To laugh often and much...

Our fridge door with my all time favorite quote:

To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded! - Emerson

barf

So yesterday we came home, set her down in the living room, and told her to say hi to Charlie like she usually does. It was a stressful day at work and I was tired. I just really just wanted to sit there for a few minutes to gather some energy and then start dinner. But she just stood there looking at me with this expression:

Note: Not actual picture from yesterday, but the expression is close enough. Please excuse the hair. Looks like I need to do some corrective trimming on both sides. Kind of a challenge to cut a 1 year old's hair. I become Running-with-Scissors. She, a mini tazmanian devil.

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So I go, "Aw, you wanna hug?" I knelt down and she went over to me. As soon as she put her head down on my shoulder she went, "Baaaaaarf!" and started crying. Great. So much for resting. The good thing is I was able to get another load of laundry out of the way and the living room floor needed some wiping anyway. I don't remember what I ate for dinner, but I think the hubby ate cereal. Oh and yes she's okay now.

yo gabba gabba

Yo Gabba Gabba, her favorite tv show (nick jr). She likes the little green one, Brobie.

arboretum

The Arboretum. An escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Peaceful. Quiet. A sanctuary. Summer. Fall. Winter. Spring. The seasons offer an ever changing pallete of colors and views. Painting, writing, thinking is what I do when I come here. I have walked the grounds thinking if I was ever going to be a mother. That was long time ago. Now, I have my little one to share this beautiful place with.

the getty

If it's a beautiful day, we're off to the Getty!

Warming up before exploring the grounds

run the other way, baby...

what's over there?

pondering about being a 1 year old

cool fountain

rolling down the hill with dad

that's a...statue

art history from mom

Gonna get mom from the gift shop. Time to go home.

family

In December, the family drove down to the Del Coronado Hotel in San Diego, CA to have brunch. It's a special day because we celebrated my parents 43rd wedding anniversary..and it's also Maya's first time at the beach.

dad, mom, and the Maya-bear

discovering sand for the first time

exploring

baby launcher

family

Hello and welcome

with Charlie

with daddy

with mommy

with friends