attraction first. The koalas were so cute. Callie actually really liked them. She was pointing at them and talking up a storm. She even was touching other visitors and then pointing at the bears like she was showing them the koalas.

Then we walked around some more and saw a donkey and a zebra eating breakfast together. She thought that was good too.

And then we saw the zoo keeper out petting the cheetah! It was so close to us. Callie was actually not interested. Instead they had a sign about how they have dogs that live with the cheetahs and she just kept pointing at the photos on the sign and saying dog dog dog. Guess she likes dogs more than cheetahs. It worked out because later we saw the dog out walking around the zoo with the keeper so she was happy.

Then we saw some pink flamingos.

Then we discovered the giraffes eating breakfast. How cute re the giraffes? I apologize all my photos of Callie she is looking at the animals pointing but it's hard to get her to look tame when there are such cool animals all around! And i only used my iPhone so I say not too shabby.

Finally I got her to take a rest and ride in the stroller.

And then with Tia Mari we saw an alligator up close under water, hippos, monkeys, and more!

Kissing the fish through the tank!

At lots of exhibits Callie enjoyed the kids and people more than the animals.

Callie wanted to try the foot massager chair until she was on it and it was running and then she decided she didn't like it so much. 

We headed to the petting zoo last after lunch and Callie chased around the goats and this poor little boy she really liked.

She kissed the goat! And tried to get that boy too, lol, I didn't get that on camera.

And then she kissed some statues too!

And last but not least tried out the playground with Mari.

What a fun morning. thanks Tia for coming to the zoo with us. Callie was exhausted and nearly fell asleep in her stroller on the way to the car. She was really out before we even got on the highway in the car.

Dried fruit

I recently got a dehydrator and have been trying out some new things. Apple chips were one of the first things. Callie got her hands on them today and the two of us finished the whole jar!! Guess ill have to make more. I have some other ideas for tomorrow to put in the dehydrator...

Happy Birthday Cole!

Natasha and Cole came down from Monterey to celebrate Cole's 11th birthday. He went to the Chargers preseason game Thursday night. Then today went to the Chargers practice and got some autographs on his football, then off to the wild animal park with Eliana and Sean and returned home for a birthday celebration with fish tacos, ceviche and cake! Natasha and I went shopping at TJ Maxx while Cole was off at the animal park. Callie loves birthday parties and she loves Cole! She was quite the ham, showing off for everyone and having lots of fun. Cole even saved some of his birthday candles to let Callie blow them out. He is so nice to her. He would make a great big brother and maybe soon a babysitter. Too bad he doesn't live closer ;)

Callie can't eat cake but she had frosting, strawberries and gluten free animal crackers. Boy did she like that! Happy Birthday Cole. It was great seeing you even though it was a short visit.

Beans?

What did you say? There is something on my face? Where?!

Story time

Callie is really missing story time with her GiGi. She was very spoiled in that GiGi read to her long past her bedtime and for way longer than we usually do. Usually we do 2-3 books before bed and when we say this is the last book we mean it. Well grandparents, especially Those who never see Callie took full advantage and kept reading every time she said "moh" meaning more. I even have this video of Callie and GiGi reading and we have been playing it back for her. Tonight on the car ride home she was fussy as she was overtired from not having an afternoon nap. I played the GiGi book reading video of big red barn and Callie was quiet and listened intently. So I think I'll be having GiGi read some books and send me that on video so we can play it back for Callie :)

Tonight also when we got home Callie immediately ran to the play room and said kitchen! I was so impressed. Multiple times she tried saying kitchen. It wasn't perfect but it had two syllables and was clear enough I knew what she was saying. I let her play for 10 minutes even though it was bed time because I was so impressed she could say it..... That and the fact she was about to have a screaming meltdown if we didn't let her in there. I caved in for cuteness.