26/52 and Happy Fourth of July

WOAHHHH, WE'RE HALFWAY THERE!

We are halfway through 2015 and this year has been completely magnificent so far. Today also happens to be July 4th, the day of our great nation's independence. I find that I am overcome with grattitude thinking about my little family of three and all of the support and love that surrounds us on a daily basis.

Happy Independence Day to you and yours and God Bless America!

This week, Emma, Paul, and I have been enjoying spending time with his family in his home town. Emma is surrounded by her cousins and new places to explore. She has been able to play, run, climb, swim, and my mommy heart is exploding.

This evening, we are celebrating this great holiday with a good old fashioned American BBQ, pool party, and fireworks viewing.

I am proud to be an American. Have a safe and happy holiday everyone! 

For the love of water

105 degrees guys. ONE HUNDRED FIVE DEGREES.

That was how hot it was where Paul's family lives yesterday. And between sweating from my eyeballs, sticking to the seat of the car, and feeling like my polyester blends were melting to my skin it was time to take a swim.

Thankfully, we are in town visiting the suburbs and the burbs are not lacking in swimming pools. Praise the Lord. My sister-in-law has a lovely community pool so off we went! 

Emma had only taken one other swimming pool dip in her life and that was last summer when she was less than two months old. I think she was more concerned with GET ME MORE MILK, MAID than enjoying the sweet refreshing magic of the swimming hole.

I slathered 176 ounces of sunscreen on her glow-in-the-dark skin, and in she went. 

Well much to our delight, the little Emma/Nemo was enthralled with the majesty of the pool. Laughs, squeals, and happiness ensued.

Have Emma, will swim. 

DISNEYLAND

Paul, Emma, and I went to Disneyland on Friday and I about passed out from excitement. When Paul and I were first dating, he said that he had never seen me walk so quickly as I do when I am at Disneyland. Well the same is true to this day. 

There may have been a few, come ons and hurry ups that escaped my lips during our day o' fun. I'm sorry honey!

Emma was a trooper. She managed the heat and was not afraid of the dancing and prancing characters running around. I may or may not have wanted to buy her 50 million souvenirs but I settled for a couple because, COME ON, it's Disneyland.

We arrived at about 11 am and strolled around Main Street and just took it all in. I squealed 57 times and Emma was bouncing with excitement. Well not exactly bouncing. More like staring at everything she saw completely stone-faced. If looks could kill... 

Emma badger was not amused.

The 60th Anniversary hoopla was incredible. The pomp! The circumstance! The smiles! Oh my. Hence, the obligatory pose-in-front-of-the-castle photo complete with 2/3 smiling faces. I was beginning to think that she had lost her ability to show joy but I got some smiles out of her eventually. Bribery was definitely in discussion.

I promised her some Mickey-shaped ice cream sandwiches and a bucket of cotton candy. I was banking on her limited short-term memory storage capacity to get out of that one. Whew. 

Our first ride of the day was It's A Small World and I am so glad we chose that one as her first. I was worried that the dancing children would frighten her but she was completely mesmerized (in a good way). She was even a trooper while we waited in the 25-minute line. She did not quite understand the concept of organized lines, but we made it work. I am kicking myself that I forgot our baby leash. I wish I was kidding.

"Um excuse me, the REAL princess is coming through." 

I took the opportunity to take ample photos during our wait for the ride. Emma badger was more interested in climbing on the railing. I would have been more lenient if it weren't for said railing being directly over the flowing (RAGING) river of the ride. I don't care if there are coins in there girlfriend, you will not be swimming there. She spent the rest of her day rolling her eyes up to the heavens. Tiger mom's gotta tiger mom. 

She was also NONE TOO HAPPY that I kept trying to put this hat on her. I told her that tomato-red sunburns were so last season. Again with the eye rolling.

But the line was worth it because she absolutely loved the ride. She bounced along to the song and clapped her hands. She only tried to jump ship twice so I'd call that a win.

"Mom do you think they need extra can-can dancers? Let's go to the casting agency next."

(I didn't have the heart to tell her about the whole animatronics thing.)

We did not make it on all my favorite rides because the line attendant said toddlers were not allowed on Indiana Jones. I said she would fit just fine in the mesh bag in front of the seat. If it secures purses, why not toddling humans? He politely declined my suggestion. I also said she'd be just fine holding her own paddle for the canoes. But miss princess said she was more the passenger than the rower. High maintenance much?

"Yo ho, yo ho, a toddler's life for me! We're screamers and criers and ne'er do-well kids. Drink up me babies, yo ho! Aye but we're loved by our mommies and dads, drink up me babies, yo ho!"

We went on Pirates and Haunted Mansion and miss adventure fell asleep in the ErgoBaby halfway through Pirates. She woke up just in time for the ghostly dinner party. We like, we like to party. Apparently a ghost hitch-hiked home with us. As long as he babysits and closes the toilet seat lid then fine by me. 

It was a very hot day but thankfully we brought several frozen water bottles. Emma enjoyed using them for batting practice... against daddy's head. At least she has good aim. 

It's a good thing you're so stinking cute there girlfriend. 

Aww look at him! He's so cute. Hehehe. Okay focus Samantha. 

Paul and I went to Disneyworld for our honeymoon so I was feeling all the warm fuzzies that we brought our first born offspring with us on her first trip. I bought Emma her first pair of (obligatory) ears and I was able to keep it on for a whole 27 seconds. Enough time for these gems. 

Side note - We ate lunch at a little café near Pirates and saw this cute scene: 

I told Paul he was getting a glimpse into his future. I think I can still hear the nervous laughter.

We took a little bathroom break and realized we could grab a few shady seats for a parade. Why not?! Emma enjoyed the singing and dancing and told me that I really needed to up my own singing and dancing game. I mean, they had costumes. I have old yoga pants. No competition.

I think she was plotting her overthrow of the pink one. Poor Aurora.

We stopped by the BIGGEST DISNEY STORE EVER in downtown Disney and Emma systematically de-shelved everything at eye height. I sincerely apologize to the retail staff. But not that sorry, because they don't have to come home with us. 

We added another Minnie to her collection and I am pretty sure this mouse has taken up a good chunk of our tiny apartment's square-footage. The Diamond Anniversary Minnie was too cute not to take home with us but I put my foot down at the 3-foot tall stuffed Minnie. You have to be taller than your toys in my book.

Captain, we're gonna need a bigger boat! 

Side note - Our friends and family are so generous with Emma. We are so blessed!

Overall, this was an incredible first trip to Disneyland. I hope to make this an annual family tradition. Next time, I hope to convince Paul to get a pair of Mickey ears of his own. I'm still working on it.

My heart is full of joy and this really is the happiest place on earth.

Maybe next time she'll make it for the fireworks.

24/52 and 25/52

Cricket, cricket. 

Oh yes, that's the sound of the lonesome prairie of this here neglect formerly known as my blog.

My computer had a tiny hiccup (read: crash and burn) so the lovely folks at the Apple Genius Bar wiped my computer and gave it a new lease on life and wiped my snot-filled teary mug. Yes, I am emotionally attached to this pile of metal and I am thanking the sweet baby Jesus that I back up my computer regularly. 

Today's PSA: BUY AN EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE. RIGHT NOW. Well after you read this post, then go buy one. 

But as many of you know, sometimes you just need a break to allow yourself to soak in all the vacation good vibes and free babysitting. Paul, Emma, and I just got back from a week-long trip to see our families. We laughed, we played, we sweat our faces off. My LA-bred skin needs to get back to its roots because now it thinks 85 is hot and my parents' house sat in all the 103 degree face-punching sweatiness. A high of 105 is just not okay. Thank God for air conditioning and built-in ice makers.

24/52 On June 22nd, my parents celebrated their 30th anniversary and I squeal with high-pitched mouse sounds just thinking about it. My sister and I planned a celebration lunch on Father's Day and surprised them with flowers, balloons, and reservations at a local favorite food place. My mom cried twice. I cried thrice. They are the epitome of love, devotion, partnership, and sacrifice. I have been incredibly blessed to have such strong role models of lasting marriage. Is it dusty in here?

25/52 Pardon the blurry photo. Getting Emma to stand still for a photo is harder than it is to balance the entire encyclopedia series on my head. At least those books don't have legs. Our city mouse got to explore the wonder that is the suburbs (collective oooh and aaahh). There are parks, GASP, and parking lots, WOAH, and mini-vans, OH MY. We prowled our local park (the one I grew up with, aww) and Emma tried her first handful of sand. I'm just so proud. She stomped along that playground like she owned the place. She was not the biggest fan of the swings, but it could be that I was holding a food pouch just out of her reach. But who knows?

Besides spending time with my family, Emma took her first trip to Disneyland! To say that this momma bird was excited would be the understatement of the century. Remember those mouse squeals I was referring to earlier? That trip deserves a photo-concentrated post all its own. Oh yeah. 

Now the kittens are peacefully asleep and I get to do all my interweb sloozing that I have missed oh so much. 

Catch you on the flip flop. 

Ew, just punch me. 

23/52

Holy chocolate pumpkins! 

This has been an incredible past few days (I'll update ya'll soon, I prooooomiseee). I am just popping in while Emma sucks down her bedtime bottle to share this gem of a photo from one of the most surreal and fulfilling moments of my life.

I mean, can you even believe how adorable Emma's outfit is? And oh yeah, I GRADUATED. 

Tooth Doc at your service. 

God is good.