Travels with an infant

This past week, B and I travelled to California to visit my parents. We had a great time, and it flew by too quickly. Here is a list of the highlights:

• B travelled relatively well and slept during the flight to and from California. We had the luxury of three seats to ourselves on the trip out West, which made life a whole lot easier. We shared a seat on the trip back, but it wasn't so bad.
  
  
• Can you say hot hot hot?! While I was there, Southern California broke many temp records for November. Luckily my mom's friend had given her a ton of baby clothing, which included many cute summer outfits. Wearing sandals and tank tops in November seemed wrong, but so right.
  
  
• Yay, a pedicure! I feel human again.
  
  
• It was great to see my good friend Mary and her boyfriend Dana. They are both excellent baby whisperers.
  
  
• We had a delicious lunch with my friends Catherine (and her cutie son Kenny), Jennifer and Christine at California Pizza Kitchen in Fashion Island. Jennifer initiated B to the concept of facing forward in her carrier. It was a beautiful day.
  
  
• My dad and I strolled along the strand after a lunch with my mum at Hennessey's in Hermosa. The Good Stuff standcam caught us talking on the phone to Clay.
  
  
• Downtown Disney was a cool place to hang out with B's adoring Uncle Micah. Good food, good company and great atmosphere.
  
  
• My friend Jamie and I took our daughters to UCLA to meet our friend Brian and have lunch at the faculty center. Jamie's account of the day is spot on!



• And a visit to Redondo Beach is not complete without a trip to Captain Kidd's for dinner. :)
  

Snowy Day

Last night was the first significant snow fall of the season. It probably won't stick, but it's nice to look at.

Swamp Bunny

We have a muskrat living in our pond! Clay took this picture of our muskrat. Check out the wikipedia article on muskrats for more information. Yikes!

Tip #1 -- Squeaky floors

Having never raised a baby before, I have read everything I can get my hands on. I've also gotten lots of advice from family, friends & other new moms I have meet at the mom groups I go to.

But there are some things about babies you can't/won't find in the books. So let me fill in the gap.

Tip #1 --Squeaky floors

Before your baby is born, fix all the squeaks in your floor

This has really become an issue for me. For a baby who can sleep through the antics of a deer crazed dog, B seems especially sensitive to our squeaky floors. Now granted, we do have the squeakiest hallway leading up to her bedroom and bathroom. Today I found myself practically walking on the moulding just so I could take a peak at the slumbering bambino who'd been asleep for over three hours.