Vacation!

Well maybe it wasn't a completely "real" vacation since we were staying with my mom, but it was as close as we've come since Hannah was born. Nevertheless, we just got back from spending a week in San Diego. I think we could all get used to extended vacations.

Hannah's favorite activity of the trip was going to the beach. So much so that when we would get there, her whole body would flex with excitement and she'd start screaming/laughing with anticipation. She was absolutely fearless, and were it not for her fearful parents, she'd be swimming her way to China by now. We also went to the San Diego Wild Animal Park, where Hannah's favorite activity was playing with ice from the water we brought, and riding the carousel. I'm not sure she even knew there were any animals there. We also went to a Water Park near my mom's that she loved, had some great meals, and enjoyed the slower pace of life down there.

More Giggles McGoo

How can we resist?

Some of the Joys of Childhood

One of the amazing things about raising a child is getting to see and explore familiar aspects of life all over again, through their eyes. Here're a few pics of some of the things that Hannah's been enjoying lately: me blowing bubbles with gum, eating ice cream, and running around while I spray her with the hose. These things make her so happy that I just want to keep doing them over and over again. And of course, her constant refrain of "Again! Again! Again!" helps the cause.

Out and About

As Hannah gets older and a little more capable of missing a nap here and there, we're gradually getting our freedom back, and it's great. June was a fun month, especially because we got to see Maya, Erez, and beautiful Lia, who's about 6 months older than Hannah. We met them at a place called Pixie Woods in Stockton, CA. Stockton is a complete dump, but the Pixie Woods were a lot of fun. A great place for kids with rides, fountains, playgrounds, etc. for a very reasonable price. Hannah had her first Merry Go Round ride here, and she absolutely loved it. She also discovered a passion for getting herself soaking wet, and she now insists I spray her with the hose almost every day when I come home from work!

Really, We're Not Such Bad Parents

Anyone who knows my sense of humor will appreciate this video. And I promise you, we're not such bad parents, and we're not training our sweet little girl to have a potty mouth. But I just couldn't resist. Enjoy this (edited) video from late May/early June 2008.

Hannah and Zoe

Hannah took her first plane flight last weekend when we went to Los Angeles to see Jake, Yaling, and Zoe. The girls were definitely aware of each other, but for the post part, Hannah did her own thing and Zoe watched her and crawled around trying to catch up to Hannah. It was cute to watch, and I'm sure the girls will love playing with each other as they get older.

Hannah did great on the flight and liked takeoff, landing, and what little turbulence we felt the best. She looked out the window, but mostly wanted to spill her juice on the tray and then wipe it up with a napkin. For some strange reason, she likes cleaning up.

The weather in LA was great, and we took a great walk from Redondo Beach to Manhattan Beach, and back. Being in unfamiliar surroundings, Hannah didn't sleep that well, but she did great on our trip and had a good time.

Balloonie!

As the weather started to turn, we started to venture out more. Hannah went to her first baseball game the day before Mother's Day and loved it. Especially the garlic fries. The Giants beat the Phillies, but she knows where her loyalties lie.

Hannah loves whenever we take her to one of the parks or playgrounds nearby, but getting her to leave is always a chore. "Again!" Again!"Again!" It's hard to resist her wishes (demands), but doing the slide for the 20th time can be a little exhausting.

At the end of the month, we took Hannah to the Foster City Arts and Wine Festival. She loved seeing all the people and the carnival rides, and we got hours and hours of enjoyment out of the balloon she got

Hannah's vocabulary continued to expand rapidly around this time, and she even started speaking in complete sentences. Watching and listening to her absorb the world around her is truly wondrous.