Vacation to LA - Part 2

Day 2 of the vacation brought us fog and chilly (for LA) temperatures. But that didn't stop us from dropping the top in our convertible to do some cruising downtown to check out the walk of fame.

 After, we got our bikes and headed from Venice Beach to the Santa Monica Pier. They have a ton of rides there and being a random cloudy Wednesday, no one was around! First stop, per Sophia's request, was the Roller Coaster. We went twice in a row - sorry, no pictures, but it was a good, stomach dropping time. We rode all of the rides at least twice, including the bumper cars, which I hadn't been on in years. It was just Sophia and I on them and I haven't laughed that hard in so very long. It was great.

 

We got a good long ride on the Ferris Wheel, though unfortunately with the fog, we couldn't see much of anything. But it was still a good time! We had a nice bike ride home, including a long stop at the park so Sophia could have some kid-playtime and then a stop at the skate park on the beach. I think she's inspired to get on a skateboard.

The Chair

There is a glider chair in Sophia's room that has been there since the day she came home from the hospital. I love that chair for so many reasons: it's soothing the way it rocks, it's comfortable to fall asleep in and it holds so many memories.

The chair was a hand me down from a wonderful family that I babysat for when I was pregnant with Sophia. I swapped a day of sitting their amazing, energetic two boys for the chair. It seemed only fair. It had been with them for both of their boys younger times and now they were making space. (Side note: they also gave Sophia her Giraffe lovey, which, 4+ years later is still her favorite friend.)

I have some of the best pictures of Sophia, and now her and Theo in that chair. Sophia loves to lock it tightly and sit on it to read to herself or make a little bed for her animals. Theo gets the biggest kick out of rocking it as hard and fast as he can (which often sends it barreling back at him!)

Some of my favorite memories involve the hours I spent rocking, nursing and snuggling Sophia in that chair. The hours that she wouldn't go to sleep or that I just wasn't ready to put her down. The hours I fell asleep from rocking her and felt her warm body snuggled against me. First in my arm, then slowly extending across my lap as she grew, then from arm rest to arm rest, and then spilling over, as she does now, legs longer than the night.

Every night, we sit in that chair and read books and sing. And she still snuggles into me as we read and to talk about whatever is on her mind - her "animals," the new tower or rocketship she built, or what her stuffed animals are up to.  And for a moment every night, after the lights are out and we've sung our songs, I remember what a tiny little baby she started off as, in that very same spot. And I hug her a little tighter and carry her off to bed.

 

My amazing three year old

Some how, some way, my amazing, incredible, sweet (and sometimes patience-trying) Sophia has turned 3 years. 1,096 days old. I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. Maybe a lot of the stuff in between has faded a little, but every day we are making new memories.

We celebrated the big day with friends and family, and of course, a fabulous Mickey Mouse cake (and Mickey's clubhouse themed birthday!)

The day started off with our yearly tradition of hanging and examining the banner of the year's pictures.

Nana & Pop Pop came up for reading and playtime before the party began. 

Then, the party started. Here's Sophia& Frances - both born on November 7th. 

Wow - have they grown from last year. 

And of course, the customary shake down from Dad.

 Snuggle time from Grandma:

A little dance party!

And finally - birthday cake time.

Happy Birthday my big girl!!