June California Trip - Part 2

We went to stay at Lo, Vere & Cole's house
in Carlsbad on Sunday. Monday afternoon
I took the girls to meet up with
the UCLA girls at Kelly's house in San Clemente
- it was a packed house!

10995 Roebling Girls + kids

Cole sleeping with pacifier.
I am told that Cole now has a pacifier addiction
from when I was there...
I don't know why I don't have more photos
from this portion of our trip...
let's see and a 4 year old, 17 mo. old and 2 mo. old,
no, we had plenty of free time on our hands...

Maya coming from the dining room,
she would disappear into the other
room and come back with a big
and mischievous smile on her face.

Auntie Lo made pancakes with
Tutu's animal molds -
they just taste better when they
look like wild animals & are made from scratch:)

Cole & Tutu
I thought I'd be nice and not
upload the once where they are both sleeping.

Eating nicely at the table, like big girls.

Sunday night the girls & I drove to Carlsbad to stay with Lo & Cole (Erik was in Vegas with friends celebrating 40th birthdays). It was a great visit and we did a lot of hanging out and loving our little Cole. The excursions that we did make were all in the name of shopping. We managed to make it to Trader Joes, Target and the Carlsbad Outlets. Trader Joe & Target were relatively painless trips and we managed to buy some cute stuff at the outlets. Although there was a moment outside of Banana Republic that Lo & I were looking at each other and wondering what the heck we were doing shopping with this many young kids. Of course, the dress that Kalia immediately wanted was in a specialty store selling flower girl dresses and way out of my price range. She is going to be my expensive child.

Monday afternoon I drove the girls to San Clemente to meet my friends from UCLA and kids. It was really fun, if not slightly chaotic - we have quite a few kids between us all now. Great to see everyone!

Our cousin Bobby & Chelsey came over Tuesday night for dinner and it was great hanging out with them! I was definitely starting to feel a little delirious by that night and wednesday was a catchup day on sleep, since erik was back & I took a nap.

Thursday morning we packed up and headed to Disneyland where we were meeting Tutu, Papa, Auntie Kim, Uncle Tim & Allie.

June California Trip - Part 1

Cole James Reynolds-Hale
At his "Welcome Cole" party
at my parents house on Saturday, June 19th.
(Photo by Tommy)

Mommy & Cole

There was some BBQing in the backyard.
(Photo by Tommy)

Auntie Cheryl & Cole

Kalia is a happy girl after Chelsey gave
her some juice.
(Photo by Tommy)

Uncle Ben, Auntie Midori, Jan, Conner & Gay

Maya loves her cousin.
Maya was actually jealous when I held Cole.
But later when we stayed with Lo & Cole,
we had to protect little Cole from
Maya trying to love him a little too much.

The Cake
(Photo by Tommy)

"Cole" Slaw
(Photo by Tommy)

(Photo: Tommy)

Maya & Tutu
(Photo: Auntie Cheryl)

Family Shot
OK, doesn't Maya look like a Japanese Erik here?
Kalia is such a ham - where does she get that from?
(Photo Auntie Cheryl)

We just returned for our June California Trip to meet Cole and visit family. We had a great time and are trying to get back to the normal routine. Major detox happening right now. Maya has decided she doesn't do the crib thing anymore.

The trip started out with us almost missing our flight and having to run 1/4 mile to the gate carrying both kids and all because we were eating! I seriously didn't think we were running late, until Erik told ME that we had to go. Then as we were rushing to the gate they called our name over the loud speaker and said they were shutting the door in 2 minutes. We grabbed the kids and ran - Kalia was yelling "wait for us" to Erik & Maya who were ahead of us and everyone was turned around to watch us run. The flight attendant was even yelling "are they coming?" when we were checking our boarding passes and when we finally sat down, Maya started screaming at the top of her lungs. We were the most popular people on the plane. But as soon as the plane took off, Maya fell asleep for 2 1/2 hours! Anyway, it was actually a great flight, I think we all got a little nap in.

Auntie Kim & Papa picked us up at the airport and Kalia & Maya entertained us on the way to Auntie Kim's house. It was so nice not to have to pick up the car rental shuttle with two kids, two carseats & two pieces of luggage. Plus the "maya factor" has definitely changed our style of travel - since she doesn't just lay there anymore and wants to run off.

Our first day in California we had a nice catch up day at Auntie Kim's house with Allie & Anthony. That night I went to my parents house to spend a little time with Cole & help a little with the party preparation. The girls happily stayed to play with Erik & his family.

Saturday we went to Tutu & Grandpa's house for the "Welcome Cole" party. It was a fun party - so great to see everyone, eat great food & spend time with our new little addition. After eating a huge feast, we put on Sleeping Beauty and I think half the party took a nap - including the four of us! Kalia was given a sleeping beauty & ariel doll set from Auntie Lo, Uncle Vere & Cole for her birthday and it kept her occupied for most of the party. Maya was busy putting stickers (from great-grandma) everywhere and trying to get people to give her more M&Ms (with Cole's face on them).

Kalia's 4th Birthday

Princess Kalia's 4th Birthday Celebration!
We all had a magical day...

It started with opening some gifts.
Kalia fell in love with this nightgown from tutu & grandpa...

... and so did Maya. We had to pry it out of her hands
so Kalia could try it on - poor Maya, she was quite upset.
It's hard to be the sister of the birthday girl.
She was only happy when I put her in a pretty
dress with white ballet tutu underneath.
That would make me happy too.

Opening gifts in new, long, long
shimmery, pink nightgown.
What's not to love?

The princesses arriving and playing in "Kalia's Castle".
The completed castle was totally worth
all the late night work - the princesses loved it!

After the princesses arrived, they had two projects:
One end of the table there was glittery sticker earrings,
rings to chose from and make your own cereal necklace.
Mirror to make sure everything was just right.
On the other end, it was decorate your crown,
sticker jewels and glittery star stickers.

Princess Scarlett & Princess Kalia

The girls line up before our "pin the kiss on the frog" game.
I told the girls that there was a frog here who says he is a prince
and he's looking for a princess to kiss him.
Before I could even grab the stick on kisses - they
were all over at the frog giving him real kisses!

Princess Leila (Princess Tiare's little sister) get to try.
Yes, I did dress up as the queen- well, I already had my crown.

For giving the frog prince their kisses,
they all were given princess ribbon wands.

I took plastic wine glasses and decorated them with "jewels"
and served the girls "princess punch" out of a wine decanter.
This is Maya lovin' the princess punch - at this point,
she had already tried on someone's princess dress and then gone down to just diaper.
The "wine" was from the Juicy Juice Winery, Napa Valley, 2010

The girls feasting on heart shaped sandwiches
and other goodies.

After lunch we played "Snow White's Apple".
Basically hot potato, but they passed the apple really slowly:)
As the music played, they passed the apple from
princess to princess and when the music stopped,
they had to take a bite of the apple and then fall asleep.
The last princesses awake, got to wake up
all the princesses by giving them chocolate "kisses".
Before the game I asked them to tell me
the story of Snow White and they all raised their
hands and took turns telling the tale.

My Birthday Girl
Oh, the dress. Yes, this is Deveraux's dreamy Cinderella dress.
I asked Deveraux's mom to bring extra dresses, since they have quite a few,
just in case someone did not dress.
The girls totally all switched dresses - some multiple times.
Since Deveraux decided to wear something different, Kalia
jumped at the chance to wear this one. And they let us keep
it for a couple of days - yes, she wore it today also.
Happy girl - yes.

The game with sleeping Snow Whites.

Eating melty chocolate kisses after.

As you can imagine, it was full paparazzi.
We couldn't help but have the girls pose -
they were having so much fun.
They LOVED being princesses!

In fact, while we waited to take this group photo,
Shannon asked them all what they were going to wish
with their princesses wands.
All the girls said that they wanted to be princesses,
except Scarlett who said she wanted to be a ballerina
and Devyn who said she wanted all her friends to be happy - too sweet!

Princess Power
Tiare, Scarlett, Devyn, Kalia, Deveraux, Hanna

The cake.
At 5:30am, when I was working on this - I was a
little concerned as it was so hot the frosting was melting off!
But it turned out OK in the end.
I got this set on ebay store and it included all the
princesses.

Let them eat cake!

And drink "wine", I mean "princess punch".

Then it was free play in Kalia's room.
Everyone left with their princess totes.
It was a lot of work, but soooo worth every minute.
Kalia & the girls had a blast!

preparing the castle

kalia's birthday celebration on thursday at school

Maya gets a cupcake
She didn't know what to do at first and just sat there.
When we arrived Maya was so excited to see
Kalia that she ran over shouting "lia, lia, lia, lia"
and gave her the biggest hug! So cute.

Our school cupcakes made the night before
pink cupcakes & pink sprinkles. Kalia did the sprinkles.

secret spot
celebrating erik's work audit complete

come and visit...
we'll take you here

Ok, sorry it's been a while, but it's been seriously
Santa's workshop here - I've been non-stop.
Here's a little bit of what i've been working on
for the princess party.
Princess totes and ribbon wands.

finished ribbon wand
I found the instructions here and fell in love.

Kalia in the beginning stages of the "castle".

Painting a tower. My husband loves me,
working with almost no days off, 11 hour shift
and home to paint a princess castle. He really puts up with
the crazy around here!

Painted castles - now to decorate them.

Kalia's party to come soon! We had such an amazing day!

I cannot believe my baby is 4! But then when I look at last year's birthday compared to now - it's a whole years worth of change. Kalia invited her own friends to her party this year and was so excited as each "princess" arrived!

Maya is talking so much - I know I always say that, but now it's stringing some words. "I got it" (when going to get a ball), she tells us "again" when she wants to be thrown in the air or swung of airplaned, etc. The other day she went to the fridge and told me "I see" (she wanted to see something in there). We were looking at the at from Aloha to Zippy's ABC book and she named and pointed to: apple, banana, ball, baby, bike, dog, frog, cat. I think there's more, but can't remember right now. I ask her "what's your name" and she "mama" (she usually calls me mommy, so I think she's trying to say maya - she says it every time I ask her). She loves Ariel right now and say her name when she sees her and will fight Kalia for anything Ariel. "Watch Out" - something she got from Kalia. others: chalk, all done, up, shoes. She's been giving high five and then says "all right!" - learned that from daddy.