Wednesday, August 30, 2006
There have been many things to adjust to as new parents and some of those adjusments have gone better than others. No more high heels and platform shoes just became an excuse to go shoe shopping. Not being at work means I have time to explore new neighborhoods in SF and meet the neighbbors in our 'hood. But the lack of social life has been a bitter pill to swallow. Then we discovered Baby Loves Disco, the once a month club hosted at Ruby Skye. Imagine, for you parents (for the non parents remember last weekend), a great night out clubbing and that is Baby Loves Disco, except it's at 2pm instead of 10pm, and there's a buffet of PB&J and Goldfish crackers and the DJ's is pretty cheesy. Okay so it's not a great night out clubbing, but it was the first time in several months that I had set foot in a club and I'll take what I can get. The bars are open, you feel like you are going out even though it's the middle of the day and there's plenty to entertain the wee ones. It's also the hottest ticket in town, there was a line around the block the day we went and it is sold out until December. Whoever thought this up is a genuis and it kills me that I didn't come up with it.
Lotus loved it. She boogied on the dance floor with the other mini people and stole hula hoops from other kids in the hula hoop garden (we are still working on sharing). She ate her first goldfish crackers and had her first juice. And she slept for several hours when we got home. Now I just have to figure out someway to get on the list for the sold out dates.
My dad, Art, came for another visit and this time Lotus adored him. He pushed her in her stroller every time we went out and took tons of pictures of her every move. We had a great week together, and the highlight was taking Lotus to Santa Cruz for the first time. We went by several of our old haunts, though I doubt Lotus appreciated my stroll down memory lane. Our friend Matt hosted a party for us at his house and it was a great way to introduce Lotus to so many of our old friends. Though Art was a bit miffed that she stole all the attention away from him, but hopefully he’ll get over it.
An amazing thing happened on our trip to Santa Cruz. Lotus got to see her friend Tessa again. We first met Tessa in Guatemala the day that I got to take Lotus forever. Tessa was adopted by one of my dad’s closest friends, Bruce Cooperstein and his wife Rebecca. They were meeting their daughter, Tessa for the first time the weekend I was picking Lotus Maria up. Which is a truly bizarre coincidence, not only were they adopting from Guatemala, which is still not that common, but we were in Guatemala at the same time and staying in the same hotel. Tessa came home a month or so ago and Lotus and Tessa were reunited at the party.
My dad took some beautiful photos of Lotus during his visit. I made fun of him for having this very fancy camera, but I guess you do get what you pay for. I can only imagine how amazing the pictures will be once he reads the manual and knows how the thing works...
Whew I can’t believe that the summer is almost over. And we have had quite a summer. I look back at the past few months and how much Lotus has changed and grown. She is so different from the baby in the photos from the month of May. On September 3rd Lotus will have been home from 5 months. It still boggles my mind that it’s only been 5 months and at the same time it feels like she has been with us forever.
So for the past few months while I have not been up dating our blog we have gone to many San Francisco street fairs, the Pixar car show and several Guatemalan Adopt family play dates. We have also taken a music class, gone to Baby Loves Disco and played with many new friends. We took our first family vacation, a road trip to Southern California (and yes we sincerely apologize to those of you we weren’t able to see). Lotus Maria went to the beach for the first time and swam in the pool everyday. But most importantly while on our trip Lotus took her first steps. Nate and I almost missed them because we had ordered Margaritas in hopes that Lotus Maria would take a nap and we could enjoy some mid day peace on our balcony while she snoozed. We of course fell asleep while Lotus bounced around her crib. Once it became apparent that her sleeping parents were not going to influence Little Lo into slumber we got down on the floor with her. We were both still groggy, but Lotus’ first steps woke us right up.
Now she is a serious walker, though she resembles a mini, adorable Godzilla when she speed waddles through the house trampling anything in her way.
Our friends Mike and Dunya and their new baby Vuk came to visit us at the hotel one day. I forget how huge Lotus is until I see her next to a tiny guy.
While we were in Southern California, Nate, Lotus and I spent an afternoon with Nate's Uncle Ed and Aunt Blanche. Ed showed Lotus his garden and both of them showered her with attention. Nate's Aunt and Uncle are really interesting, wonderful people and I was so happy to get to know them better. They have plenty of great parenting advice and an endless supply of enetertaining stories.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
From Santa Barbara we went on a slight adventure to find the convent that my mom lived at in Montecito. We were successful on our endeavor and dropped in unannounced at the The Immaculate Heart Center for Spiritual Renewal. A woman named Joanne showed us around and gave us the history of the building and property. The whole experience was really profound and at times emotional, especially when I met two women that knew my Mom. They were all very sweet to us and were great with Lotus. I can’t wait to go back again.
On the way to Santa Monica we spent the night in Solvang and then had brunch the next morning with our friend Suzanne in Santa Barbara.
Our road trip to Southern California was wonderful. Lotus did really well, and the times that it wasn’t going so well we had a secret weapon. Lotus and I have been taking a Music Together class. Yes, you read that right I am have enrolled my child in a music class, and yes I was expecting it to be the cheesiest thing ever, filled with obnoxious competitive parents, but hey I was desperate and it was something to fill the day. I have to tell you this class is awesome and Lotus Maria LOVES it. And the music is not too bad and in some instances actually good. Everyone in the class is wonderful and the teacher is a god, or at least I think Lotus thinks so. She sits right in front of him when he plays the guitar and hugs him when he sings a lullaby. It’s great San Francisco class with a diverse group of families and kids, so much so that Lotus is not the most unusual name.
They give you a CD to play in the car, which I brought with us on our trip. About 45 minutes outside of Solvang while Lotus was screaming so loud I thought she might pierce her lungs or my eardrum I broke that sucker out. Then a miracle happened, upon hearing the first notes she became instantly silent. Nate, who was driving, couldn’t see what she was doing and thought she had passed out, but she was sitting there strapped into her car seat bobbing her head and waving her hands to the music for the rest of the trip. I love Music Together. I suggest everyone sign up immediately, if you don't have a kid borrow one.
They give you a CD to play in the car, which I brought with us on our trip. About 45 minutes outside of Solvang while Lotus was screaming so loud I thought she might pierce her lungs or my eardrum I broke that sucker out. Then a miracle happened, upon hearing the first notes she became instantly silent. Nate, who was driving, couldn’t see what she was doing and thought she had passed out, but she was sitting there strapped into her car seat bobbing her head and waving her hands to the music for the rest of the trip. I love Music Together. I suggest everyone sign up immediately, if you don't have a kid borrow one.
We decided that the best way to travel via car to Southern California with Lotus was to get her good and tired out before the road trip. Luckily, there was a Guatadopt family play group that morning. Nothing Lotus tires Lotus out more than an hour or so playing with other kids, and we love connecting with other families who have shared our adoption process. Lotus has mastered the slide and can climb most of the structures herself. She had a blast and slept for the first three hours of our trip.
Nate and Uncle Matt took Lotus to the Pixar Car show. Why, you ask, does Pixar have a car show? I have no idea, it's been happening long before the release of "Cars", but who cares? I got a day off and Lotus Maria had a great time with her dad, her uncle, her friend Elsa and Elsa's mom Michelle.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Lotus trying to become friends with our cat, Scraps. Which is not likely.
Lotus Maria and I at the San Francisco Carnaval Parade. She of course fell asleep right before the Guatemalan dancers passed by us.
