Weekend Warrior!

Despite my permanent playcation it think weekends are great. I am a total weekend warrior.
Don't get me wrong I fully appreciate a good M-F. Weekends present special opportunities.Such as....
Learning to play the guitar on Santa Monica's pier.
I tuned my guitar up as best I could then let my Uncle Tom strum a few cords. 
 

After that was a nap and then I saw my first  Galaxy soccer game. Soccer is really cool.  I love to cheer for the goals and get this! The soccer ball is not black and white. It is a shiny metallic gold. I shrieked with glee the first time I saw it fly. It is absolutely fabulous. It's like the Roberto Cavalli of soccer balls. My Mom was less impressed with the blinged up ball and super impressed with the skill, athleticism, and agility of the players. Amazing.
 
 
 Sunday Funday consisted of a trip to the Annenberg community beach house. I was so confused as my Mom seemed to be running the wrong direction. We were passing all these mediocre playgrounds that bordered the beach that were private. They had signs that said "Please....Don't pass this point. This is a private club" . I wasn't too upset because as I mentioned before they were mediocre . Then we saw this really fancy place and I was thinking what lucky duck gets to hang out there when unexpectedly the stroller turned and stopped.
 Lucky me! This beachhouse is for everybody and anybody and it's free. Hip hip hooray!

Don't tell too many people though. I am only just learning how to share.

Playcation!

You have all heard of vacations and staycations. I've decided this is the year of my permanent playcation. School's out for summer! You say summer is over! Well not for me.
 
 Before I could walk I thought the swings were the best thing in town. 
 
Did you know Wednesday was international talk like a pirate day? Bet you didn't. See the things you learn on the playground with friends.
 
 I have come up with another destination/deviation for my morning run. Genius, I tell you.  It is the play land at Santa Monica place. It's total genius. Here's how to do it. After breakfast and some morning "free play" hop in the stroller for a nap while your  Mom or Dad does the bulk of their running. Be sure to wake up just as you approach the Santa Monica pier, kick your feet to let them know you are awake. This ensures they will not gyp you by turning around at the pier and cutting your run short thus cheating you out of the swings. Kick enthusiastically and they'll head down the pier. After getting your swing on, head back up the pier to the path along Ocean Blvd. Take one of the first lefts and head up to second or third street, the Promenade. From there you can enter Santa Monica place (basically an upscale mall). Locate the Louis Vutton store, to the left you'll find the elevator. Take the elevator to the third floor, the rooftop. Ok...I forgot the part about giving your Mom a baby wipe and telling her to freshen up. If she is really stinky charm the sales clerks in Bloomingdale's or Nordstroms while she squirts a sample of Chanel No5 on her wrists.

 When the doors open get ready to play, play, play!
 I do mean play, play, play! Just think of all I would be missing if I hadn't got my walk on.
 Speaking of genius my Dad passed his written orthopedics boards so my Mom and I went whole hog making cookies (too bad it was already 900 degrees in our apartment when we turned on the oven) These cookies might look like chocolate chip but they are not your average chocolate chip cookies. They are way higher maintenance. First we browned the butter for the dough, then we stuffed them with Nutella and after they came out we sprinkled with sea salt. Let me tell you brown butter is the best smelling substance ever! Mmm. Those cookies were a once in a lifetime treat.
 
 After that we cooled off by heading to the pool. In addition to loving to play, play, play. I love to swim, swim, swim. As you can see I arrived at the pool in style. Car free, care free! I know what you are thinking....the pediatrician in La Jolla said pacifiers should be weaned at 1 year. Guess what? We've got an HMO now. They must not cover the weaning of pacifiers as no mention was made at my last appointment. Unfortunately....the HMO covers shots. Darn it all anyway. 
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 In other news I really like play dates. I'm quite the socialite these days. We make sharing look easy don't we?


 As you can see my life isn't a fun and games. I do work too. Just look at me. I am performing engineering feats. It was also a great way to keep my cool as last weekend was a scorcher. My parents clearly aren't as bright as me and took turns riding there bikes up there.
 The place to be for those 8 and under was the Santa Monica pier for a concert complete with bubbles and a parachute.
Annika Ruth rocking out!

It's My Birthday

Well folks it's my birthday! I'm having a party! It's going to be big! 
 You are all invited!  I'm not buying any excuses for your absence because it is a virtual party. With a recent move leaving family and friends far away a virtual party was the way to go. This is it. I have one small request. Maybe it's a big one, but I believe in you.You can do it.
I want you to eat cake! It's my birthday. It's my party. It's my birthday wish!
 
I gave the first year of my life my very best effort.  
I was a little pea in a pod who couldn't even sit up or roll over.
And look what I accomplished!
 
My Mom says that not everyday is My special day. She says that everybody is special. However,  it might be another's special day. The right thing to do is to help make it a special day for them. Although since moving to the LA area I am sure when people roll their eyes at  me in  my stroller and then cut in front of us in line I swear I hear her thinking very sarcastically  "Please...what makes you so special?" My first birthday is not everyday. It is my special day.
 
 September 10th is my birthday and I need a little help making it special.  I'm giving you a week to eat a slice of cake. It can be vanilla, chocolate, gluten free, dairy free, upside down, or right side up. It can be in celebration of my first year or in celebration of the miracle of life in general. I'd love to hear all about it. I prefer you have it with frosting. If you have a dietary restriction forbidding you to eat  cake.... well then  go right ahead and wear it.




In case you are curious about the pictures, except for the swm shot which was taken at Murray Callen in Pacific Beach all photos were taken at Casually Candid by Angela Levy who is amazing with babies. There are about 40 more of these such photos but sorry Grandmas you'll have to wait until Christmas.

Playground

Playground fun for me!
 Playground for Mom!

 You could say my Mom is a high roller since she is literally riding her bike above the city. Seriously! I asked her why, when she got to the top of her climb she didn't scream from the top of her lungs "L.A. peeps. I'm so far above you" She told me it's better to be down to earth.


Point taken. Here is am on my down on my knees working away in the kitchen. My Mom wears an apron in the kitchen but I have to suffice with only a bib. Cinderella, Cinderella! Do you know that my Mom is so set on embarassing she made me wear a bib to the farmer's market last Wednesday.
 
 
Seriously! Strolling the Promenade with a bib.