I Scream, You Scream!

Gelatarias have been popping up all over Los Angeles, so we ventured out and Jemma chose two scoops- strawberry and pistachio. We couldn't believe she actually offered some up to Daddy without even being prompted. Talk about a sugar high...!

Pizz-O-My Heart

We shared a wonderful day with our friends Laverne, Chuck and their daughter Mitzi. The girls painted tee shirts, rolled play-doh and then rolled real dough for homemade pizza in their outdoor pizza oven. What a treat!

Where's Poppy?

We took in a few garden tours featuring native California plants, and the wild flowers and poppies were in full bloom - and as far as Jemma was concerned, pretty enough to eat!

Riding Hi

There's nothing better than seeing the top of the world from daddy's shoulders - except catching the shadows of us all down below.

Terry Tot!

Wrapping Jemma's wet hair with a towel was a surprise hit - she screamed with laughter and we soaked it up!

Hot to Trot!

This weekend, Jemma dusted off her chaps and donned her spurs and saddled up Ole Paint. They rode the range (okay the Shetland pony track) for at least four laps, and would have gone all day, but she had to catch a train. Woo-Woo!

Eastover II

We got our pictures from Dave and Sophie, the fabulous hosts of our second night of Passover. Jemma was rapt while Frankie read the four questions in English, but oddly, had no answer for her other than dipping matzoh in saltwater tastes good! And what better way to end a seder than to cleanse (or have a mikvah) with a gal pal? Perhaps this is the fifth question of Passover.

Baby's Got Bath

Jemma has always been keen on taking baths, and for a long time now, she's been alternating between taking showers, too. It doesn't matter if it's a bath or a shower, as long as she gets completely, sopping wet. The challenge is getting her to finish up and dry off. Her new trick is to wrap herself in her towel and pretend to go to sleep in the tub. If she had it her way, she would probably stay there all night!

California Girl!

Today we went to the Children's Court and had our hearing for Jemma's readopt. This process enabled us to secure a California birth certificate for Jemma in addition to her Chinese birth certificate, which will be easier in the long run. The judge, Judge Henning (pictured), couldn't have been nicer - in fact everyone in the court was so upbeat and sweet. Upon her arrival, Jemma was given a plush orange bear which she loved instantly because orange is her favorite color. She exclaimed, "Orange, so soft!" and we named him Henning on the spot. The judge loved it when Jemma referred to the bear as "Henning" and then he commented on how verbal she was, at which point, she chatted up a storm with him. He invited her to come up behind his desk and she said, "I use the rail, I climb up myself!" This whole process was a victory for us because up until January 2007, famiies choosing to do a readopt had to pay the adoption agency for this service, but now, due to a change in language championed by many determined parents, we are able to facilitate this process ourselves, saving us lots of money. As a result, we are the second family in LA county to complete this process on our own. Yay determined parents, we thank you! Rua was also thrilled to meet Henning and tries to angle her way to snag the little stuffy. We can't decide who is softer, Henning or the newly groomed Labradoodle!

Comin' Round the Mountain

We zipped down to Palomar Mountain (outside of San Diego) and enjoyed a few days of hiking, fresh air and total relaxation. Jemma's a great traveler - probably because she gets full attention from both of us at once, and the dogs always love to get out into the wilderness. Palomar Mountain is know for its amazing observatory, which we fully enjoyed. Jemma couldn't believe how many stars there were.

Eastover!

Jemma celebrated Passover this year attending two seders. We don't have the pictures from them yet, but we do have a few great photos of the Easter egg hunt Jemma enjoyed with her buddy Anna. Looks like they found the biggest egg of all on Adam's head!

Jewelry of the Nile

We are lucky to have some great neighbors and Jemma is very keen on them, often asking where they are at any given moment, (and then usually answering her own question, "At home.") One neighbor, Ferne, has captured Jemma's imagination with her yarns and strings she uses to create her art. Together they make necklaces, bracelets and rings, sometimes sitting together for an hour or more. Ferne has taught Jemma how to tie knots and use a pair of scissors - oooh, scissors, scary. But what we like best is that we won't have to spend a lot on bling when it's made from string!