Here we go again! Costa Rica or bust

Looking back through the trip so far I can't believe that it's already been a full month that we're back in Costa Rica.  It's already been a wild ride.  Taken somewhere over Central America, there we were headed back down to the land of good surf, good food, and good friends.  Expecting to land in San Jose where we'd spend a few days taking care of some business and await the arrival of my dog before heading to the beach.

After a long flight we arrived in San Jose in time for sunset.  Went to sleep with this...

...and woke up to this.  Well done on the hotel selection Dad!  Bienvenidos a Costa Rica!!

Spent some time with family and friends while G found a spot to chillax on the playground

Sooo...long story short - no dog was to be had that week.  Packed all our things and headed to the beach.  Every time we make the trip I say a quick prayer that G has an easy trip as it's a good 5 hours. Only one meltdown was had and promptly cured by quick pitstop and a fruit drink.  Arrived, unpacked and let out a breath.

...and finally, the reason we're here.  First morning on the beach and so glad to be back!!!

 

Just enough time to unpack and jam all our stuff into our little place and time to turn around and head back into San Jose to pick up the pup.  G and I hopped a quick flight back to the city collected our dog and another long drive back to the coast.  It was one VERY long day

...and finally, it all paid off.  I think he'll be one happy dog here :-)

So...it's been RAINING here.  And when I say raining I mean raining...did I say raining?  Cause man it's raining!...and I come from the land of rain, but this is something else.  I thought that coming in November we'd miss the rainy season.  Just our luck that this is an exceptionally rainy November.  I really tried to take it in stride as I'm sure come May when all is parched and dried out I'll be wishing for rain but I gotta admit, it's been a little hard to do.  At any rate, makes for some nice photographs :-)

One of the joys of being down here is the interaction Gabi has with nature - the plants, the ocean...and the animals.  There have been a lot of monkeys around lately.  The monkeys we have here are howler monkeys so not the monkey sound you think of.  Here's G talking to the howlers.  You have to turn the sound up all the way to get the full effect :-)

Our  friends kids were playing in a soccer...er football tourney so we decided to cheer them on.  G was more concerned with the extra balls than the game.  Baby's deffntly gonna be a baller :-)

Until she discovered she could run onto the field...

Somebody really likes to climb up on things.  At least it keeps her occupied and in the same spot for a few minutes.  One thing this kid is, is unafraid..of everything.  I like the fact that she's so outgoing but it means you really have to stay focused.  A quick walking one year old that likes to charge into the waves is no bueno.  She shows no fear.  There's no stopping this one.

The night before G's birthday we were coming back from Samara and decided to stop at the south end of Guiones where the fishing village is.  There you can drive right out onto the beach almost to the wave break and it 's a different world.   Kind of hard to put into words.  Where we live is very beautiful.  It is a quickly growing little town on the edge of the ocean.  It is full of tourists, especially now, along with semi-permanent transplants trying to find themselves or loose themselves, make something of themselves, or just surf, sun and yogi it up.  It's mellow but is's busy. 

From where I was that evening I could see the crowd down the beach, gathered as usual to watch the sun go down. But as I stood out on the rocks on the south end where the Tico fishermen lived I felt like we were a world apart. On the beach there were few families, one or two fishermen on motorcycles heading home.  The vibe was just different.  At that moment I felt completely at peace, and grateful.  Grateful for my beautiful sleeping baby in the car behind me.   Grateful for her father fro bringing me here and beyond that for being able to bridge the gap between the foreigners that live here and the locals.  To be able to be in this place in this time and not feel out of place.  

One year later and look how far we've come, right back to where we started but we took the long way back.  I know that I will never really be able to express what I felt in that moment but I hope that I will never forget it!

We had a party for Gabs on the beach complete with pizzas from one of our favorite restaurants and cake from the cafe.  One her faves of the moment are bananas so we decided to have a banana chocolate cake :-)  Everyone had a great time including the birthday girl!

Tried to keep her clothes clean (not an easy task with babies, cake and sand) but in the end the birthday girl wanted to be in her birthday suit :-)

Happy Birthday my sweet baby G

Someone Wants to Crawl

About a month ago Gabs started sitting up on her own and ever since has been a whole different baby.
After mastering the art of belly flopping onto her stomach for some self imposed tummy time she started to rock back and forth on her knees and feet getting a hang of this whole movement thing.

Ever day she's getting closer and close to the big event.  Watching her cousin Akira zip around the house has added to her ambition (we think.)  As of now she's getting really good at spinning in circles and going from sitting to her knees and then back again...stay tuned :-)

Testing the limbs

Reach for it

dive bomb!

and then we just roll over and wait for mom to pick us up :-)

And as soon as the clothes come off she gets real fired up and ready to go.  This baby love to be naked!

Fun and games with cousin Akira's tutu.  

Gabs was not very amused with this frilly number but she sure was cute!!!

This was more her speed.  Anything you hang over her so she can try to grab gets a delighted squawk these days.

Cousin time with Akira.  One of the best things about this time in Sonoma County is sharing our home with Gabi's cousin.  Used to be G would just look on with amazement as her cousin scooted around the place...or on grumpier days with dread as the "big kid" made a B line for her.  Before Gabs could sit up she was like a sitting duck.  Now that she can sit up on her own and "play toys" with her cousin things are getting cute.  Akira is a great sharer and seems to really like hanging with her cousin!   

Akira calls Gabs GG.  I'd heard her say it before but I never really made the connection until the other day Gabs was sleeping in my room and when she woke up crying Akira scooted into her room calling out for GG as she looked into Gabi's crib.  It was so cute!!!

Baby Bath time :-)

Aunt Kellie stopped in for a quick visit the other day and got in some snuggle time with Gabs.  Can't wait to take Gabi to Baltimore for a longer visit later this month!!  Until then this will do :-)

A side note...Gabs has frog shoes.  For those of you in the know....can't believe I gave my baby frog shoes :-)

Six Months for Baby G!

Sooo, another belated post.  Gabi is officially one half of a year old today.  On the one hand it seems like time's gone by with the blink of an eye, but on the other hand it feels like I've known her forever.  Our little girl is getting so much bigger every day.  She started sitting up by herself a few weeks ago and it seems like from then on every day she's moved more and has been growing leaps and bounds.  

Lately she's getting ready to start crawling.  She starts sitting up and rocks back and forth feeling out her legs, figuring out their potential before ending belly down in the floor.  Each time she does this she gets her legs under her more and more.  I feel like I'm in the golden time now when she is happily entertained of a good chunk of time sitting by herself playing with her toys but not yet able to move around much.  Soon I know I will be following her around as she craws away from us.  Until then we're just enjoying our little girl and feeling so blessed that the last 6 months have gone so well.  Here's to you Baby G!

An older post-(sink)bath pic but thought too cute not to share

Mommy and G after her bath

Yup her 4 month pic posted on her 6 month birthday...running a bit behind.  The beach here is a bit different than the beaches that we left down in Costa Rica.  Our little chunky monkey looks HUGE here!

While we visited LA Jeff decided to take Gabi on the carousel.  They actually rode around on a non moving seat but this one made for a better photo op :-)

Someone's started eating solid foods this month.  Gabi's been sitting up in her highchair watching us eat for months now and we finally caved and gave her something.  So far apple sauce seems to be the big fave.  Half of the time is spent eating and the other half holding her "magic" food flavored spoon.

Check out my spoon

Mmm... pretty tasty

feels good on the gums to chomp on it too

Wait a sec, there's nothing on this thing...

 Other fun toys these days are the sippy cups and bottles.  We give G a bit of water with her food to wash it down but then the big deal is to chew on the rubber tip for a bit and then drop it on the floor for mom to pick up again and again and again and again.....

Give me that water mom

so I can chew on it

Somehow I missed her 5 month pic, time is just flying and flying.  For her 6 month picture we decided to change it up a bit.  Gabi loves the garden.  Whenever she gets cranky we head outside and play with (eat) the plants.  So far lavender, lemon balm, and roses are what's fun to gum on.  Every time we find a new tasty plant to check out I have to run to the internet to check it's safety.   So far so good.  Lavender is the big fave and it's actually supposed to have a calming quality so that's a great benefit.  We always like calming distractions :-)

  

It seemed only fitting that we use lavender as a 6 month prop.  The only catch is Gabi was so intent on grabbing the lavender that it was kinda hard to get a shot.

So we had to bring out the big guns...mmm roses

and lavender or dessert

Back in the homeland

...And then they were back in the homeland.

I can't believe that it's been two months since we arrived back in California and haven't even gotten one new post up.  Just seems like there is not enough time in the day to do everything that needs to get done here.  Long gone are the hot dusty days down in the tropics and hello to new schedules, longer days and an ever changing Gabi! 

The trip home went pretty well.  Learned a thing or two about flying with babies.  #1 pack lots of toys!!

Soon after we arrived home we had all the girls over.  Aunties, grandmas, cousins, babies.  Looks like the girls are taking over in our family :-)

A sleepy baby G and her new babysitter.  Was a little worried about how the dog would do with the new addition...this pretty much sums it up

Not long after our arrival Grandpa Walt and Grandma Sooz came down to meet the newest addition.  As well as our new roomies Cousin Lia and Baby Akira

Introducing baby G to a whole new "jungle"  

Chillin' by bullfrog pond with Grandpa Walt :-)

Grandma Belle and Baby G having some naked baby time.

Look who's sitting in her high chair...

...reading her book...

...such a happy little baby!!

Hanging out with Grandma Bell on St. Patti's day.  Right before Gabi was born I found a box of my old baby clothes.  For the most part they are extremely frilly nutty little numbers but have to be worn at least once right.  This shirt was given to me by my godfather on St. Patti's day when I was Gabi's age :-) 

Daddy time

Love love love the baby toys!  Gotta keep this kid entertained at all times.

And then it was time for a trip up north for cousin Q's big bday where we got to reconnect with Auntie D and get in some more grandpa time.  

And then off to LA to meet Grandma Gloria.  Have baby, will travel :-)

Hanging in LA with the Czechie mamas.  10 years later, look what happened :-)

Meeting Grandma Gloria was a blast!!  We had such a great time in LA and more pics to come soon.  

Our little chunky monkey.  Whatever happend to our little tiny baby.  This gal's getting bigger every day.  Changing daily now I can hardly keep up.   

More to come soon, just figured gotta at least start somewhere :-)