All Closed Up

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Thursday was supposed to be our first day of Francie's Ballet class at the Menlo Park Academy of Dance (where I took ballet when I was little too- really little before the lack of coordination set in :) Jannie met us at Stack's for breakfast before the class and we were taking our time around town waiting for the 11:30 class... which we got to just in time for all the cute little tutu-ed two year olds to be filing out of. I got the time wrong, it was 10:30!

OOOPS!

Francie was a little miffed it was "All closed up" but settled for a trip to the toy store and playing at Brilliant Babies with Jannie and Maisie. It worked out fine since we go to go back to the Friday class and Oma and Opa (and her entourage, next post!) got to see her dance too.

Jannie and Maisie having tummy time

being silly with the kids at BB

"Mom, will you tell her not to step on my toy please"

Those big sisters....

The happy little Maisie Moo moved on to a new toy :)

A Rainy Day Playdate

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Wednesday we had some friends come to Brilliant Babies to play since the weather was still rainy and wet (and our backyard is waiting for new grass to be put in... think giant mud pit!) We took over BB and let the kids burn off some steam dressing up, snacking, playing music and bouncing in the bounce house. It was an easy place to play- good thing the girls at BB put up with us! ;)

Francie, Estelle and Gianna sharing apples at the snack table

Maisie in her favorite spot on the floor

Estelle and Francie holding hands to go play in the imagination room... they usually only look at each other so this was a big deal :)

Issac being cute as ever

Landry (who just had her 1 year anniversary HEARING with her magic ears/coclear implants!) dressed up

Gianna reading her fav "NO David" (must be a big sister thing:)

Wes-man singing out loud at the ever popular piano

The moms- Paige, Lindsey, Beth, Mary, Tami, Kelli and Icie with our excuses for a good playdate :)

A Stormy Day

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Tuesday was rainy, windy and cold all day but we ventured out for a fun lunch date with my oldest friend Jen (our moms met in lamaze class!) and her boyfriend Zach... we stopped by Academic Trainers and Brilliant Babies then we hung out around the house until Jen and Zach came over for a few drinks when Heff got home from work. It was a fun day visiting with friends and trying to stay dry in the monsoon :)

In the morning Maisie fell asleep in my lap so I put her in the swing for a nap but didn't buckle her in for fear of waking her up... I went in the backyard to feed the chickens and clean up a little after the strom and when I came back in to check on her I found her on the floor! Not crying, not mad, not hurt thank goodness!... just crawling away with her blanket over her head going for the exersaucer.

Then we went to the new Primavera Cafe at Allied Arts... it was nice and cozy in the rain and great to catch up with Jen and Zach!

Francie climbed up on the counter to reach the candy corn jar... "Just ONE MORE Mom!?"

What a little stinker ;)

She also climbed in to her sisters bassinet (old bassinet now!) and told me she was putting her baby she named "Vofa" to sleep... shhh, shhh, shhhhh

and little Maisie just keeps smiling

Zach and Jen came over for a few beers and we even snuck in a game of Super-Scrabble. They need to move back here :)

Good thing she likes bows! (her hair is getting a little out of control without one in!)

And in other news, Violet and Wittle Violet "got a bath" :) I told you... exciting things going on around here!

Orbit Baby Babies

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We have the "Orbit Infant System" for Maisie's carseat and stroller and we love how easy it is to use/fold/throw in the car :) My friend Lena and her daughter Rose were in playgroup with the founders/inventors of the Orbit and asked us to come take some pictures of their new organic line of carseat/stroller material and the new winter cozy footmuffs. We went to their offices a few months ago and the girls posed in the strollers for their cameras- they just released the new products so I can finally blog them! Maisie is wearing a "JanKnit" original hat that was the perfect color for the new silver footmuffs :)

Francie in what she called "a camp bed for my stroller" (it was still 90 degrees outside)

I love how plain and simple the new covers are... and "green" too ;)

Francie peaking out

Rose in the big girl carseat next to Maisie who wouldn't quite give up the binky!

Happy Fall!

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The "big storm" everyone has been talking about blew in last night- I love the weather! It's raining, cold and windy so we're battened down at home watching Mickey Mouse, coloring, playing with kicthen tools (Francie found our Pacific Sun Olive Oil stash and is making me "Oil Soup" yum ;) and we are waiting for my good friend Jen and her boyfriend Zach to come over to go to lunch- we haven't seen her since March since she lives in NYC now so she gets to meet Maisie Moo! (Jannie made the cute pumpkins but ran out of A's so Maisie got a Moo!) Happy Halloween season :)

Funny Girls in Uggs

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The girls were haiving fun with Jannie's toys on "Sophie's couch" before dinner Saturday night so I caught them playing on the couch together- Maisie is finally sitting really well on her own which makes her more fun for her sister to play with/hug/poke/tease :) They are so cute to watch together at this age... Francie is maternal to Maisie (and everything else- yesterday I heard her telling her treasure chest toy ball from Brilliant Babies "It's ok little ball, you are a big girl! You don't have to cry at Brilliant Babies, I will always come right back!") She cracks me up.



The girls both got new Ugg Boots for the winter and love them (almost as much as I do- they are so easy to put on after a summer of sandals!)

"Save me Mom"

"OK to touch Maisie's ear mom?!" ;)

Little Moo

Curly Haired Francie Pants (who just asked me "What's your plan today Mom?" and then suggested "maybe we go to Susie's Sugar Shack?" ! Sweet tooth :)

Saturday Night Dinner

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We were over at Jannie and Grampa's house Saturday night with our friends the Alticks for a yummy pizza/venison/rib eye dinner. Dr. Altick has been our dentist and good family friend since their kids were in preschool with us! Their son Brad and his wife Michelle came too with their little girl Amelia who is 18 months old- she is adorable and was holding her own running around Jannie's and playing with Francie. We had way too much food for the group, as usual, but since Frank is a big hunter too we broke out Jerry's venison from his successful hunt a few weeks ago- sorry you weren't there to enjoy it Jer, it was delicious!

Francie gets to make her own pizza now on pizza party nights... she kneads the dough and lets it rise in a little tiny bowl :)

Ellen and Maisie watching Francie go to work

Jannie working on her own pizzas too

The guys at the grill.. Heff and Brad working on the venison

The Alticks with cute little Amelia!

"Ellie" and Amelia staying warm... Francie kept Amelia up way past her bedtime but she was a trooper!

Heff made a really good red wine reduction sauce for the venison backstraps... they were great!

Big eyes

Francie Goes to Oregon

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Heff and Francie sure had an adventure of their own! When Donald (Heff's BIL who married Aunt Kat) invited Heff up to his family's ranch in Eastern Oregon for their opening season of deer hunting he wasn't sure he could squeeze another hall pass out of his wife since he'd just been on two long-weekend hunting trips but when I got a chance to go to Hawaii he figured if he took Francie and I got Maisie we'd all be happy- I'd get to lounge by the pool and he'd get to hunt, our respective favorite activities! Even though both trips would have been even better if we were all together- for a compromise this worked out pretty well...

The family packed up and heading to the airport/Oregon early Friday morning.
Francie looking thrilled ;)

*PS... if you are a PETA fan, animal lover or vegetarian you might want to skip this post and definitely do not click on the picasa album these pictures are in. I warned you.

Heff stopped in Red Bluff to pick up Oma and Opa who were great to go along on the trip and entertain Francie while Heff and Donald scanned the country side for the biggest buck. Oma riding next to Francie in the truck (or maybe you can't see her in the camo? ;)

Tom and Claire with Susan and Mark Doverspike up at the ranch in Emmigrant, OR

Did Heff hear that nurse say "It's a Girl!" two years ago in the delivery room?? Just checking ;)

Susan was so nice to have a bunch of her boy's old toys out for Francie to play with and Oma brought an arsenal of playdough, coloring and fun stuff for her!

Out on a walk with the dolls (what I want to know Donald is which of your brothers had the pink doll stroller?!)

Oma made Francie yummy Mickey Mouse pancakes in the cabin...

and spent lots of time playing with her (thanks Oma :)

and while they were having too much fun at the homestead...

Heff got a buck! "Good job Daddy! That was hard work!"

WHo looks happiest in this picture?

Oma, Opa and Francie drove out to see the deer daddy got

Francie got to help Uncle Donald drive the tractor!!

but don't click on these unless you really want to see why they needed a tractor ;)

Francie saying hello to the horses

They said hello right back

Apparently Francie had a big crush on Mr. Doverspike and ran after him everywhere he went

"Ahhh... is this a potty? I think I'm glad I still wear diapers."

Fishing with Dad

"Where's all the fish?"

Hiking with Oma

A new fishing hole Uncle Donald showed her

On the lookout

Found a companion (when we were looking at the pictures she told me "I sink that was Steph, yeah Stephi... or maybe that one was Kate." She remembers dogs names forever!)

and how could this trip get any better?! A horseback ride!!

Mr Doverspike won her over ;)

She told me she was "Feeding them snacks of hay"

and Francie trying her photography skills captured Dad. I think they had a lot of father-daughter bonding on this trip :)

Hawaiian Vacation

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Maisie and I are back and settled in with Dad and Francie after our little adventures. I had such a great trip to Hawaii- it was so relaxing, we had great weather and I always have fun hanging out with Christian and getting some time to just play with Maisie. I finally broke down and got a new MacBook the night before the trip so Christian, who owns a business a block away from mine downtown, and I both caught up on some work stuff (don't think we can exactly write that trip off though:) and talked about all our "favorite" clients we have in common. We tried not to spend too much time Facebooking-I-mean-working though and walked, lounged, lunched, cocktailed, dined and caught up on episodes of Mad Men. Our friend Matt Ochsner landed in Kona a few days before I left to get ready to swim/bike/run the Ironman Triathlon so we met up with him for dinner too when Christian and I ran out of things to talk about (just kidding- could never happen :) It was a great trip!

Our view

More beach time pictures!

She's holding on to that bald head but just started growing a thin little layer of fuzz!

Peaking out of her pack and play

Tasting sand

I can't get enough of the water in these pictures

Maisie ordering lunch at the Beach Club with Christian

in her cute little Juicy romper Landry gave Francie last year!

Christian in the "holy water" lagoon we swam in (she convinced me it was worth getting my blow-dryed hair wet to swim, which I never do!)

another funny face- this little girl cracks me up :)

Relaxing at the house after a day of sun

"Hi Dad!" and please stop taking my picture Mom and get me in that water :)

Maisie and Mom

They bring you a pack and play out to your cabana on the beach- nice way to nap Maise!

I love that binky smile

Burying her feet and trying to figure out how to eat sand without taking the binky out

Big girl standing in the waves (and when Grampa sees this he'll remind you to 'never turn your back to the ocean' Maisie)

Just lounging in the pool

She loves it!

Maisie and Christian

My silly smiling girl and me with a wet pony tail- rare sight ;)

Posing in a waterfall ;) - and not sick of the camera yet like her big sister would be!

Playing in the baby pool- with a neat sandy bottom

Big girl standing at the turtle

Christian is SO good to Maisie- I was spoiled to go on this trip, she makes it too easy to travel with a baby... she changes her diaper before I even think to do it and loves to snuggle Maisie- even when we eat out! Lucky Maisie and lucky me :)

until next time...

I had a great trip with my Maisie-Moo- thanks Christian and thanks Heff!

Short End of the Stick?

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Can you guess who is who?

Not too hard- I think they look so different! (Francie, then Maisie)

More pictures from Maisie's Hawaiian Vacation...

and Francie's Awesome Adventures in Oregon... COMING NEXT!

When Francie and Heff picked us up at the airport Francie told Maisie "I got to go hunting and fishing in Oregon but you were too wittle. You had to go to Hawaii with Mom so I sink you got the SHORT END-A THE STICK!"

"HAHA! Who is she kidding! Keep telling yourself that Big Sis ;)"

Happy Little Fish

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Maisie is swimming in the ocean, lounging by the pool, lunching with Mom and Christian and having a ball at Hualalai!! We miss Dad and Francie of course but are soaking up some sun and girl time for one more day :) Maisie has been so much fun to have some one-on-one time with- she is giggling, belly laughing and working on turning her belly crawl into all fours movement. Here are a few beach pictures from yesterday...

HAPPINESS

funny face

Mad Mad Maisie Mad when she got her face wet (She forgave Christian pretty quickly)

Now that's a wedgie!!

Beach Bum!

What are you thinking Maisie Moo? ;)

Photo Shoot with the Shigo Girls

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How adorable are these girls!? Last week Kate, Ella and Claire Shigo (my blog friends:) were in the area for a family wedding so they wrangled Emmy for a little photshoot the day before the wedding (they flew down a day early to catch her on a rare day off soccer!) We had so much fun doing the pictures at Jannie's house. Emmy had a vision and wanted this couch outside on the lawn and a few other great ideas I don't want to give away since Kerri is going to use some of the best pics in their Christmas card of course! But let me just tell you the pictures are EM-AZING!!!

Francie was in seventh heaven "jumping on the bed" with her friends. I found these adorable outfits at Le Cirque and couldn't resist since they had sizes for all of the girls- Ella said she felt "old fashioned" in the high waisted little pique shorts :)

A lot of people have been asking if Emmy is available for photos... she will be!! Soccer and school are keeping her busy right now but by January she should be free and wants to start a little business doing kids shoots! Her email is emmers@gmail.com but if she doesn't get back to you right away it's because she is too busy scoring goals for SJSU! She'll be ready to be booked in 2010 :)

Maisie wanted to snap a few too

Ella and Maisie in a edited shot

Maisie in the pram getting lots of attention from the big girls

and they're done...

After the shoot we tagged along to their good friend's house for a swim and lunch

Francie was SO excited to be hanging with all these cool big girls!

She even let Maisie join in... big girl big sisters are good examples :)

Cute girls in the sunshine

Now THAT'S a GAGGLE OF GIRLS! :) Kate, Emily, Francie, Ella, Lauren, Claire, Maisie and Charlotte

Thanks for a fun day!

Maisie's Hawaiian Vacation

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Maisie and I took a little girl's trip to the Big Island for her first Hawaiian vacation! Heff took Francie on her own adventure- hunting on Uncle Donald's Ranch in Burns Oregon with Oma and Opa to keep her busy while they hunt (pictures of their trip soon!) So Maisie and I escaped with Christian to the Four Seasons Hulalaia in Kona. Francie was exactly the same age when she went to Kona Village (right next door!) so I should have some good "parallel pics" too :)

My sister Baby Ann says that one day when Francie figures out Maisie got to go to Hawaii and she went to Oregon she might be really mad- but my little Tomboy loves outdoor adventures with her dad so she thinks she is the winner this week ("You're too wittle to go hunting Maisie.... maybe someday when you're a big girl.")

Here is Francie all geared up in the truck with Dad when they dropped Maisie, Christian and me off at the airport (and I knew she was having a blast when I called to check in with them for the first time and heard "Hi Mom, we miss you!... wait, Francie- don't point that BB gun at Opa, only at the ground." Umm... Heff promised it was an old, unloaded, not working toy "gun"!

Our plane flight... we had great seats at the bulkhead and Maisie slept in my carry on bag :)

Of course we had the WEIRDEST but most entertaining passengers ever across the isle from us.. Maisie was so good on the flight- she NEVER cried and just talked a little high pitch baby talk a tiny bit but this unibomber girl kept cringing when Maisie babbled and then the guy next to her was so pissed at us the whole flight he kept shaking his head at us, starring us down and motioning to his wife in angry gestures! I mean IMAGINE, bringing a baby on a plane! It's too bad we didn't get a pic of their reaction when we had to change her diaper!!

"What did I do to make them so mad?!"

Maisie arrives in time for lunch by the beach... a happy girl

Sleeping on the couch for the first sunset

Good morning! We sent Emmy this text message pic when we woke up... she was waking up on the island next to us after winning SJSU's sixth straight game against Hawaii! YAY EMMY! (we tried to go watch but island hopping isn't easy, we listened online though!)

Just relaxing at the quiet pool

My camera phone is no where near as good as Christian's!

and actually watching her first sunest....