A visit with Andre

Today we visited with our friends Elenor and Andre.
Elenor and I took prenatal yoga together and had the same due date.
By our due date, Elenor had been in labor for a couple of days.
As I was being prepped for a C-section, I asked the nurses if my friend was in the new mom ward.
Afterward, they told me that Elenor had been on the table right before me.
And so, Andre and Zoe have known one another since before their births. They share the same birthday.
Elenor and I try to keep up, and it's great to have a friend to talk to about the stages that they are both climbing through together.



Story time.



Andre is great at sharing his toys.



For Andre, it's all about tools, trucks and fire engines. He gets as excited by a backhoe as Zoe does by seeing rhinestones and jewlery! Funny how early these preferences appear.

Carnaval!

Everybody loves a parade! June gloom didn't put too much of a damper on Zoe's first parade. We took our spots front and center on Mission Street nice and early. We were waiting to see Stacey who was sambaing her way down behind a float. The parade was a lot of fun, but Zoe fell asleep before Stacey sambaed by (at #37)







Zoe enjoys the crooning Mariachi during lunch.



Zoe and daddy walk beside the Women's Building

Bedtime Story

Muir Woods

Grammy snaps some cute shots on a field trip to Muir Woods.

Le Petite Baleen

It was my turn to take Zoe to swim class. What fun! We sing songs and twirl in the water. She kicks her legs and gets dunked under water. She's working on learning how to hold her breath. She wears little goggles. It's all pretty cute.
I put her on the side of the pool, and try to get her to to jump to me. She'll sit there, and fiddle with a toy, her bum glued to the side until I reach up and help her leap in to the pool. She genuinely seems to like the water, and has a great respect for it too. She doesn't quite trust it yet. She knows it can leave her sputtering and gasping.
At the end of the session, all the kids sit on a big black innertube with a platform on top. They all sit down and we spin the tube, then they "leap" back into the water. Zoe hates the black innertube. She sees it coming and begins to whimper. The mom nearby says "yeah, Zoe REALLY hates the tube". All the kids sit up there while we sing humpty dumpty, then they fall off- Zoe cries the whole time and is almost relieved to dive into the pool. Uh oh, evidently like all the games, we have to do this one twice. Zoe clings to me, straining herself away from the dreaded black platform. After class, everyone gets a hot shower, a fresh diaper, and snack- in that order. Marcia treated us all to lunch at El Toro. Munching on a hot, salty burrito is just what a girl needs after swim class. Followed by a deep nap.

Zoe at the Farmers Market

Zoe tries her hand at chopsticks

Bed Head

Zoe & Grandpa Bobby

Bye Grandpa Bobby! thanks for the visit!

Learning makes me sleepy

Sampling the waters at Grandpa's pool, Zoe prepares for a swimming lesson.



Zoe and Rita take in some ABC's before their Zzzzzs

At the lake

Grandpa Bobby, Barbara and uncle Tony watch over the little clan of sunbathing cousins.




Zoe learns about sandcastles from her new cousin Kyle



Grandpa Bobby took us down to the local beach at the edge of Lake Henderson near Inverness. Zoe had a great time playing in the fine white sugar sand, and splashing in the tea water lake. Mom kept a keen eye out for gators. It was a real treat for Zoe to play with her cousins, Kaily, Kyle and Emerald. Only the looming thunderstorm with lightning strikes drove us away from our beautiful lakeside retreat.

At Aunt Angel's Wedding

Zoe gets a friendly welcome by her cousins Kaily & Kyle. Lucky girl.





Zoe receives a flower from her cousin Becca

Zoe meets auntie Angel

That's my kitty

Little Reader