July...a collection of moments

Horsing Around

July afforded us the opportunity to experience two sporting events rather new to us that have a rich history here:  Polo & Horse Racing.  We got our toes wet one weekend "tailgating" at a rousing polo match, and greatly enjoyed watching not only the event but the lovely people who gathered for the festivities.

Checking out the horses & horsing around

We spent a great deal of our weekends at the beach...soaking in the California sun, surf, and exploring a few new restaurants.  The baby girl continued to grow, turning walks along the beach into more of a waddling adventure.

38 weeks

The belly at sunset

Harrison's vocabulary continues to evolve and I am amazed at how many new words he is using on a daily basis.  He is also quite adept at climbing over anything and practicing his balance on the skateboard.

We spent a lovely afternoon on the patio at Torrey Pines Golf Couse, and I couldn't resist taking a million photos of this little man in plaid shorts.

And finally, we were graced with a visit by our good friends Jeff and Lisa, and spent the an evening at the Del Mar races, followed by a few days of fun at the beach.  We truly enjoyed getting to spend time with friends!

Box seats at the Del Mar race track.  We won $8 in total...big night!

Andy and Lisa showcasing the deliciously beautiful sushi rolls at Hapi Fish

Beach time

Cooling off 

Running to meet surfer Dad

Uncle Gump as Harrison calls him

Feathering the nest

Thanks to pregnancy induced inspiration, the house has been abuzz with mini projects.  From working on the nursery, to hanging photos, organizing the garage, and working on the yard,  the house is feeling more ready to welcome another baby.  I have had the wonderful support of my little sidekick, Harrison, who has proved rather useful in "building" furniture, hanging photos, and providing much needed moral support.  Also, much of these projects wouldn't have been successful, such as hanging ceiling fans and garage organization without the dedication, patience and heart of my amazing husband.

A Few House Projects:

"Building" Harrison's new activity table

The Ikea Kritter Set won me over with it's adorable style, incredible price, and decent construction.  Harrison helped through the entire "build" of the table, and has since loved spending time drawing, reading, eating, and making a mess here.  What's not to love!

Creating a family photo wall

Yet another one of those projects in which the imagined 5 minutes of time it would take to complete turned into what felt like hours of measuring, remeasuring, and putting a few too many holes in the wall. Harrison however was able to keep things lively and entertaining through "borrowing" key tools like the tape measure and hammer.  

We even roped Dad into the final design stage.

And the result...a wall of photos full of rich memories and our incredible family.

Harrison's Room

I hung up these book shelves to display Harrison's growing collection of favorites.  I love it when practical and stylish intersect.  

Harrison enjoying the Pout Pout Fish book on his rug...one of his most loved books.   

Favorite item in H's room: a custom growth chart found on Etsy.

Striking a sweet pose

Baby Girl's Nursery

A work in progress....

Perhaps I didn't realize how excited I was to have a baby girl until we started unpacking the room and envisioning what her nursery would look like.  I wanted to create a calm, thoughtful space with just a touch of femininity.  And here is what we have so far... 

The room was painted a light, crystal blue which has just enough of delicious color to echo that of a glacier or Caribbean water lapping over a white sandy beach.  I swapped the pulls on Harrison's old dresser for some lovely antique glass nobs, which capture light beautifully.  I was also able to find my dream girl bedding set, the Dwell Studio Charlotte, new on Craigslist for a serious steal.  Harrison's old mobile was hung above the crib as well this,

an antique wood "Grow" sign....another favorite Etsy find.

We (and by we, I helped with directions and electrical expertise:)) also installed schoolhouse lights in all of the upstairs bedrooms which provide a nice soft light and add character to the rooms.

There are still a few projects up my sleeve that I would love to complete before baby arrives,

but I can't help succumbing to the distraction of this adorable little creature who fills the day with contagious giggles and squeals of delight.  

Here is our little man clowning around with one of the blankets he found in baby girl's room...

Fourth of July

The Fourth of July weekend brought with it perfect weather, and we soaked it in by enjoying a few afternoons at the beach.  Andy surfed a bit, while Harrison and I explored the beach, created sand castles and frolicked in the ocean.  

Harrison loved every minute of it, and we loved experiencing the joy emanate from his core.  

This series of photos is perhaps one of my favorite to date...Harrison dancing in the sand while striking some great poses.  Hhhmmmm....I wonder where he got those sweet moves from?

Harrison recently learned how to say "shadow"...and this one of the ever growing belly by the sea made quite an impression.  

After a long day at the beach, we celebrated the occasion with gourmet hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and a healthy serving of ketchup and mustard.   Mmmmmmmm.

And finally our attempt at watching the fireworks.... We walked to a lookout point a block away from our house where one can see several firework shows taking place simultaneously.  As the shows didn't start until much after Harrison's bedtime, our little boy ended up falling asleep on a blanket underneath the stars and miraculously slept through all of the noise.