[Maddox in a hanging basket chair at The Parker]

We were there for only 3 nights, but I felt refreshed and relaxed upon our return. The warm nights are the best part of hot weather if you ask me.  It feels so good to be in a tank top at 9pm and still feel the heat on my skin.

Here is a shot of Maddox and Josh taking a moment to enjoy the hammock.

Maddox and Riley pick up a game of Bocce…

(The metal balls are VERY heavy for a 1 1/2 year old!)

Next up, Maddox and Damon play a game of Giant Chess!

Pomona College, Claremont
9-14-09 (1 year old)

New Carlisle, OH
Oct – 09

Colfax, CA
Nov – 09

Maddox decorated my belly with puffy bunny stickers. How could the baby not be happy? She is going to have the best big brother ever!

]]> http://www.vidalicious.com/family/22-weeks/feed/ 0 http://www.vidalicious.com/family/happy-1st-birthday-part-1/ http://www.vidalicious.com/family/happy-1st-birthday-part-1/#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:38:21 +0000 vida http://www.vidalicious.com/?p=971 In September we celebrated Maddox’s 1st Birthday by going down to LA to visit the grandparents. The theme of the week was Country Fair. We stayed at the Pomona fairgrounds where the LA County Fair is hosted so we could come and go to the fair as often as we pleased. I’m a HUGE fan of the Fair. I love everything about it (except the Midway). I love the farm animals, the food on a stick, the pulled pork and bbq ribs, the lemonade, the crafts, the homemade food contests, the buildings upon buildings filled with gadgets and got-to-have do-dads, the tram, the photography exhibits, the beer, the wine tent, the plant showrooms, and the childhood memories that all of those things bring back.

Maddox loves watching the animals, but wasn’t so sure about them when they were so close. He realized while he was busy looking one way at the goats, a sheep could sneak up from the other way and nudge his foot. He held his legs up as high as he could and his toes curled in for protection.

Eventually he decided it was safer to watch from atop Daddy’s shoulders.

This year the Fair had an African Safari theme. There was a whole area set up with exotic animals and “Rangers” standing by to answer questions. We saw camels, zebras, ostrich, wild dogs, a hedgehog, porcupine, and several other animals that I don’t remember. I think overall Maddox preferred the domestic farm animals area because we could get up close and personal.

Late one night with Maddox asleep in the Ergo, I was able to “pet” the albino hedgehog. It vibrated and stuck me every time I touched it. Later I went back during the day and pet the thing while it was asleep (no pricking). Ha!

[Drinks in hand, Yay for the Fair!]

{I think this photo is kind of funny with the celery in focus}

He was much more relaxed around the black sheep. They were far more pleasant to be around. Maddox fed one of the sheep all by himself.  Very cute.  Unfortunately we don’t have a photo of that (it was over as soon as the sheep touched the celery).

The farm is super cute. It is situated on a gentle slope surrounded by trees. There are cows, sheep, pigs (that were inside trying to stay cool on this visit), rabbits, ducks, chickens, turkeys, and goats.

After we fed the animals and checked out the chickens for a while we played a little ball on the grass and had some snacks. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I woke Dallas up this morning with some happy birthday songs played on the bedroom speakers – an instrumental version, and a NKOTB version. We opened gifts and had a birthday breakfast before he went off to work. Happy Birthday!

These photos are from a picnic about a month ago up in Tilden Park, Berkeley.

We went up north and spent the day with family. Maddox was given a head start for the easter egg hunt! He did really well. I found the egg then held him near it and he would lean over and pick it up. It took a couple times for him to realize what he was supposed to be doing – but he did get it!  Over and over again, we collected eggs from around the yard. He really enjoyed chewing on the plastic eggs, but even more than that he loved the grass. It occurred to me that he has never actually sat on grass. Is that sad? He stroked it, and picked it and ate it. Good day in the country.

We started off with a bottle of Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose (one of my favorite celebratory wines). Then with dinner we shared a bottle of  1983 Château Margaux that my father brought up from his cellar. 

This is was what I ordered:

Pork ~ Terrine, Belly, Short Rib
• Tête de Cochon, Foie Gras, Cornichon Gelée
• Frisée au Lardon, Quail Egg, Sherry Mignonette
• Bourguignon, Forest Mushrooms, Potato Gnocchi

Brandt Farm Beef ~ Steakhouse Sides
• Filet Tail, Sweet Carrots, Béarnaise Reduction
• Short Rib, La Ratte Potatoes, Natural Jus
• Dry Aged Rib-eye, Forest Mushrooms, Sauce Bordelaise

Quince ~ Fall Spices
• Membrillo, Sablé, Spiced Yogurt
• Orange Blossom Doughnuts, Cardamom, Quince Jelly
• Cobbler, Frangipane, Ginger Ice Cream

(It didn’t seem worth waking the baby up for the photo)

Dallas’ company had their holiday party at Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney, a place I never knew existed before. I had a good time seeing all my friends, but left the whole Disney compound left me feeling generally unimpressed and overspent. I am pretty sure I would have felt differently had I actually gone to California Adventure or Disneyland itself. But we just rolled in Friday and back out on Sunday. 

Maddox and I at the lunch table:

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel Christmas Tree: