An international affair

My fabulous friend Kate and her new son Luke made an impromptu visit to Southern California all the way from England! We had a great time introducing the boys to each other...I think they really enjoyed themselves. I miss you Kate!

Take a closer look

This scenario will never get old...Tyler asleep in Beck's arms. Even better, Beck asleep with Tyler asleep in his arms. Check out Tyler's pacifier trick.

My first "mom's group"

I am really behind on my blog posts...so here we go with trying to catch up.

Once I got the green light to exercise again (mid-August), I joined the local StrollerStrides group. I thought it would be a great way to get out of the house and to enjoy summer (my favorite time of year). I started when Beck went back to work, so it was a good transition into being on my own with Tyler, and getting out and about with a baby in tow. Each class lasts for 1 hour, combining cardio, conditioning and toning exercises with nursery rhymes at various intervals, to get the kids involved. Tyler sleeps through half of class. Slacker.

Generations

After battling illness and poor health for a number of years, my Grandmother is now at peace. She passed away a couple of weeks ago, leaving quite a legacy behind...5 children, 15 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. We had the great fortune of getting everyone together for an impromptu family reunion at my mom's house. What a wonderful celebration - it was beautiful to see and be a part of the family my Grandmother began so many years ago. And now as a mother myself, it was fun to see Tyler with all of this cousins (the great grandchildren).

"The lip"

Minutes after being born, Tyler poked out his bottom lip and made the face that I knew would forever melt my heart. He finds a way to work this into his daily routine, and it gets me every time! Yes, you heard me. I'm a total sucker.

Tyler's First MLB Game

It was going to happen sooner or later, so why not the day before Tyler's 1 month birthday...

Before Beck spent summers coaching for the Cape Cod Baseball League, he spent one summer with the Great Lakes League coaching the Stark County Terriers. One of his pitchers, Burke Badenhop, now plays for the Florida Marlins and was in San Diego this past weekend. So, we headed down to Petco Park for Tyler's first baseball game.

What a great day! Tyler slept through the entire game - with a feeding break during the 7th and 8th innings. Of course Burke pitched during those 2 innings, but fortunately Beck was able to see him and we visited for a few minutes after the game.

The hospitality at Petco Park was top notch. Members of the staff were drawn to the tiny baby in Beck's arms and showered him with a San Diego Padres hat, "my first visit to Petco Park" button, temporary tattoos and a back-office where I was able to feed Tyler in peace. They didn't even mind that we were there to see a Marlins player.

Concert in the Park

I realize that getting out of the house with a baby will require quite a bit of practice. I also know that socializing with the rest of the world is good for my sanity. So, we packed a picnic dinner (confession: we picked up sandwiches from Subway), and headed to Summer Concerts in the Park. We made it out of the house nearly on time, complete with Tyler filling his diaper as we backed out of the garage. Fortunately, the new car has plenty of room for impromptu diaper changes.

The little guy slept through the Beatles cover band while we enjoyed a couple hours of fresh air, family and friends. A special thanks to Traci for the great idea!