East Coast 2010: Part 1

One week ago, we returned from a family-filled East Coast bonanza, which took us through 8 states and 6 beds in a mere 2 weeks. Bottom line: it was a wonderful trip. But you can understand why the task of sifting through photos and trying to summarize our adventures has been a little overwhelming!We began by flying to Virginia's Dulles Airport, where we had a happy reunion with Nana and Boom.From that moment on, the fun never stopped. There was a trip to the mall to buy new shoes (including Campbell's first pair of "big girl shoes").The grocery store in Virginia has the same shopping cart that the girls loved in Irvine.But wait, you may say, why is Campbell alone?!? Because, my friends, in addition to the car/shopping cart, the grocery store also has this:Then, there were tea parties on the patio,
and artistic expression (also on the patio),and lots of chocolate treat eating.There were merry-go-round rides at the park.And, because it was quite a bit warmer than Northern California, there were lots of opportunities to cool off in the pool.By the end of the week, Nana and Boom figured the girls had had enough fun, and decided to put them to work washing the car. But darned if THAT wasn't the most fun of all!
Next installment: we rent a minivan and drive (slowly) up to New Hampshire. But don't expect it too promptly. Look closely at the photo below, and you will see my excuse for slow blogging (which I plan to milk for the next 6 months).
That's right; for those who didn't see it on Facebook, we're adding another pickle to this patch in early March 2011!

Mullet No More!

You may have noticed that Fiona, who was almost completely bald until she was 2, has been looking a little scruffy lately. Scruffy and dated; this is a photo of her taken just yesterday:
Clearly, it was time for me to spread some newspaper on the front porch, pull out my scissors, and go to work. (Judging from above, I also needed to shave her chest a little...) So I did, and here is the result:
It may not seem at first like much of an improvement, largely because I can't get Fiona to NOT look deranged in posed photos, but I can assure you she looks pretty stylish in person!

Meeting Aiden

This past weekend we made the drive through California's great flat, cow-scented San Joaquin Valley from Berkeley to Orange County to meet the girls' first cousin (and our first nephew) Aiden. Fiona was set to go with her new Hello Kitty backpack:
The girls were great on the long drive, but the highlight was definitely the hotel. Due to a serious design flaw at Embassy Suites, wherein the bathroom is connected to the living room portion, Erick and I ended up on the pullout couch, while Fiona and Campbell shared the spacious master bedroom. At the bottom of this post is a video of the rejoicing (plus a little sisterly body-slamming) that happened immediately after Fiona entered the room and turned the radio to a hip hop station.

Fiona and Campbell were both delighted with their little cousin, who, being 2 weeks old, is still in the eat-sleep cycle. He's adorable, a very good baby, and Uncle Wesley and Auntie Kristin seem like pros already!There was plenty of time during the day for pursuits other than staring at the baby, of course. We hung out at Laguna Beach, where we realized that our girls have vastly different beach preferences. We have surf:And turf:We also visited the Children's Discovery Zone in Santa Ana, where Fiona strapped on a shark against a green screen to appear in her own undersea movie:
There were wonderful pastries to be had at the Corner Bakery in Irvine:But undoubtedly the highlight of the visit (apart from Aiden) was the shopping cart at Ralph's grocery store. They don't have these in Berkeley!It was a fun visit for the whole family, and we can't wait to see Aiden again soon!

Campbell Turns 1!

Well, that was the fastest year ever! This past Sunday, our baby Campbell turned 1 year old. The celebration actually began a couple of weeks prior, when we had an early celebration with Grandmommy and Granddaddy (who were in Alaska being rugged for the actual day).Although Campbell looked pretty stoic when she saw her first cake, she seemed to warm up upon actual consumption.Campbell's birthday weekend began with a visit to the California Academy of Sciences, a marvelous place that includes a rainforest dome and an aquarium. We took Fiona there for her 1st birthday, too, so it's becoming something of a tradition. The difference between the two girls couldn't have been more clear; while Fiona was riveted on the fish (this is not just an age thing; it applies both to this visit and when she was 1), Campbell -- as these pictures show -- just wanted to MOVE.But there were some moments of equal fascination.And Fiona also developed an affection for the turbo-hand-dryers.Campbell's actual birthday began with presents and pancakes. Among her favorite gifts were the stroller and baby doll that Fiona had picked out for her and bought with her own piggy bank money (and which were swifty re-appropriated by Fiona!).There were also balloons.That afternoon, we invited our friends and neighbors, Elisa and her baby sister Addy, over for cake and playtime. Note Fiona playing the big girl and trying to wrangle the little ones into the photo!Elisa and Addy also gave Campbell (and by extension, Fiona) a wonderful gift: a shopping cart!
Amazing to think that this was Campbell 1 year ago:

Our Life Now

This pretty much sums it up. I don't think it needs much explanation; the way I describe life at our house these days is that we have one who won't stop talking, and one who won't stop moving!

We Love Campbell

As we approach Campbell's first birthday (hard to believe!), it seems appropriate to single her out for a minute. Over the past year, she's had the typical but unfortunate 2nd child tendency to be overshadowed by the antics of her big sister. However, Campbell has certainly been coming into her own of late.She's a little ray of sunshine, this one; typically happy (and a HUGE flirt).She's also very independent, and loves to explore. Fiona has already corrupted her by introducing her to the forbidden pleasures of the linen closet.And speaking of Fiona, Campbell is usually quite patient with her overbearing older sister. Although she can certainly hold her own when necessary.
We're so glad she's a part of our family! At this point, it's becoming harder and harder to recall our family without her.