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.

Adventures with motorcycle man

Motorcycle man, aka Uncle Scott, spent a long weekend with us playing and hanging out in San Diego. It was such a wonderful visit full of rich moments.  From surfing adventures at the beach to delicious breakfasts outside to simply hanging out at home, we truly enjoyed our time getting to show Scott our new home.  Harrison loved his time playing around with his uncle, and he picked up a few new awesome skills thanks to Scott's instruction.

Transforming the simple bucket into the world's greatest toy

Looking out at Swammy's surf spot in Encinitas

A little boy by the sea

Surfboards, or Ceecees as Harrison calls them, are the latest obsession

Practicing

Hangin ten

A weekend at home

Finally a weekend with no plans or agenda....and what unfolded was a relaxing two days spent enjoying everyday moments as a family.

With the sun beaming overhead, we soaked in time spent on the patio, park and pool.  Andy and Harrison worked diligently overhauling all of the bikes in the garage as I put in some quality time curled up with iced tea and to do lists in my favorite adirondack chair.

Here are a few shots from the weekend:

 Quality control

 Pure fascination with the two wheeled objects

 Ready to jump in!

 Playing with sand

 Still obsessed with slides

A tired little monster brushing his teeth before bed

Gigi's Visit & A Whirlwind NW Experience

Gigi arrived this week to spend a few days with the family in San Diego.  Harrison was thrilled to have Gigi join us in our daily activities, including a few trips to the park, a cold day spent at the nursery picking out trees,

checking out airplanes on our walk,

and just relaxing around the house.

And then back to the Northwest: so lush, green and lovely... refreshingly foodie and eclectic.  Although this felt like a whirlwind experience, a few favorite moments from our time in Portland and Hood River included a gorgeous hike along the river where I spotted this ground cover after a morning rain...

A dinner with my favorite brother at Pok Pok (this thai street dessert however sent me over the edge)...

And of course we had to make a trip or two to St. Honore patisserie where Harrison and the rest of us indulged in some greatly missed croissants and other delightful treats.

After a few days in Portland visiting family, we made our way up to Hood River where we rented an adorable house dangerously close to our favorite coffee shop (Ten Speed).  I was able to savor a daily latte made to perfection...Aaahhhh....pure indulgence.  Harrison loved our daily walks to coffee, getting bites of breakfast sandwiches and checking out the roasting equipment.  

Mother's Day

A perfect mother's day itinerary:

Good morning kisses from my two favorite men.
Dance party in the kitchen.
Delicious breakfast at the Orange Blossom Cafe - serving up tasty traditional crepes in a cool beach side hideaway.

A walk through Solana beach design district - home to a few inspiring warm weather garden shops including my favorite succulent studio, Chicweed (www.chicweed.com) and a store featuring gorgeous hardwood tables and artwork.

A trip to the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla for an undersea adventure.

Lovely flowers.

And an early night for this tired mama.

Thank you Andy and Harrison for making me feel so loved and appreciated.  

Reflections on motherhood

 With Mother's Day just around the corner, I have been reflecting on the support and inspiration my mother has shown me over the past 31 years, as well as my own journey thus far through motherhood.

It is fascinating to me how life's events have the ability to greatly shift our perspectives and preconceived notions of the way things are.  Motherhood is definitely one of those life altering roles, and it is through becoming a mother myself that I have developed a much deeper appreciation for my own amazing mom, and for mothers in general.  Mom, I can't thank you enough for the incredible love, encouragement, and grace you bestow upon Scott and I!

Then:  Harrison (6 days old) & Mom

Now:  Harrison (19 months), Mom & Baby Girl 

I am frequently in awe of how much our little boy is teaching me, and I am so grateful for the time provided to us.  Beautiful lessons such as truly absorbing the moment unfold in such simple and exquisite events on a daily basis.  From seeing a snail slowly glide across the grass to hearing wind rustle through the trees, one of the greatest aspects of being a mom is the opportunity to re-experience life through the young eyes and hearts of our children.

My journey as a mother continues to be blissfully rewarding, challenging and humbling...one that evolves on a daily, if not hourly basis.  Perhaps one of the most significant lessons in life I am learning through my child is that of letting go and realizing that we have relatively little control over many aspects of life.  Life on life's terms as some say... and though these aren't necessarily our terms, I am finding that most things have an interesting way of working out rather well if we can allow ourselves to let go of our expectations and desire of control.  From Harrison's birth experience to his sleeping habits, there are some aspects of this adventure I would have chosen differently in a perfect world, and yet it is through these challenging moments that we get the opportunity to truly expand and grow.  I am no zen master, and though I struggle with this concept daily, I find it helpful through the moments of frustration inevitable in motherhood, to take a deep breath, give it my all and relinquish control to the greater forces at work.

We embark on this journey as mothers through a leap of faith, and with the support and wisdom of our partners, extended family and community, we can hope to cultivate kind, responsible and grateful human beings who will strive to leave the world in a better place than when they arrived.

  

Bunnies, Brunch & Ballparks

Happy Easter!

Thanks to Auntie Kristen, the Easter Bunny was able to find our house and deliver a box full of wonderful surprises for Harrison.  On Sunday morning, Harrison was glued to his new Thomas book, while Andy prepared a delicious brunch and I sat by drinking tea...I love rare mornings such as these.

Although Andy was in charge of the brunch, I participated as well in gathering a few of my favorite spring time items:  fresh tulips, a bowl full of milk chocolate eggs wrapped in perfectly pastel foil, and a tart fruit salad showcasing berries, mangos and pears.

H and I soaking in our relaxing morning

After brunch, we headed to an afternoon Padres baseball game with our friend Bob.  With sun overhead and the smell of Hebrew Nationals and popcorn wafting through the air, I couldn't think of a better way to spend the day.  The Padres lost, but Harrison loved his first baseball game...he made it through all nine innings, and naturally loved the people watching more than the game itself.   

Cheering on the local team, 

and entertaining people in the stands with my amazing talents.