Happy Father's Day!

To all of our fathers and grandfathers, Happy Fathers Day!

We were fortunate to have Carl's dad over for dinner; though we thought of everyone and hope you had a wonderful day!  Sending you hugs and love from California!!

 Checking out the watermelon.  Ready, set....

...EAT!  Watermelon eating contest!  Who do you think won?

 Snuggles with Auntie M.

 Watching cousins Henry and Maggie sing on Grandma 'Raine's phone.

 Life is good, especially on Daddy's shoulders!

 The boys :)  

I tried getting Elena in this picture, but if you haven't already noticed she's not a fan of the posed picture.

Though she doesn't like the posed picture, she sure does have fun with Pop the Giraffe and 'Raine the duck!

Safari Park

This morning the weather was overcast and perfect for some time at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (aka the Wild Animal Park).  The Safari Park is about a twenty minute drive from our house but it is closer to the desert so it gets hot out there.  We usually go during the winter or on cooler overcast Spring days, like today.

 Elena loves animals, well actually all critters but she loves her 'mingos.  Can you see her intensity from this picture Megan snapped?  She's gripping the fence and has her head pressed against the rail.  Flamingos are serious business.

 An attempt of a family picture....reach and snap :)  (yes, that is a flamingo on Elena's shirt)

 Here is one view of the park.  What makes this park so special is the vast space the animals have and I think it is neat to see animals together in a habitat as they would be in their native land.

 More flamingos!

 Okapi!  These animals remind us of a horse mixed with a zebra mixed with a giraffe!  Of course the stripes from a zebra, the body of a horse and the flexible neck and long tongue of a giraffe.  Love watching these guys!

 On the brink of a second melt down, Meg snapped one last family photo of us.  We don't have many so I'm trying to bolster up our collection.

 Auntie M was very brave letting Elena drink her water--yum, backwash.

As we scurried out of the park, we paused to watch the gorillas.  Here is the male strutting across the lawn.  There was also a young baby held by the momma.  It was amazing to see such a small gorilla.

La Jolla Shores (aka the beach!)

Today the weather forecast was cloudy and 63 at the beach but no visit to San Diego is complete without some beach time so we packed up a lunch and headed to the beach.  When we arrived, we couldn't believe how off the forecasters were--the weather was perfect.  The air temp was about 70 with a light, cool ocean breeze with no clouds in sight.  It was the perfect beach day (unless you wanted to swim, the ocean is still too cold to swim--for me).

 Meg and me with La Jolla Shores in the background...

 ...and then the ocean.

 Of course Elena and Daddy got straight to work, digging a hole.  And today Daddy added water, lots and lots of water.  Elena and Daddy enjoyed covering Elena's legs and feet in watery sand mud.  She is a Southern California girl after all--and and So. Cal. girls love their spa treatments :)

 Examining sea shells with Auntie M.

 Checking out the seagull with Mommy.

 Elena had so much fun dumping the seashells in Auntie M's hand.

 And when she accidentally dumped sand on Auntie M's leg, she immediately picked up the towel and began cleaning her up.

 Some more sand hole playing with Daddy.

Elena loves playing at the beach, can't you tell?

Ordering Food

Auntie M., my sister Megan, is here for a visit.  Elena is just ecstatic.  It has been a long week so to celebrate both Meg and the arrival of the weekend we went out to eat tonight.  We often forget about Michael's Grill near our house but the food is yummy, the service has always been great.  It's the kind of place that at first glance you wouldn't think it would be kid friendly but they are super sweet to Elena and even bring her food out early so she doesn't have to wait as long.  Tonight the waitress came over and asked "Can I get you something to drink?" and Elena exclaimed "MILK! please".  It was so cute to see my just turned two year old order for herself.  We don't eat out often but it was like she was a pro.  When the waitress came back to see what we wanted to order for dinner, Elena asked for pineapple.  Unfortunately they didn't have any pineapple but Daddy had packed a plum which was equally tasty.

New School Update

I thought I'd provide an update on how Elena's new school is going.  Well, she started Wednesday, June 1st.  She had a great day Wednesday and Thursday--and no potty accidents!  This was her first time in panties at school since her old school deemed her not ready because she couldn't wipe herself.  I was so excited until we were driving home Thursday and she threw up in my car--bleh!  So Friday was her first sick day :( 

Elena recovered over the weekend but this last week was not such a good week at school.  Everyday Elena asked to "go to another school"--some days before we even left the house.  She was very clingy and had many tantrums saying good bye to Momma.  Unlike the terrible twos we have been warned about, Elena does not throw tantrums often.  She had many potty accidents and even pointed one location out to me, unprovoked.  Every afternoon she would bolt to me and stick to me like glue..until we got out of her classroom, then she would bolt through the hallway to the parking lot.  The teachers always assured me that she settles down after I leave and has fun playing with the other kids.  They also log how well she eats, naps and potties--which has been a welcomed change.  Those who have talked to me over the past couple of weeks tell me this will pass, Elena will become adjusted and look forward to school.  And to fill those in who haven't talked to me in the past month, the change in Elena was only magnified with the transition to the new school.  She had become more clingy and asked not to go to her old school too--she just wants her momma.

Yesterday was much the same as last week.  But today, today Elena gave me the good bye ritual--a hug, kiss and noses.  I was so happy today, it was a good day.  When I picked her up, she was still in the clothes she went to school in--so no potty accidents, wahoo!  When I picked her up today, I was able to sneak in and watch her play with friends and jump from the balance beam to a teacher.  She was having so much fun.  She would even say "ta-da" once she landed.  After awhile I said "good job, Elena".  Her head whipped around, a huge grin came over her and she raced to my arms.  I love those good bear hugs.  We played for a little bit with her friends and Elena took a few more jumps from the balance beam.  A fellow new mom (who usually comes after I drop off and before I pick up) told me Elena is part of the morning welcoming group--she says "hi" or "good morning" to everyone when they come in, ah, my little social bug.  This mom has the ability to hang out for awhile in the morning, she said Elena is great at school and quite the eater.  It's nice to hear she is adapting well from another mom.  It almost feels more reassuring from a mom than the teacher but this could also be due to our already great day.

At school the teachers and some of the kids sing a good bye song...Elena loves the good bye song.  It goes a little something like this:  Good-bye Elena, good-bye Elena, good-bye Elena, we're glad you came to school.

It is a sweet school.  It will work out better for us.  The communication home is much better than the previous school.  And I love that I was able to adjust my schedule so we are all home in time to relax, make dinner, eat together and take walk around the neighborhood.  Though Elena doesn't walk, she rides her trike while looking at everything and chatting it up.  This change is a good change.

BBQ Time

The weather in San Diego has been a bit interesting.  Here in Santee the weather is perfect--sunny, mid to upper 70s and in the 50s at night.  We love this weather, we love having the windows open and the aroma of fresh jasmine and other flowers wafting through the house.  We live inland, as locals like to call it, and right now inland is the place to be!  Closer to the coast (as in a 5 minute drive over the coastal mountain range) the weather is a whole-lotta different.  They have the gloom still--a lot of overcast, hence the nicknames May Grey and June Gloom.  The cool ocean water brings in marine layer, a layer of high fog/low clouds.  It is normal for the areas near the coast to be gloomy most of the day but folks forget about that when you hardly see the sun on the weekends.  This weekend we experienced the June Gloom when we went to Pop-Pop and 'Raine's home for a barbecue.  I'm not sure I miss the overcast weather but I will when temperatures tip close to 100 later this summer, I will want to be closer to the cool ocean breeze.

 Here are a few pictures of Elena reading and playing with Pop-Pop and Grandma 'Raine'.

 P.S. Thanks for another adorable hand-me down dress, Maggie!  :)

Our last morning in Arizona

 Listening to the sea shell.  Can you hear the ocean?

 Our last morning in Arizona, and finally a great picture of Elena, Grandma and Grandpa.  Sad to leave, but until next time...

On another note, the new Tucson is doing well.  We averaged 28mpg going up to Prescott and 29.5 coming back down.  Over the 350 mile trip, altitude climbs 4,000 feet.  I snapped this photo while we were going downhill near a town...it was great to see 43mpg.

Memorial Day

Elena saying hi to Great Grandpa Grossi.  Notice her headband?  She requested to wear it, so cute when she does something with her hair.  She won't let me do anything except comb it.

 Elena and Great Grandpa Newman having fun playing with her animals.  Playing with animals and blankets is fairly new to Elena.  She picked it up just before 25 months.

 Elena was happy, I just didn't get that photo.  I had two cameras, I think she might have been done taking photos.  But she had fun playing with Great Grandma and Grandpa Newman.

 Ah, there is a cute smile...and look at those big feet!!

 More play time with Great Grandpa!

 This is such a cute dress.  Thanks, cousin Maggie, for the hand-me down!

 Buttons are still a big interest to Elena...

And she loves to be tickled.  Sometimes she even asks to be tickled.  It was so cute to see Great Grandpa Grossi having so much with Elena!

Reading Time in Arizona

 Have I mentioned in any of my posts that Elena loves to read?  Well if you haven't picked up on this favorite activity, here are just a few moments of Elena reading with Great Grandma (above), Grandpa and Grandma (in the pictures below).

 And a pinch of flower smelling...we don't just stop to smell the roses, all flowers are adored.

 Elena wasn't feeling too good, as you can tell she looks a bit hammered.  She is teething and possible compounded with a head cold.  Teething has never been a good time for us.  Mark the calendar, her first 2 year molar broke skin during our Arizona visit.

"I Howl, I Growl" is a book from Grandma and Grandpa about the animals and critters living in the Southwest.  Elena enjoys reading it and making the animal noises.  During our drive, we stopped for a potty break (we did use pull ups during the drive for naps, but Elena kept it dry except for nap times).  We brought her little potty, popped the trunk (small suv hatch back), shifted our bags and set Elena down on her potty.  We began reading the book when she looked up and realized we were surrounded by cactus which was also in her book.  She was so excited.  I think she talked about the cactus for an hour after we were back on the road again.

Pool Time!

 Friday we drove to Arizona in the new car.  It was a much better ride than the old Pontiac.  The weather was hot when we drove over, hardly played at our half way point park.  The swing seats were too hot to sit on (who thought it was a good idea to make baby bucket seats black and put them in the desert with no shade?).  And the slides were missing--a bit disappointing but it was really hot (near 100) so we packed back in the car and ate on the go.  Elena was a great trooper on the 7 hour drive.  We also recently flipped her car seat from rear facing to forward facing in the new car.  She loves riding this way and will say "wheeeee" as we pick up speed.

 Did I mention the weather was hot?  Saturday morning (as in 9am) we suited up and were down at the pool spending time in the water, the temperature was perfect.  Grandma joined us in the pool and taught Elena "motorboat, motorboat" and tried to teach her how to kick.  She'd rather spin her legs in a circle as if she's riding a tricycle.

Grandpa snapped this photo.  We were practicing blowing bubbles and going underwater.  She dunked 4 times before she told me that was enough.  I brought her floaties which tie around her chest not attach to her arms but she didn't like to be confined.  So we let her be free, as the free spirit she is.