{california trip}

I really have been so terrible at posting this summer.  At the end of June, you and I flew on a plane to California to visit both sets of grandparents and family.  It was your first plane ride.  With a travel concentrator, might I add.  And only one parent.  I have to admit, I was nervous.  I mean, come on.  What kind of crazy person takes their toddler on oxygen on an airplane for the first time all by herself?  Me, that's who.  And you know what?  You were awesome.  It also helped that we sat by some really nice people.  I was terrified we would end up by the child-hating, stink-eye giving passengers.  I even brought lollipops to pass out just in case, but we never needed them.  Thankfully the people at the airport were also very nice and helpful and even let your dad help me carry all our equipment to the gate.  You were so great on the forty-five minute plane ride and we landed with no problems at all.  Your grandma and grandpa met us at the gate to help with all the equipment again and we were on our way.  We really had such a fun time in California, though I think we both missed your dad terribly.  Nightly Skyping helped a lot, but just wasn't the same.

While in California, you went to the beach for the very first time.  While you weren't very such about the sand at first, you were loving building and knocking over sand castles with grandpa by the end.  I loved seeing you explore all the new things we found.  The water was still pretty chilly that day, so you weren't the biggest fan, but I absolutely loved sitting in the sand with you.  You even got to try (and liked, might I add), a chocolate and rainbow sprinkled covered Balboa ice cream bar at the end.  It was awesome.

Another day we made the trip down to Santa Monica for their famous farmer's market that I had been dreaming about.  SO much good stuff to be found there.  We went down to the pier for lunch and took you on your very first carousel ride.  Your eyes just lit up!  You were absolutely loving it!  The carousel went a lot faster than any I had ever been on so I was a little nervous at first, but I warmed up pretty quickly and it didn't seem to phase you one bit.  I think you are going to be a roller coaster kind of girl.  

We also visited the children's museum with your cousins and grandmas.  I think you split the whole visit into practicing going up and down the stairs and pushing the play shopping carts around.  It was ridiculously cute.  They even had a mini carousel that you got to ride and loved again.

You made trips to both grandma's and your aunt's workplaces to meet all their friends and coworkers. I think they really liked that.  You also got to visit one set of great grandparents and met their neighboring parrot.  You didn't seem to like him (the parrot) all that much.

It was such a fun trip and coming home to your dad made the week even better.