Alabama

Only three days after getting home from San Diego, we left for Alabama to visit Ben, Carolyn, and little Grace, who it turns out is not so little :-) She is 8 weeks old and weighs 15 pounds...that's only 2 pounds less than Liam who is 9 months old! She is super cute and amazingly calm and content most of the time. It must be all that extra padding keeping her warm and happy (maybe that was Liam's problem, since he has always been so skinny and fussy).

Here they are together. Liam still isn't pulling up on things, but he balances really well when we prop him up.

I made Grace these pants for Christmas out of a recycled sweater.
I made Carolyn a Mei Tai wrap to carry Grace around in. It turned out really nice and Grace eventually learned that it is great for snuggling.

While Carolyn and I stayed busy cooking, taking care of the little ones and sewing the new carrier, the guys won a number of levels of Super Maryo (a free internet knockoff of the original). Apparently, it was really exciting :-)

They also played Settlers of Catan. Liam helped Gabe win.

Liam was really glad that Auntie Linda came along. Lots of kisses.

All set and ready to go for a trip.

We had a great time, but we are definitely ready to be home for a while.

Something new...

Check out my new blog.

Don't worry, I'll still post pictures here.

Dog Beach

Our last day in San Diego was my dad's birthday. We took the dogs to dog beach in Coronado. It was windy, but we all had a great time.

Daphne was excited to see me and Gabriel, but she was not happy to see Dahlia. She obviously loves being a California dog!

Dahlia had a fantastic time running on the beach. The last time we took her there she was a teeny tiny puppy, and she did not like getting all that sand on her nose... but now the beach is nothing but fun!

Molly knows how to capture the moment...

Beautiful.

Liam loves to have his fingers kissed, especially by Grammie.

Sisters.

Like I said, it was windy.

Happy 50th birthday, Papa!

Giving Uncle FoFo a left hook.

After the beach we went out for lunch at Jalisco's, a yummy Mexican restaurant. The moment we walked in the door, Liam projectile vomited all over himself, Molly, and straight onto the floor next to some poor diner's table... It was very gross.

Regardless, we had a nice lunch, then it was back to the Halls to pack up and leave.

We left San Diego at 5 that night, and made it just past Flagstaff before we stopped for the night.

A word on driving across the country with a nine month old: just don't do it if you can avoid it! But if you must,driving while he sleeps is the only way to do it. On the trip out we drove straight through the night. 27 hours, non-stop! Yes, it's crazy, but it was the only way we could get there without enduring screaming.

We finally made it home at 3 am Sunday morning. Arkansas had never looked so good...

On the road again...

San Diego Fun

Our Element's first oil change... Gabriel got all gussied up for it...

We went out to eat at a fantastic Thai restaurant in Hillcrest called Amarins. Liam found another use for the flatware holder.

Liam really enjoyed getting to know his cousin Hannah, who is 10 months older than him. They smiled at each other, shared toys (sometimes...), and Hannah gave him spontaneous smooches on the lips!

Such a cutie!

La Jolla Beach

One afternoon we went to La Jolla with Grandma and Grandpa Hall and Hannah. It was a San Diego-cold (in the 50s) and windy day, but we still had a great time walking around the coves.

Here we are at the Children's Pool, the local California Sea Lion hang out.

We walked along the sidewalk that winds along the cliffs from cove to cove.

Liam was a champion sleeper when it came to naps and bedtime, but in all the running around he missed out on a few naps. Here he is, loopy tired and loving it.

San Diego, America's Finest City (that really is their motto...see the city homepage).

The ever windy conditions make for interesting tree formations along the cliffs.

Bird of Paradise

Cousins

Playing with some seaweed

Grandma and Grandpa with the grandbabies (if only little Grace could have been there, too...)

Liam and Hannah

At the Zoo

We have so many pictures from our trip. I'll post them a bit at a time.

We spent a morning at the San Diego Zoo. I grew up going to this zoo a lot, so taking Liam there is always extra special. He seemed to enjoy it a lot more than when we went last August.

It was a perfect rainy day at the zoo: the animals were extra active and there were hardly any crowds.

Liam makes this face a lot now. It means he's happy.

We're all happy.

Monkeying around.
Going up the moving sidewalk.

These phalaenopsis orchids were growing right on the trees! Ahhh, San Diego weather...
Normally the pandas do little more than sit and munch on bamboo if we're lucky (usually they are just snoozing). Apparently, they really like rainy days and were the most active I have ever seen them.

This guy was all over the place, and even showed off his head stands.

A rainy day is also a good day for a nap.

This monkey was really excited to see us.

The hippo came right up close.

Really close.

Liam was fascinated.

My favorite guys.