The Earthquake that DID happen and the fire that didn't...

Yesterday, we went to visit our sweet neighbors, the Strawns, who moved to Duarte, CA two weeks ago.  Mihret is Abby Jane's very first playmate- they played together outside almost daily while Carrie and I enjoyed mama time.  We loved getting to see them and their new home!  

Ironically, their new home is only about 20 minutes away from where the epicenter of the quake was yesterday, as opposed to the hour and a half or so that Malibu is!  We only felt it for a few seconds, and I thought at first that I was dizzy, and that was why things were shaky.  All things considered, it was a good first (and hopefully only) earthquake experience!

As to the fire, a Hooters was built on College Street in Auburn my senior year.  Every morning I passed the construction on my run, and I prayed down fire on it- something as crass as a Hooters does NOT belong in our sweet Auburn!  Good wings, schmood wings.  But the fire never happened.

However, Emily Kloess York called me this week to tell me that the Hooters on College St. is now closed!!! Apparently it has re-opened in Opelika, but that would now make it Opelika's sin, not Auburn's... just kidding sweet Opelika friends!!! In all seriousness, Hooters does not belong anywhere, much less in sweet small towns.

Four days and counting...

Until we fly South for the first time with Abby Jane and join my family at the beach for a week, then play with Jake's family for a few days before returning to Cali.  We are fit to be tied to be in the south, be with family, see little nieces and nephews, play in WARM ocean water, and don't get me started on all the food I'm excited about!!!

But there are two small things I need advice on: 1. a 5 hour flight with a 6 month old, and 2. a three hour time change for almost two weeks!  Some of you have passed some tips on to me, but I want to hear it again.  She's in a sweet-natured, mostly laid back stage right now, so I think we're going to be fine.  But I do want some strategies in place, since we are fairly regimented in our schedule here at home.

ALSO, we were so honored and blessed to have Jeff and Lyndsay Rutherford (Jeff and I were dear friends in high school, and he married one of my best friends and roommates at Auburn) spend time with us Saturday and Sunday before starting their trip up the coast to Monterey, Napa, etc.  It was such a teaser to have a short visit- we love time with them so much!  Thank heavens the Tennessee game is not far away... This picture was before we put Abby Jane to bed to have some adult time!

Have I ever mentioned...

That Abby Jane sleeps like she's laying out?  This is how she sleeps about 90% of the time!

This has been an eventful week in Abby Jane's life.  Her Mimi (Jake's mom, Sandy) came out for a few days earlier this week to spend some time with us girls while Jake was gone.  We had a great time, including some swimming, playing at the Country Mart, and doing some shopping.  I even got to get away to do an errand ALONE while she stayed with Abby Jane!

Jake came home last night (YEA!) and we left about 20 minutes later, leaving Abby Jane with her first non-grandmother babysitter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  A precious student who Jake works with and goes to church with us was gracious enough to watch Abby Jane while we went out with some dear friends, knowing full well that it had potential to not be a delightful evening with our child.  But according to her, it was fine, and Abby Jane was asleep when we came home (yes, with hands behind her head) and slept through the night like normal.  We were so thankful for Nicole!

Last, but DEFINITELY not least, Abby Jane has two new California friends!  Lucy Hoff made the earth more beautiful on July 13th, and Sammy Roberts started breaking hearts yesterday. Until now, Abby Jane has been the token mascot of our small group.  Now she's going to be the old lady next to these youngest additions!

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's...

A flying baby!!  This was from a beach picnic after Jake got home on Saturday.  I'm particularly fond of the enthusiasm on both faces!!

Yesterday, we psyched ourselves up to put Abby Jane in nursery for the first time!  This was a really big deal since Abby Jane's previous time away from us consists of once or twice when grandparents were in town.  We did not expect to make it into the sanctuary before our buzzer went off.  But she did fabulously and made it the whole 1 1/2 hour service without fussing!!  We were so proud!!!  We are entering a new phase with our sweet little girl!

This is Jake's last week to be away at school- this is the week they start the classes and material for the fall semester.  We are so proud of him starting his second year of his Ph.D. program, but we can't wait to have him back home again!

Surprise!

Jake called around 6:00 last night to say he was on his way home for the night- we weren't supposed to get to see him until Saturday afternoon!  It was fabulous to have him home for the night, and saying goodbye this morning when he went back to school was made easier by the fact that he gets to come home again tomorrow afternoon until Monday morning.  Abby Jane was glad to see her daddy and settled right in with him, talking, exploring his face, laughing at his tricks and funny sounds...  Needless to say, she loves her daddy and I love my husband!

THANK YOU for the great advice on mixing foods.  I mixed her peas with rice cereal yesterday, and she ate the whole jar over the course of her meals throughout the day.  YEA!  Here's the proof...

She's been sitting up for a week now, and it's amazing how much more stable she is this week than last.  When I see her sitting like this, playing by herself, she looks so small that the phrase that comes to mind is "lump of sugar!"

She doesn't like peas, but...

She'll eat carrots!  

We tried peas yesterday, and she gagged at the taste.  Hilarious.  So we moved onto the "oranges" today, and she enjoyed half a jar of carrots with her oatmeal after naptime.  One question... the carrots are runny- is it normal to combine runny things with cereal to thicken it?  Or is that gross?

The girl and I continue to be ladies about town while Jake's gone... went to Baskin Robbins in the Palisades with our small group last night and YEA! we're meeting Beth for dinner tonight in Pasadena while she's in town again for business.  

Adventures

We've had a few adventures since saying goodbye to Jake on Saturday morning when he left for his summer two weeks out at Azusa.  I will be blogging a little more often than usual while he's gone to let him see his girl's antics!  Yesterday morning, Abby Jane was playing under her gym where she goes every morning after breakfast.  I laid her down on her back in the center of the gym (feet towards camera, head towards the window).  After a little while, I heard her grunting a bit and discovered her crooked under her gym on her tummy!  She never rolls onto her tummy unless she gets too much momentum rolling off of it!  So I would have loved to see how this happened...

So Abby Jane's foray onto her tummy was adventure #1.  Adventure #2 was our trip out to Azusa last night for a kick-off dinner and for Jake to get to introduce the child to his friends and professors.  But don't you know our cute little girl spent the majority of the time with her bottom lip stuck out, on the verge of or in tears?!  Funny kid.  She was so good in church and all day, then I think the party was a bit overwhelming or something.  

Adventure #3 was this morning when I ran to the store really quick at 10:30 to get a couple of things and be home before I fed her at 11:00ish.  But then a pushy old lady parked next to me was in too big of a hurry for me to finish getting Abby Jane out of the car and grab my purse and be out of her way.  So I got Abby Jane in the Bjorn and stepped back before finishing gathering my things, closing the car door so she could pull out.  Then I remembered that I had already locked the car and put the keys in my purse. So efficient of me.  So thanks to the pushy old lady, we spent a lovely hour at Ralph's waiting for the Malibu Tow guy to come unlock the car for the nominal fee of $70.00. By the time we got home, my child had not eaten in 4 1/2 hours, which is a long time for a 5 month old!  And the young lady who was so cranky last night could not have been more chill and relaxed this morning despite her empty tummy!  So you never know...

Sitting Up

That's right!  Abby Jane turned 5 months this week, and she decided she'd kick off the month by sitting up!  Granted, she looks like a weeble wobble as Jake kindly pointed out, but she stays up for a while before this starts to happen...

...and apparently falling over is funny here!

We went for a beach picnic last night to have a little more family time before Jake leaves for school tomorrow morning.  He'll be gone for two weeks, but we'll get to see him at least twice between tomorrow and when he comes back at the end of next week.  As you can tell from this picture, the girl loves her daddy.  I don't think there's any risk that she'll forget who her daddy is in that time period!
I find this one so funny- she's like- "OK, Mom, that's perhaps the 9 millionth kiss today. Enough's enough, you know?"

Summer Days...

We've had such a fun last week and a half!  "Aunt" Beth came out for business last week and had dinner with us one night- we love her business trips!!!

Abby Jane had her first two trips to the pool last week!  I have become a bit of a sun Nazi, so she's sunscreened up in her rash guard suit and looks a bit greasy, but I love this shot of her "that's my Daddy!" face...

Jake took Thursday off last week, and we had the greatest family day, going to the beach in the morning...and to the Pepperdine pool in the afternoon after naptime!  She's funny in the pool- not really smiley, but not fussy... she just looks around, taking everything in.  Jake was "waterskiing" her in the water, and her expression looked like, "yeah, this is no big deal, I do this all the time..."

On the Fourth, we went to the Will Rogers 5K/10K in the Palisades with our dear friends Jake and Lesley Roberts.  Yes, Lesley is due in three weeks, and she walked the 5K!  Jake R. and I ran the 10K, while my sweet Jake and Abby Jane spectated- it was so fun!!

We had a normal afternoon of naptime and playing outside... then went back to the Roberts' place to grill out and watch fireworks.  Abby Jane had just been put down when the fireworks started.  She woke up from the noise, but was quiet and very interested to watch the fireworks with me from the patio!  We were so proud!

The highlight for her this weekend was probably when Daddy put together her exersaucer!  She LOVES it and keeps being surprised by discovering new things that it does!  Here she is examining a flip toy...