Christmas Wishes To All of You!

Merry, Merry. Merry, Merry Christmas!!!!

Random Favorites!

These are some of my latest treasures from the last 6 weeks or so -- they are precious! 1) our little one is OBSESSED with books! She has a ton of different toys surrounding her -- but what does she make a bee line for????? BOOKS. She gets a super big grin on her face every time we start reading to her . . . but even if we're not reading them, she is content just to flip the pages over and over. :) 2) OK. That is soooooooooo her Daddy's face -- wrinkly nose and all. They bond like that. HAHAHA. 3) This is my latest fave. I had just gotten her up from a nap for lunchtime and was getting ready to take her sleeper off she wouldn't get food all over it . . . she was looking up at me with this smirk. Combined with the bed head -- it was too hilarious!!!! I'm so glad the camera was nearby . . . before she started screaming for her food! 4) I just love this one because it shows how completely tiny she is/was. This was just after she turned 7 months, and though she has grown a TON since then, she is still pretty little. Precious.

Oceanside Pier

Thanksgiving weekend (yes, I'm still catching you up) we took a mini-road trip to Oceanside. I've lived in San Diego almost my entire life and had never been there -- or at least didn't remember going there. So, we piled in the car without directions and somehow navigated there. It was just before sunset, so not only was it cool and windy weather, but we got to see the sun set over the water. You'd think that living here we would make time to see an ocean sunset, but we sadly don't. It was beautiful!

We had dinner at a little diner situated at the end of the pier -- so fun! It was even more exciting because it was the first time that we were able to order Abby food to eat with us, too. She ate bananas and toast and was such a big, BIG girl. So crazy! :)

All that to say, everything about the afternoon/evening was perfect. A perfect conclusion to a very thankful weekend.

Christmas on the Prado in Balboa Park

Last weekend was the famous "Christmas on the Prado" in San Diego (ok, now it's called December Nights because they had to get all PC about it). Despite its name change, the event is one of our favorites -- and judging from the crowds each year, one of San Diego's favorites. All of Balboa park is decorated, there's a HUGE Christmas tree, and Christmas carols abound. So, add this to the already cool Balboa Park -- and it's bound to be a pretty great day. We walked around and showed Abby all the museums and landscaping, watched the birds and people, and tasted some YUMMY food. We particularly look forward to the Lebanese food . . . .mmmmmmm-mmmmmmmmm! A great way to start the Christmas celebrations!

Abby's Favorite Hawaii Memories

Rainy Days in Hawaii
HOT days in Hawaii

Sleepy Car Trips in Hawaii

New Friends and Cool Places in Hawaii

Being Cute in Hawaii

Being Silly in Hawaii

Hanging out in the condo in Hawaii

Avoiding sunburns in Hawaii

Abby's First Day at the Beach . . . In HAWAII!

Abby was sooooooooo excited to be in Hawaii, and especially to play in the water at Hanalei Bay! Though as it turned out, she loved watching the waves crash but was a bit scared to actually be in the water. I guess it was a bit too much. She was completely content, however, to hear the sounds of the ocean and play in the sand (as you'll see below).

Ok, I know it's not the best family pic in the world, but there was no one around to take our picture . . . one of Kauai's best features, I might add.

Raggedy Ann Halloween

Jim and I had been discussing what Abby should be for her very first Halloween -- with her beautiful red hair, the fun possibilities are endless. We considered Pebbles for a long time, but finally decided on Raggedy Ann. . . . how adorable is that!!! Especially because she is doll-sized. I enlisted my mom to help make the costume, and we actually used a doll pattern to make the clothes, lol. Some of my best memories as a child are around Halloween time. My mom would always take me to the fabric store to pick out a pattern and the fabric for my costume; after which time, she lovingly spent hours sewing it for me. It was really important to continue the tradition with Abby, and even more special that my mom did was able to make Abby's costume with me. :) I loved every minute of it. And it makes a wonderful keepsake!

So here it is: the cutest costume in the whole world on the most beautiful baby in the universe!

Ok, at this point (above) she was super tired and overwhelmed. If she could talk she would have said, "Mommy, can you PLEEEEEEEEEEASE stop taking my picture now!?!?!!"

Jim and I were Hawaiian tourists for Halloween. HA!

Baby Blues

Ok, these are the last pics for the night. I have to go to bed and get ready for ELECTION DAY! So excited about that . . . anyway, just wanted to leave you for the night with these wonderful pictures of the most beautiful blue eyes in the whole world. :) Happy voting!

Random Pics

Abby has been growing and changing like crazy! She is CRAWLING now and never content to stay in one place. Changing her diaper is an exhausting proposition, as she is constantly flipping over and twisting all around. Ahhhhh! She continues to be amazing in every way -- she puts herself down for 2 hour naps in the morning and afternoon (omg!), is figuring out how to chew food, just cut her first tooth, actually pulled herself up to standing position for the first time the other day (!), and LOVES the camera. She starts smiling as soon as I pull it out -- it's a good thing, because it's in her face constantly. LOL. She is still trying to figure out a sippy cup (she just chews on it because it feels like a pacifier). Also, we just had to lower her crib because we caught her trying to stand up and get out of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHH! Life has gotten quite interesting -- and she's only 7 months old. She is the BEST!