Photo Session Tuesday....

Today we had a little photo session at Casa Chaos.  These are some I took but I have come to terms I will never be Lisa Jane

SoCal.....LOVE IT!!!

Today we headed West back to my surgeon in Newport Beach, CA.  Dr D is going to see how I am progressing and if the rib graft is taking to the new location. 

This time I brought a whole support staff of people to hold my hand!  Naturally, my Mom, JoJo came (since she has to handle the PICC line) and one of my best girlfriends Ryland came as "head cheerleader".  Her little boy, Jack Allen (we call "JAMP") is ten days older than Sinclair and they are the best of friends.  

They loved landing at the FBO and getting to see so many planes up close on the tarmac.

At Leigh's (our other BFF) suggestion we are staying at the Montage in Laguna Beach this trip. This is truly what heaven on earth is.  We hear the Pacific waves crashing against the rocks. 

I first discovered Laguna in about 1991.  My friends showed me an "investment" they made on a stretch of Laguna Beach that was essentially a trailer park.  I recall thinking they had to be insane to have paid a half a million dollars for a patch of sand large enough to hold a trailer.  

Flash forward almost a decade and some developers bought out the original investors for a substantial amount.  They developed the Montage Hotel which opened about five years ago.  The same size patch of land (approximately 10,000 square feet of sand) just sold recently (without a home on it) for $13 MILLION!!!! 

Crazy California prices!!!  It is mind blowing!!!

We just came to enjoy the view!!   The ideal weather is free!!! 

Pondering life....

I am looking forward to:




The love of my life:

Place I would love to visit:

I love more than anything.....

I have too much of.....

A place I love to visit

One of my favorite meals

Some of my favorite colors

My fabulous city:

Where I grew up

My First Job:

My future goal:

Just what the Dr ordered! A big dose of love!

First thing this morning when Sinclair started playing she wanted to "make paints" and then she said "BoBo on nose, mommy?" and painted her nose bright pink. Is it not amazing how a child can lift your spirits and make nothing else in the world matter??

Choo-Choo....Turner's Turning Two!

This afternoon we went to our little friend Turner's 2nd birthday...it was all about trains! Train cakes, train moonwalk, train balloons and the most popular event was the train ride through the neighborhood. Sinclair rode the five minute train tour four times!

Turner the birthday boy greeting all his friends!

Sinclair loves butterflies almost as much as she does trains.....this week.

We got home and she went straight for her piano to try to work on a little birthday composition.

WHOOOOSH...Life is what happens when you're making plans!

How many times do you hear "they grow so fast? Enjoy it while it lasts"

"Fast" maybe the biggest understatement ever uttered. It is more like Mach .10! I swear it only seemed like yesterday she was 5 lbs and could firmly fit in her Dad's palm! A year and a half has been time that has flown but has been thoroughly enjoyed! Also, to say "documented mildy" would be the second biggest understatement.

Without a doubt, time speeds up when you get older and, right on schedule, it has dawned on me that I no longer have the same eternity stretching before me that seemed to be there only a few years - or decades ago.

It seems like just two weeks ago I was pregnant.
Just 1 week ago Sinclair was born so fragile and tiny....
Just 2 days ago she learned to crawl, five minutes after she learned to sit up.....

Wasn't it yesterday she learned to say "Momma"???

Not only that, I've begun regretting the time I wasted.

I want back the hours upon hours I used to spend listening to Oprah explain to me the meaning of life, knowledge of which is considerably clearer when people give you a standing ovation everyday just for showing up for work. Having a billion dollars to come home to doesn't hurt either.

I regret all the time I spent 25 years ago searching for a radio station playing something other than Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and the evenings I wasted before I met Mr Wonderful thinking I was going to meet Mr. Right in a bar.
I regret all the time I spent driving around looking for a parking spot 20 feet closer to the store entrance. However I also regret the time it took me to walk miles to the store entrance when I first got my drivers license because I was afraid to park between two cars.

Then there is the 3,532 hours I've spent watching Fox News. This is not to say watching Fox News is in and of itself a waste of time. It is, in fact, required viewing for any enlightened being and it is a badge of honor in our household if you can recite Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity verbatim.

Then there is all that time I wasted trying to train our Cavalier King Charles to follow my commands. I should just sign the deed to the house over to them and spend the rest of my life feeding them and throwing a ball for them to chase.

Cherish the time! Man, I love being a mommy!

Fascinating realization #4875: Sinclair has a deep obsession with all things construction -- while they are working on our street, she has watched patiently daily just longing for one of us to take her to "Watch trucks"

Tonight as we prepared for the Ballet Ball, she showed everyone how she was self-taught in the "booot-toon" snapping on Daddy's tux shirt. We were all in awe.....especially, since it was ONLY YESTERDAY she was took her first steps!

Everyday is a pink day!

What a GORGEOUS day! Hailey came by today and I nabbed her into put together toys. She is brilliant at anything that involves engineering. Sinclair had received a Minnie Mouse Tricycle for Christmas and her feet are almost long enough to touch the pedals. Hailey showed her how to move the pedals and ring the bell -- she loved it. Yet, immediately she needed her new matching pink boa to complete the ensemble. She wanted to wear her new "purlz" that little Max sent her for Valentine's but I explained they were in the safe until they had their first real date...... when she is 40 according to her Daddy.

Sinclair made sure Hailey had a turn. She insisted "you go, you go" -- she loves to share.

This is her "pondering" face -- Hmmmm, where should I play next???

We then ventured to the backyard where she has a new fascination with sliding down backwards. The shreiks of joy as she counts down the numbers before she lets go are hysterical.

The love I have for this child knows no bounds!

Baby Bling Goes Primetime!!!

Right after we got home this afternoon from the birthday party the doorbell rang I watched curiously from the video screen upstairs in my study and saw this gentleman hand a very fancy bag to John and said it was for "the Princess of the house" -- Big Daddy just assumed it was for moi. I guess, he did not get the memo that Sinclair has started to receive a regal reputation in her own right. The second I saw the bag I knew it was going to be good!

Let me just say I am obsessed with presentation and great delivery. I think it is true when NYT restaurant critic Ruth Reichl, says "presentation is 90% of the meal" As I mentioned the Valobra bag was a fantastic prelude but when I saw that photo of handsome little Max (his charasmatic Daddy, Franco owns the store) my knees just got weak. This toddler is going on 25 and has his mothers looks and his Daddy's charm....in other words, he is "going places"

Sinclair was so gentle when she opened the card. As if she had done this 1000 times. I can assure you at 18 months this is the first "big girl jewelry" prezzie she has received. This moment will qualify in the same category as "first steps"

What astounded me is the way she paused and looked at the words on the card and was taking it all in. She even put her little finger over each letter of this little suitor "Mmmmmmm....Ayyyyyy....X" I told her "Max is who is sending you a present....so get to the good stuff and open the box already!!!"

She was so caught up in the moment she took his little card and started kissing it. Like she was sending Max some telepathic "thank you" -- it brought a little tear to my eye.

Where as most kids tear into packages, especially at a year old, mine does not. Any patience she has is totally from her Father. She was so very careful with the ribbon. She made me finger point to each letter while she said it outloud. I said something like "honey, I know WHERE it came from - let's open it" The look she gave me was an unfiltered one.....she is not speaking in full sentences but if she had it would have been along the lines of "this is my moment please allow me to savoir it, MOTHER!!!" As she slowly twirled the ribbon just to annoy me. This is definitely a red flag she and I will be butting heads when she is 12.

Sinclair literally held her breath as she peeked into the box. I must admit I was pretty stunned myself when I saw the most gorgeous stand of pearls! Again, I am a sucker for great presentation. I could not believe my 18 month old was getting what took me years to acquire and I purchased mine for myself!

I tried to take them from her to unlatch them to slip around her neck and she immediately said "No! No!" At that moment she ever so gracefully guided them over her head and was so proud. This day definitely tops her little short life ranked up there with meeting Mickey Mouse and holding bunnies.

Hilariously enough, the second she got them on she took a victory lap around the living room. Then did a half-baked Miss America wave. Where does she get these dramatic mannerisms????

Little Max has set the bar high for all the other boys. On a side bar note, this is maybe the most creative marketing move I have seen Franco pull out of his hat. Franco will forget more about schmoozing than Dale Carnegie will have ever known in his lifestime. He is so ahead of the game winning over Mommy and daughter. He realizes I will have to go in the store personally to thank him and take Sinclair so she can model the goods. Naturally, we will have to build from the initial treasure. Hence, incredible delivery and brilliant marketing....Valobra gets an A+ across the board!