1 Year with Sarah B!

Today marks one year with Sarah B!  We are all so lucky to have her as part of Beatrice's life.  Beatrice especially.  Just look at what she's done for B's hair over the course of a year!

I couldn't ask for a more caring, thoughtful, wonderful person to take care of Beatrice while "MommaDaddiee" are away at work.  I'm still counting my lucky stars to have found her...in Starbucks, and not to have scared her off the first 5 minutes by asking, "Can you legally work in the United States?"  Luckily, after 2 minutes, Beatrice saved the day and wrapped her around her little finger.  A feeling we all know.  Thank you Sarah!

"Oop...Car...Bonk"

Beatrice said it best..."Momma/Daddieee...car-car-car-car...bonk...tree...oop"

No rain, no wind, nothing hit the tree.  Our car was peacefully parked on the street minding its own business.

The City of Oakland Public Works Department said this often happens after a few days in a row of hot weather...seems the trees suck up lots of water, get heavy, and then drop 12-15 foot limbs on unsuspecting cars.  Oops is right.

Happy Birthday(s)!

We helped celebrate Anna's 1st birthday - with cake and singing and a party!  We also sang Dada 'Hap-Hap ... To', as Beatrice sings it, but then forgot to actually call him!!

Hop Hop

Once again...everyone tilt your heads to the left before viewing.  In my defense I filmed this BEFORE I uploaded the other video and realized that movies have to be horizontal.

Beatrice had a great time at Anna's party (the landing here was a bit rough, but she got right back up again!)

Adrien & Beatrice

Beatrice has spent most every afternoon this week over at Adrien's, playing and sliding in the backyard. I just had to capture it on film. Too bad I didn't realize I can't film vertically...so tilt your heads before you try to watch this one.

Ringa

Beatrice likes to play Ring-around-the-rosy.  All the time.  She'll normally go around and around at least a thousand times a day.  With or without assistance.  I tried to capture this on film today.  What I learned - trying to film while singing (terribly) and having to go round and round and then fall down doesn't lead to Oscar winning material.  But hopefully you heard Bea sing "Ringa, ringa" at the start of the video.

Normally Beatrice scoots down the stairs.  But as she was wearing 'Elnor's' dress today...she figured out a way to walk down.  Sort of.

First Go at Video

It only took us 20 months...but now you get to see what we see first thing in the morning.  A very cute Beatrice, with a rat's nest hairdo.

CRAZY girl

A picture's worth a thousand words.

We're hoping she is teething, and not just completely bonkers.

Sarah B got Beatrice new 'sun, sun' (sunglasses), which we had to test out.

Alexis's Birthday Party

We went over to Anastacia & Erica's to help celebrate Alexis's 3rd anniversary of his 30th birthday, as he put it.  Beatrice had a blast.  The Chaine kids (Annabelle, Natalie & GABEY!) have been here all week, and Beatrice has been beside herself with joy.  And today we got to spend the afternoon over there with all the kids (+ Adrien), the treehouse with slide, good food and friends.  I can't believe she can do this slide by herself.  It is really quite steep.  But, as if to prove me wrong in thinking this, or tempt fate, I'm not sure - she did it about 45 times in a row.

It was a lovely afternoon.

Cheese & more

We trekked up to Cowgirl Creamery and enjoyed a picnic lunch and the chance to see lots of moo-cows on the drive up.

Beatrice has also been enjoying playing the "wok wok" game (in which she 'locks' and 'unlocks' all of the doors in the house...over and over and over)

And Sarah B has been having fun trying out new hairdos on Beatrice.  So far only the pigtails seems to last for longer than an hour.

The other day we sat down for dinner and Beatrice had her two bowls of pasta.  Then we heard...

B:  "Pasta.  More."

Z:  "Beatrice you don't need three bowls of pasta!"

B:  "Pasta...peas (please)."

Z:  "Please?  Of course, you can have whatever you want for that!"

The other day we were watching the Olympics, specifically women's weightlifting (in the 48kg and under category).  Wow, could they put up some big numbers.  Anyway, after one particularly good lift Beatrice started grunting along with them, and the TV commentator and Zack had the following conversation:

TV commentator in Beijing said about the Chinese gold medalist:  "Her form was perfect.  Everything about that lift was amazing, absolutely picture perfect"

Zack:  "Well, she is one in a billion."

Me:  Laughing hysterically and falling on the floor

***

Now when Beatrice laughs, Daddy will ask, "Beatrice, is that a knee-slapper?"  And then she'll bang on her knee.  Very cute.

***

Whenever I pick up my phone Beatrice asks, "Mimi?" (my parents' cat in Georgia)  Today she used her 'phone' and was saying, "Hi...hmmm..." and I asked her who she was talking to.  "Mimi...'n Gwanma...'n Bill"

Mane hairdo

Sarah B gave Beatrice a new look today.  Slicked back and clipped...at least until her hair dried and started to stick up about 2 inches all around her head.  And then once all the clips came out...it was LION time!

Weekend in San Diego

Beatrice adjusted to the hotel and her crib (in the bathroom) pretty well.  Except that she wanted to get up at 4:30am.  Zack and I took shifts.  On the first morning I took first shift and let him sleep 'in' until 6am.  Then I went back to bed for nap #1.  Then I woke up to this:

Beatrice had dressed herself (or at least chosen the outfit) - onesie, B t-shirt, yellow/white polka dot bikini, blue bathing suit over that, and pink shorts for under a dress.  Wow.
There is one Chick-fil-A in SD.  We found it.

On Saturday we spent a very hot afternoon at the San Diego Wild Animal Park.  Beatrice enjoyed her ice cream, and mini-safari.  All my English colleagues said they loved BeBe's "bunches" (ponytails).  Me too.

Beatrice is really playing these days.  Here she is diapering her babydolls.  "Diap diap...wipe...keem (cream)" - she has her routine down pat.  The other day she brought a doll to Jane and said "diap" and then "poop" - so they changed the baby's diaper!

On Sunday we joined John & Jasandra ("Don Don!" & "Jas") for brunch at their/our favorite spot on Coronado.  The picture of Beatrice eyeing up the case should tell you how good it is.  I didn't capture a picture of her licking the glass, but...