A Well Trained Boy.

No babies were coaxed in any way, shape, or form during filming. 

He just knows and LOVES his baths that much. 

From Our Irish Heritage to Yours (and Even if You're Not)...

Happy St. Patrick's. 

I think we're celebrating by going to Pei Wei. According to some: Sprinkle's is just "too far." Plus I already went my "one time" this month. What are these impositions on Sprinkle's? Really, there shouldn't be any. 

Just a Fine and Fancy Ramble to the Zoo

Elliott and I had never been to the zoo together, much less taken Beckett (though, if we're honest, the kid really didn't care). As part of our Spring Break extravaganza, we went. Simple as that.  The zoo is a pretty fun place to get a good leisurely walking workout on. Though sadly, but expectedly, many of the animals were either curled up or hidden away sleeping. As we left the zoo suffering heat stroke and dehydration, we were grateful for our brief moments of cool weather that morning and especially grateful for our ease in finding a parking space. Seriously, it was an animalistic sight in itself seeing cars circle around with nowhere to park, waiting to lunge any minute on an open spot. That peace being said, it was great and we saw most everything we wanted. 

I so desperately wanted Beckett to be able to touch a sting ray that I may have accidentally, though unknowingly, dunked his WHOLE face into the pool for a quick second as I reached his hand forward. At least he touched it (don't worry, it wasn't with his face)! Plus, he was clearly DONE with the heat from the previous picture that I actually did him a favor. 


Now, the initial drive to make it to the zoo started a good 9 months ago when the Koala exhibit came to town. Lucky for us, we made it just in time before they left to... another zoo? The Australian Outback? Meh, probably another zoo for future gawkers like myself. 


We REALLY WANTED TO SEE THIS:

BUT INSTEAD SAW THIS:

We bonded, him/her and I. He/She looked at me; followed my every move despite the surrounding crowd. Maybe he/she knew I had been thinking about him/her for the past nine months. Maybe he/she knew we made a 3D model of his/her relative. 
Maybe he/she just knew I had that special love for the koala. 


But only when they fight.

Disney. Again.

Brianne and Trevor invited us to Disneyland with them and the whole SmileLines staff this past week because that's the kind of dentist he is: awesome in every way. 

We left Beckett (again)and had a marvelous time (again).

Our nieces and nephews were easily the most fun part of the trip--especially since they were old enough to actually ride things and walk. We stayed at Disney's Grand Californian just so that we could still enjoy the magic while we slept--though seriously, I was up at 4:30am jittery and excited because I WANTED MY DISNEY RIDES AND FOOD NOMNOM.  

We got to spend so much time with Brennan and felt pretty cool he wanted to hang out with us. That boy is a riot and the sweetest around. 

Max and Claire--stinkin' cute. PS, that Toy Story ride is incredibly fun and tension building. I JUST WANTED TO BEAT ELLIOTT!

Elliott and I clearly need some help with our background face awareness:

My face is just screaming a whole lotta MEH. Meanwhile, Brianne, you should be in some sort of dental ad. Convenient!

 And boom goes the dynamite--speaking of, we learned that Claire knows all the words (and dance moves) to the "Dynamite" song (Taio Cruz). We also learned that Bella knows how to accessorize better than I can ever hope to.

 

Elliott calls out to his brother from the bridge on Small World. Kinda like Romeo and Juliet. 

Party in the front.

Party in the back. 

Party in the front.

Party in the back.

Thank you Trevor and Brianne, it was Unnnforgettable. 

Photo Drive

Beckett is learning about taking it slow with solids. 

Yesterday morning--as in, 2:00 in the morning--we returned from our trip to Disneyland *sans* Beckett. It was the right decision. We had such a hysterical and fun time with everyone--more pictures to come soon. 


Speaking of, yesterday I ventured onto Picasa to load a few pictures only to find that several folders--containing a combined 600-700 pictures were missing. I thought that Picasa possibly deleted them because I was running low on space (though I didn't think that was possible). I may have thrown a tantrum and cried a little. Elliott had actually neglected to tell me that he moved the pictures to a completely different un-Picasa-related folder, so my mini-heart attack subsided, but I stand by my tears and fit about the photos. Really, I have thousands of pictures, none of which are professional looking, but, they are mine and they are priceless. I have the same feelings of loss when I go on a vacation that isn't "Digital SLR camera appropriate" (i.e. Disneyland!) So many awesome opportunities when I find my hands immediately going L7 to create a pseudo Kodak moment. I decided from this last trip that I need to be on the look out for a great point-and-shoot to tuck away in my purse for times when the bulky camera just isn't practical. 


Back to the actual point, we left California a night before everyone else so that I could attend the last day of my first graduate class (bright and early at 9:00am--caffeine please). My classmates are amazing, and it's unbelievably helpful and fun to be in a program with people who share similar personalities and goals. I'll be even busier with school as I will be taking two classes at a time for the next three months. In the meantime, I will still remind myself to sit back and smell the flowers (convenient, since Elliott bought me some yesterday) and enjoy my cookies a very good friend from school got for me to bring to our class potluck, knowing I would be home too late to make anything! They're Trader Joe's no less--how did she know, I wonder?! And yes, our teacher is a firm believer that potlucks should be held at the end of every course.


By the way, the cookies are best when eaten like Cookie Crisp.

Beckett Turns 10 Months, We Have an Experience

And what the experience it was. 

Beckett, we are still debating whether or not to take you to Disneyland next week. You can't walk yet, but you sure are perfecting that stand. You have like 15 teeth coming in all at once so you have been a bit under the weather, but so sweet and so happy still. You are large and slightly awkward, but perfect as is. Sadly, I didn't even realize that the cupcake I got had PEANUT BUTTER in it (a major no-no for babies)... So you can't have it. 

Not that I really bought it for you since it would have taken you 6 hours to slowly mash it down, but still, it would have been nice of me to share. 

Oopsie. 

TheHappyBirthdayGirl.

Dear Brianne,

     I am terribly bummed and sorry I can't come visit you on your birthday. This whole sick thing has been SO irritating!(You probably can relate to that more than anyone with those poor sick kiddos of yours)!

     At least we'll always have the swapmeet. By the way, you were so thoughtful to crawl under the nasty swapmeet table yesterday and grab Beckett's exploded snack container for me while I wiped the blanket of cinnamon sugar off him. Of course, had I just made a decision to buy/barter for that claw grabber, the whole table situation could have been avoided. 

     My only wish is that you get to enjoy some good downtime, some good Diet DP, and maybe a fresh Sprinkle's cupcake (for me). I have a feeling that YOUR only wish will be for the QT by your house to open up ASAP.

Hope your birthday is everything you wish for!

With lots of love, admiration, and endearment,

Alisa&Elliott&Beckett