July in Review...

WOW

A lot has happened in the last few weeks! So much in fact that we haven't had time to update our little blog to let you all in on the fun! One big rap on our knuckles for being slackers.

So, in review (pictures will follow sometime):
- San Diego County Fair
Otherwise known as the 'Del Mar Fair' for those hard-core San Diegans. Highlight: Baby in the livestock petting area with sheeps and goatses. It was kind of around the time that she was mastering the reach-out-and-grab skill and she certainly had a blast. Also worthy of note was the root-beer float that I had because of the bad-for-you food I had that day it was the only one that tasted any good.

- 4th of July
While we weren't in Boston to celebrate high treason to the crown, we did have front row seats to the fireworks display at Poway High. It was great to spend the evening with family and friends (not to mention getting a paid day off work for Evan... sadly there is no end to my work), but most of all it was great to have a baby that laughed at giant explosions and then was lulled to sleep by them. Awesome. Did I mention we have the best baby ever?

- Grandma P Comes to Town
...Finally. Grandma spent a good 10 or so days with her first (and therefore best) granddaughter and introduced her to the joys of babysitting, giving Mummy and Daddy a chance to go on some much needed dates. It was also really nice to have Grandma in town because it let us do two additional things...

- New Garden
First of the two things... Our landlord finally put up a dividing fence so we spent $100 and put down a new lawn, new flower beds and planters (complete with flowers... imagine that!), and a flagstone and pavers. It looks rather good now if I might say so myself and now that we have a hammock in there we will be VERY sorry to leave in 3 weeks.

- Temple with Family
Second of the two things... Thanks again to all who were able to make it. It was extra special to be there with family!

- Kitty's 1st Birthday
Congratulations to our cat who turned the ripe old age of 1, and is now fully grown. She is also reaping the benefits of having a new back garden since, with FeLV, she wasn't allowed outside before. She has become rather accomplished at chasing and eating flies, and loves to sit in her corner behind the big rock.

- Family Trip to Mexico
Lots of fun and more enjoyable than the last trip because the sun was out and it was warm and the beach was sandy. Oh yeah, and we had food. I quite enjoyed it down there, and if you turned a blind eye to the 3rd World poverty, the place where we were kind of had a Med holiday feel to it. I would have liked to have stayed longer, but sadly Evan just got the one day off work. Tijuana was interesting... I had my first Mexican Popsicles in the border queue, which, once I forced myself not to think about the hygiene of the place they were probably made in, weren't all bad. Coming through the border was interesting too. They were being pedantic and seemed to think I was violating my Student Visa, which i haven't had for over a year now. So we got sent to secondary inspection with a screaming baby who was hungry and hot and tired to wait for 20 minutes (in the car) only for them to come back to us and not apologize for wasting our time and being wrong. Jeez!

- Baby keeps growing...
The news you all really came to see. Our baby, it seems, does not stop growing. We fear she is at the point where we need to look seriously at buying the next size car seat, and soon. Her mobility has improved... she can scoot herself around, and gets herself on all fours and kind of sway precariously before flopping down (she has worked out that if she does this it actually moves her slightly forward). However, she is lazy and moving around mean that you have to... well, move. Exert energy. Oh well. At least she is causing minimal trouble right now. She is sitting up almost unaided and very much enjoys the bead rollercoaster at Grandparents T's place. She has mastered the grabbing and reaching thing, and has also mastered the hand-mouth coordination, so when the two combine things get interesting. She loves her sippy cup (thank you Guin!) especially now since she also has teeth... little razors. She cut her first one last week, and then the next day the one next to it cut. So, she has two little pegs on her bottom gum right at the front. It is really cute... until she bites you. She is loving solids (and we are paying the price with her nappies) and she is weighing in a healthy 19lbs and about 28in. Thank you Evan!

Well, I think that is it for now. Pictures will come later... promise!