Old MacDonald's Farm

Well, our plans with old friends fell through today, so we decided to just be spontaneous and find something to do anyway. I had bought a Doodle Deal (Moms....if you don't know what it is, look it up...great deals for kids activities sent daily!) awhile back to Lemos Ranch down in Half Moon Bay, so we decided to take Jake there today. All the way there he was so excited to see "Old MacDonald's Farm". We got there, and it was kind of disappointing...very disorganized and chaotic. BUT, Jake didn't notice, and he had a blast. He got to feed the goats, ride the choo-choo train, ride a pony and play on the slide...perfect place for him!

Where did my child come from???

Seriously...I think I might need a child agent because I might have the next Justin Bieber on my hands. Jake made up his first song last night and wouldn't stop singing it all night long. Where he got his "I'm not afraid, I'm a guitarman" lyrics from...I'm not sure. Right before he started singing, there were rattlesnakes on TV, and Josh and I were both commenting how scary/gross they were. So, I'm assuming that he was responding to our talk about rattlesnakes when he wrote his lyrics. But seriously...how hysterical is this? And, WHERE DID HE COME FROM??????? Oh...and yes...he does most of his performing when he has his PJs on for some reason!

And the celebration continued one more day...

My birthday celebration continued one more day yesterday. My parents, sister, and my friend from way back, Susan met us in Burlingame for a birthday picnic celebration, while watching the Music In the Park performance. Jake was in heaven, as can be imagined, with the live music, and the weather being perfect. It was a fantastic, mellow celebration, and I couldn't have asked for anything better. Of course we brought lots of entertainment for Jake, including the parachute from his birthday party.

Wonderful Birthday Week!

It was been such a great birthday week!! The birthday festivities started last weekend when my sister Erica babysat Jake and let Josh and I have a dinner/movie night as her birthday present to me...so nice! Then, on Thursday there was a SURPRISE party at work. I really had no idea that it was going to happen, and all of my old and new co-workers showed up for quite an incredible feast! I was truly mortified walking into the room filled with people, and I didn't even notice that Josh and JAKE were in the back of the room...the biggest surprise! Somehow Josh didn't give the surprise away, and "worked from home" on Thursday, but really only worked a half day, and then brought Jake to my work for a big celebration! It was wonderful for all of my co-workers to meet Josh and Jake, and to start my birthday festivities two days early! Friday was my present-to-myself-day...per the previous post, I ended up working quite a bit, but it was still a very relaxing day. Plus, it ended in perfection with more surprises of decorations and dinner from Josh. Saturday, my actual birthday, we started the day with a super yummy brunch (my favorite meal) at Hobbies (I die for that blueberry coffeecake!). Following brunch, we went to Khloe Koontz's 1st birthday party at one of our favorite parks down in Los Gatos- Oak Meadow. It's fantastic because it has a choo-choo train, carousel, playground and endless green grass to play on. It was quite the Intel reunion as well, as we saw some old co-workers whom we hadn't seen in probably 7 years! It was great! Jake was in pure heaven (which generally means we're all very happy) with the train and carousel, and of course, his best buddy Benny Bolger was there as well...what more could he have possibly asked for!! Following the party, we brought Jake to Grandma Lee Lee's house (thanks again Lee and Bill!), and Josh took me out to dinner in Palo Alto. It was super delish and a great end to a fantastic day!

My birthday present from Jake

Check this out...my birthday present from Jakey!

How the day ended up...

Well...of course, I didn't quite accomplish all that I had hoped, surprise, surprise. The day ended up more like this:

1. Negotiate with Jake for a 1/2 hour to get him out of his PJs and into clothes

2. Drop Jake off at school

3. Got some important work e-mails, so drove home and worked for two hours (yep...there goes gym idea)

4. Arrived at mani/pedi place to find it totally jammed (who are these people who don't work on Fridays??), so only could squeeze in for a quick pedicure

5. Haircut and color (phew...at least that one worked out!)

6. Stop into Gap on my way home to find cute things for Jake, and 1 birthday top for me

7. Work for another hour

8. Race to pick up Jake in time to see the crazy Bubble Lady show (video to come of that)

the day finished perfectly though:

9. Arrive home to find Josh already home, with the dining room decorated in birthday streamers, takeout dinner from my favorite salad place, and cupcakes from my favorite bakeshop!!

Happy Almost Birthday to Me!

Well...to treat myself to a happy birthday present, I took today OFF! Here is all that I plan to do today...we'll see just how much of it I actually get done:
1. drop Jake off at school
2. Go to the gym
3. get a mani/pedi
4. Get a haircut
5. Do a little shopping
6. Nap!
7. Go to the grocery store
8. Get back to pick up Jake by 4:00 so that I can watch him at the Bubble Lady performance at school
phew...we'll see how it goes. But either way, it's nice just to have a few hours to myself today! Happy almost Birthday to Me!

Hide and Seek

We spent much of this past weekend at many different parks. One of Jake's favorite activities whenever there are trees around is Hide and Seek. It's quite funny to watch him play, as he is still at the stage of believing that when he can't see anyone, no one can see him either. So he'll start "hiding" next to a tree screaming "where is Jakey, where is Jakey", not really attempting to hide from us. Wonder when the actual hiding concept sinks in...

Our Performer...

Seriously...Jake can't get enough of singing and his guitar. He gets obsessed with many things, and generally he forgets about them about a week later. But this guitar obsession seems to be sticking. This is the performance that we got this morning as we drank our coffee and tea:

What month is it???

Based on the weather lately in SF, it could be November here. And...Jakey is ready for Christmas already! He found his bells recently, and is now regularly singing Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells!! Hilarious!

Thinking of...

Today we will be thinking of Grandma Jennie, as today would have marked her 90th birthday. This evening, Jakey and I will be clinking wooden spoons together as we cheer her big day, all while we bake up 6 dozen cookies, brownies and cakes for the bake sale that I'm helping throw at work tomorrow. I find it quite fitting that I'll be baking all evening with my son...very much in Grandma Jennie fashion. I will tell Jake all about Grandma Jennie as we bake, especially about all of the fantastically delicious treats that she always had on hand for the grandkids.
Love ya and thinking of ya Grandma!

Happy Birthday Tia Lindsay!

We wish our gorgeous Auntie Lindsay a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY today!! We hope that you have a wonderful, relaxing, awesome day! It was wonderful celebrating with you on Sunday.

Park day with Tia Erica

Erica has about a month left before she once again leaves us for a year, this time taking off for Graduate school in Vermont. So, we are seeing her as much as possible on the weekends while we have her. Sunday she came with us to one of Jake's favorite parks:

Happy Birthday to Ben!

Today we drove down to Monterey for one of Jake's best buddy, Ben Bolger's 2nd birthday party. It was held at a fantastic spot called My Museum, which was literally Jake's dream playplace....indoor mini golf, slides, bubbles, fake cars and tractors to climb into...etc. It was a great birthday party, followed by a quick visit to the Bolger home afterwards. We've decided that the next time we go down to Monterey, we really have to just get a hotel for the night though, as it is just such a great place to play and we hate leaving every time! Happy Birthday Benny Bolger!
And how adorable is little Khloe Koontz who is about to turn 1 year old!

Park Day

This past weekend's weather was truly spectacular in San Francisco! Sunday we decided to head over to Golden Gate Park again (such an amazing park to have smack in the middle of our fantastic city!). We had a picnic among the gorgeous flower beds outside of the Conservatory of Flowers. We played some baseball, soccer and catch, before Jake headed for the stairs for go up, down, up, down...many times without holding on. He was beyond proud of himself!

We ended the evening with a wonderful belated date night to celebrate our 4 year anniversary. Erica came to babysit, and Josh and I headed out for a great dinner and movie night. What a great day!

Above, Jake kept bothering this poor "guitarman" as Jake called him, because Jake wanted to play his guitar of course!

Belated Birthday for Grandpa

Saturday we went down to Grandpa Bill and Grandma Lee Lee's house and had a belated birthday party for Grandpa. The highlight for Jake (besides having all FOUR grandparents to squeal over him at once) were new golf clubs that Grandma Lee Lee gave to Jake. It was very sweet watching Grandpa, Granddad and Josh all trying to teach Jake how to golf...and of course, Jake having nothing of their instruction, and insisting on doing it his way, by himself.

Happy July 4th!

Today has been a fantastic family day. As Jake is obsessed with music/musicians/parades/bands, I decided that we had to find a July 4th parade for him to see for the first time today. So, we headed over to Sausalito, where they put on their very own, small-town parade. It wasn't the most spectacular parade ever, nor the best organized, but it was an absolutely gorgeous day, and we lucked out with super close parking...so it was great. The Cal Alumni Marching Band was there, as well as some great baton twirlers (we got to tell Jakey how his Nana used to be a baton twirler!), clowns...and then just a whole bunch of locals walking down the street. It was fun though, and can't wait to see the fireworks over the water tonight!

Happy July 4th Friend and Family!!