Last Day of School 2015

Fisher had a great year at school.  He loves his teachers and never complains about going.  He seems to have lots of friends and particularly enjoys classes like "gym" and "parties".  Now if only we could get him to concentrate on his letters as much as self arranging play dates with random children. 

Here are his three day three class photos.

He likes to sleep with the below class photo next to his bed- so he can look at all his friends. At all times.

This year Fishy was sensitive like his mom and adventurous like his dad.  He hates getting yelled at or when people raise their voice, but is the first to jump in the pool or climb to the top of the playground.  He started the year into Curious George and ended it loving Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Mostly he grew into a fun little man.   Nick and I love spending time with him and relish the opportunity to  bring him to more adult places with little stress.  

Big kids are fun.  Fisher is fun.  He tells me multiple times a day, "I love you so much mommy, you are so beautiful".  Right back at you big guy.  We love you and you are so handsome!

Below are some photos from our last day of school photoshoot and activities.  I organized a trolley ride and ice cream treat with his class, just like last year.   It was a great day celebrating the school year and the start of SUMMER!

Mother's Day 2015

My idea of a perfect Mother's Day includes a beach, a good book, good company and no kids.  I know cruel.  Thankfully this year all my Mother's Day fantasies came true as Alexis and I spent a long weekend in south Florida relaxing while my parents watched the kids.  Alexis is due with her second child in July, so we were more into chatting than cocktails.  She was a bit nervous when I told her I was bringing six books.  I only made it through two.  She should take this as a compliment.

We spent most the weekend relaxing by the pool.  

We took a late afternoon trip to Miami to see the Vizcaya Gardens and Mansion.  This was my first visit to Miami.  I am happy to cross this city of my list even if I didn't have the traditional Miami experience.  A bit tough at 20 weeks pregnant.  I'm probably too old for all that jazz anyways. We did make time for a traditional Cuban dinner at a cute little Cuban restaurant featured in the movie Chef.  I had been craving Cuban food since I saw this movie in April.  I think it may have subconsciously influenced our choice of vacation destination.

Alexis and I have been friends since second grade, we have traveled to Florida, Spain, Mexico, New York, Connecticut, California(many times), Washington DC and Rhode Island.  Probably more places- I don't remember.  What I always remember is how much fun we have no matter the destination.  As long as Alexis is driving.  And I don't read too much.

Flashback to Dinner with George

For whatever reason my blog never gets updated during the holidays.  It is certainly less than ideal, particularly when you fly to LA for a weekend with your oldest friend to celebrate her baby shower.  Said baby (Charlie) is now 5 months old.  And adorable.

But anyways back to December before Charlie's arrival.

This was a much needed weekend away from my favorite little people.  Jenny asked me what I wanted to do while in LA,  I told her I wanted to watch TV and sleep all day.   I think she thought I was kidding.  Just 5 months into this parenting thing she probably understands that I was deadly serious.  In my defense I have been to LA many times before and Jenny working in "the industry" gets access to cool "screeners" way early.  To those of us not in LaLa land screeners are all the movies nominated for awards on DVD when they are still in the theater.  This is cool to me.  It doesn't take much.

But Jenny being Jenny the weekend was filled with more delicious food and fancy restaurants than I have eaten or been to in ages.  You know the kind of places where you have to wear make up and wait for a table.   Five months into this parenting thing she probably understands why I don't go to these kind of places (much) anymore.  Waiting an hour for a table, while simultaneously paying a babysitter for said hour makes the wait infinitely more brutal.

However, sometimes an hour wait is worth it.  And when the hostess tells your 8 months pregnant friend that her table is "good", believe her.  Even when she leads you to a tiny corner booth and you are tempted to ask for a new one (after all we did just wait 1 hour plus).   Because soon you will be dining next to George and Amal and all your LA celebrity fantasies will be complete (even if you didn't really have any to begin with).  And yes he is handsome,  yes she is thin and yes they looked like they were having a great time.  I had a great time too.  Celebrities they are just like us.

Our friend Jason snagged this photo.  It kind of looks like George is photobombing us.

Our booths were adjacent and both semi circle.  George and I had opposite seats.  I probably tried too hard not to make eye contact

Jenny's shower at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills.  I loved catching up with Jenny's big sister Carrie and seeing her super cute family, as well as Jenny's mother Debbie.  Growing up the Wambachs were a second family to me and any time I spend with them today brings me right back to yesterday.  In a, "I really loved my childhood, I have such fond memories of being a kid" kind of way.  Lets hope Jenny and I create those same types of environments and relationships for our kids.  I hope Fisher and Gracie at 32 years old have friends from kindergarten that they love enough to fly across the country to watch TV with.  Screeners or no screeners.

Driving Ms. Gracie