we HEART dad

Just a couple pictures in honor of Adam being an awesome dad.

Wearing matching jerseys while watching the (nail-biting) game this past Sunday.

A visit to Adam's work on Monday.  The kids loved it (especially the golf cart ride) and E didn't want to leave.

"Ella like See-haat-tle." -- E

We just returned from a trip to Seattle to see Adam's family and attend a memorial for his grandfather, who had passed away.  While the circumstances were somber, we were grateful to be able to travel as a family for a reunion of sorts, and also to introduce Gavin to his dad's roots.

After an unnecessarily long travel day (the flight was good, the rental car experience was not), we took advantage of the mild Seattle weather and walked around Fisherman's Wharf.  The kids loved the ferris wheel and the carousel ride.  

E has a strange love of orcas, so we were happy to serendipitously come across this mural on the back of a factory building.

Happy to be able to kick around on the bed. 

The kids did great on the flight and we don't mind traveling with them (even with all the added baggage), but despite always getting a crib in our room, our kids never slept in them.  Bed sharing is not a favorite of mine when you have to fight for room on the mattress and dodge random limbs kicking and punching you in the middle of the night.  

Though we took Ella to Seattle when she was six months old, this was her first ferry ride.  Needless to say, she loved it.

G had nothing to complain about either.

The memorial was held on the Hood Canal, at a family home that Adam's Grandpa Gene had built for his family.  It was emotional, but beautiful.  A perfect way to honor a very good man and the legacy he leaves behind.

Adam's cousin's kids taking advantage of the warm weather.  Idyllic childhoods are a happy side effect to having a house on the water.

E took the water immediately.  She loved learning how to skip rocks.

E has a special little bond with her cousin, Samantha.

It's a sweet moment realizing that these two get to be here. 

I love this man.

E with her Auntie Ashley.

I know it was really special that Mimi got to share this with her grandkids.

Gavin enjoyed every minute being outdoors in the fresh air.

The weekend of the memorial also fell on the first home game for the Seattle Seahawks.  The morning of the game, Adam too E for another ride on the Ferris Wheel, this time with Grandma in tow.  E is smitten by her dad.

We had a delicious lunch at a nearby pizza place.  Definitely recommend it.

While the boys went to the game, we took the kids to the Space Needle.  E loves planes, trains and automobiles, and could have ridden the monorail all day long.

At the Space Needle with cousins.

He was all smiles.

On our last day we returned to the Seattle Center and visited the Children's Museum.  It was the first time the kids have been, and had it not been for lack of naps and tiredness, we could have stayed all day.  

We attempted to grab a quick lunch outside by the fountain, but discovered E had a fever and was coming down with a cold (darn that toddler sitting behind us on the plane who was coughing ALL his germs everywhere!).  So after E napped on me, we headed back to the hotel for chicken soup and lots of sleeping.

Despite the kids getting sick, we had a wonderful time in Seattle.  It was probably the smoothest trip we could have asked for with two young kids.  It was also memorable and sentimental and a good reminder to appreciate and enjoy the family we have.  We are grateful for the time we got to spend with Adam's extended family and look forward to more trips like this one.  Also, the Seahawks won, so it was win-win for everyone. :)

Happy Birthday, Adam!

We celebrated Adam's birthday a couple weeks ago with some low-key events.  First, the kids and I visited him at work and brought an ice cream cake (the only cake he'll eat) to celebrate.  Ella was more than happy to dig in, though she liked the ice cream part more than the cake.

That night, Adam and I had dinner at a fantastic restaurant called Bestia in downtown LA.  It was amazing.  It was hands down the best dinner we've had in a long time.  We feasted on grilled lamb hearts, succulent bone marrow, uni pasta, and veal tartare.  It was equally wonderful because we got to spend some time together just enjoying each other's company and not having to rush through a meal.

While we wined and dined, Ella got to play in her new tent (a purchase I splurged on thanks to a Friends & Family deal on Restoration Hardware Baby & Child).  She LOVED it.  And I love the pictures Ashley took of her.

E got to stay up late, and we found her reading books by flashlight with her auntie when we got home.  Adam couldn't resist joining the camp out.

Lastly, Adam had a guys' night to cap off his birthday week.  They had a spicy Schezuan dinner, followed by cigars and drinks at our place.  I made Snickers ice cream (in lieu of cake) for dessert.  (I recently got an ice cream maker and have been obsessed with making ice cream--much to Ella's delight.)

All in all, it was a wonderful celebration of Adam turning 33!

Building Memories

Ella loves being helpful, whether it's throwing away her baby brother's dirty diaper or retrieving a pacifier or burp cloth.  Recently, we bought some items for her to use this summer, and she was super excited to help Adam put them together.  I'm not sure how helpful she was exactly, but she was definitely good at giving direction.

I asked Adam to get Ella something she can ride around in on our driveway.  They came home with this.

She couldn't wait to get in. 

Cruising with her pug.

She realized she could have used more trunk space.

Meanwhile, Gavin hung out.

I think I single-handedly keep Pottery Barn in business.

Helping build her new outdoor bench.

Not the best picture, but wanted to capture Ella eating her dinner on her new outdoor table and bench.  She loved it (hence we ended up eating outside that day).

Again, G hung out.

A Final Fling

This past weekend we celebrated my good friend, Kelly's, last hurrah as a bachelorette.  It was also a time for Adam and Ella to have a daddy-daughter day out.  We all made the two-hour drive to Santa Barbara (one of my favorite cities), where we celebrated Kelly's singlehood with wine tasting, a delicious dinner, and wacky antics at a local club.  It definitely took some determined effort, miscalculations, and finagling to spend time with the girls, while attending to the needs of a non-bottle feeding, currently clingy eight-month-old infant.  Adam was a trooper shuttling me back and forth, and making sure Ella was occupied while I got to partake in the festivities.  I think it was all well worth the effort as we made many memories and got to celebrate one of my favorite people.

Big shout out to Louie for his second-husband/godfather duties.

I had forgotten how much I love SB and how pretty the drive is there.

It was a lovely girls' weekend.

At one of the wineries for wine tasting.

Picnic lunch on a very breezy (though beautiful) day.

The bride-to-be looking radiant.

We unexpectedly ran into some old friends from high school.  What a small world!

Ella enjoying the view in our hotel room.

At the Santa Barbara Zoo, which Adam really enjoyed.  We'll definitely have to make a trip back!

Ella & her Mimo. 

Showing Ella real-life Sophies.