Flutter byes!

Our dear friends, Floyd, Nancy (aka "Ponce"), Aiden and Cassidy came down from the rural part of Connecticutt to spend the better part of a rainy day with us in New York. We went to the Museum of Natural History, or as Aiden liked to call it, the Museum of National Treasury! We enjoyed the dino bones of course, and the Butterfly collection was a special treat. It was hard to get Jemma out of the butterfly room even though it was super warm and overly moist!

Cheesepuff!

Here is Chispa - or, Cheesepuff if you prefer, and Jemma does prefer. Chispa is the adorable little pup who rules the Leyva apartment - our home away from home when we visit NYC. Sadly, this trip we did not take any photos of the Leyva's, only the pooch who stole Jemma's heart (and socks!)

Girl Time

At Oak Glen Nursery school, there's nothing like a good book with your gal pals.

Juggling Act

The Things She Says!

We've been trying to write down some of the things Jemma has been saying lately because they are so wonderful and unexpected. Here is a smattering:

Upon seeing a staircase made of Mexican tiles she said, "Those steps make a rhythm sound, like when you tap your toes!"

"I know you're disappointed mom, but you still love me. Even when you're mad you still love me."

In response to sleep being the most important thing for growing, Jemma without missing a beat said, "Well actually food is the most important thing for growing."

On talent:
Mom, you have a real talent.
I do? For what, for being your mom?
No, for just being you!

"Talent comes in a little ball from your arm and then it moves up into your shoulder and down into your tummy and then you have talent. You already have yours, mom, my talent is coming tomorrow.
I see, and what will you have a talent for?
Dancing! I will have a talent for dancing!"

"Do you know how to say hyacinth in Spanish? Cincinitta."

"I'm super contagious - I love you so much and that's contagious!"

After her Dad kissed her on the cheek:
"Ow', your beard! My beard is deep inside and it will never come out!"

Baking Buddies

Jemma loves to help mommy bake, especially sweet potato muffins - a regular staple in our house. She licks batter at all stages and usually ends up covered in it, at which point, the dogs lick it off of her!

Portrait of a Dad

Jemma has been taking a lot of photos lately - with her own camera and with ours. This photo she took of John is one of the best pictures anyone has taken of him ever! We thought it looked especially sharp in black and white.

BFF!

Jemma and her best friend forever, Zoela, are really too friggin cute together. They love each other so much and it's such a delight to watch them play.

Cozy Cabin

We were quite the cozy crew in our cabin overlooking Arrowhead Lake. We joined Dave, Sophie, Frankie and their cute little doggie, Roxy. Jemma and Frankie had a blast even though they have a seven year age difference - hey, a tickling contest is good at any age! And the dogs were happier than heck - except of course, when we left them behind to go skiing... woof.

Ski Wee!

We had an exhilarating weekend in Lake Arrowhead with skiing in Big Bear. Jemma got on skis, went to Little Bear camp and learned how to make a pizza with her skiis to stop. We spied on her lesson and almost fainted watching her go down the slope by herself - but she did great! And on day two she rode "the flying chairs" as she like to call them, and skied down a few times without falling once. Then, Dad took Jemma and Frankie tubing - which turned out to be even more fun.

Florida Sunshine!

We went down to Florida for a few days to visit MeeMa and PopPop (sorry, no photos of them from this trip) and Jemma took this photo of us. The other picture is of Hemmingway's house in Key West. We took our very first trip away from Jemma and left her with the grandparents - everything worked out fine.

Tiny Bubbles

While our bathtub was out of commission one day, Jemma was thrilled bathe in the kitchen sink. Ah, regression, it never gets old...

Bag Lady!

Chinese New Year Slide Show

2009 - Year of the OX!

Once again we celebrated the Chinese New Year with about 200 other families with children from China at our favorite restaurant in Chinatown, the Empress Pavilion. Each year Jemma and her friends become more enthralled with the entertainment, which includes juggling, spinning cups and saucers, dragon dancing and bubble wrap stomping. We were one of the last to leave this year as Jemma was dancing the night away.

Cambria, Cambria!

We ventured up the coast to join our friends, Adam and Tina and their daughter, Anna, for a little beach getaway. It was a great time, lots of post-holiday eating and hanging, plus some Elephant Seal watching. These amazing mammels migrate for from December to March in the same part of Cambria each year. They come to mate, breed, molt and fight. We saw it all - except the breeding and molting parts. But we witnessed the baby seals feed and play and we saw the mating dance, but mostly, we were enthralled with the fighting. The males have the big elephant nose and they are extremely aggressive and territorial. They are fiercely cruel to one another, chomping away at each other's necks until the loser slithers away... to the death! And then we went back to the house and ate again...

Onion Cookies!

Jemma is an avid baker - watch out, Ace of Cakes - and this time, she interpreted her great grandma's savory recipe while we were visiting MeeMa and PopPop down in Florida...

Dinner with Friend

We spent a few days in Cambria with Jemma's buddy, Anna, and her parents, Adam and Tina. I shot this little video of the girls while they were eating their alphabet pasta and cheese for dinner...

Light Up The Sky!

At Griffith Park every year, the Dept. of Water and Power sponsors a wonderful light show and usually, we drive through it at 5 miles an hour. Well, for the last two years they've had a "green" week where you can walk the road to see the lights so this year we did just that. It was such a treat to do it by foot - Jemma was enthralled - mostly with her own little light stick!