blue-da-ba-dee

I am nearly four days deep into my California trip. Yesterday was the best of it, so far.

Jennie brought Alaina out to Antioch yesterday to pick me up. I am closer to Jennie than anyone else and I have missed her! On the phone with her while she was making the long drive to see me I could hardly stay in my skin. The last I saw her was in August when she married her high school sweetie-turned-hubby. Our babies are only a month different in age. We were actually due the same week, but Richie came early and Alaina came late. Wouldn't it be too much if the next babies were that close? It could happen...

Anyway, Jennie finally pulled up to the house. I ran to the car, after waving wildly. (I didn't want her to forget where I was...) I grabbed Alaina out of the car, probably scaring the poor child who obviously had no recognition of who I was. I squeezed Jennie and dragged my huddle to the house. Richie was sitting inside, confused. I held onto Alaina as she watched Richie refuse to be held by Jennie, freak out and run around the kitchen. Richie and Alaina didn't play much together; Alaina was not impressed by Richie boy-babyness.

We headed to lunch at Applebees then on to Babies R Us where I influenced (in a very bad way) Jennie; she left with the Wendy Bellissimo bedding I was supposed to dissuade her from. I fully believe Jennie would have got the slightly less expensive one if they had it in stock...anywhere. Or if I hadn't been there. Alas! The fates were against her and she left with gorgeous, wonderful super-bedding. The colors are so rich! Once Jennie gets Alaina's new room in their new house painted, it's going to be a baby utopia! It's a good thing I am leaving to return to Texas because I would definitely try to talk her into the Wendy Bellissimo furniture!

After my evil doings, we went on to Jennie's place as she sadly warned me of the empty walls and stacked boxes. Jennie got ready and all of a sudden it was four in the afternoon! Jennie called The Picture People about getting the babies pictures done and we ran to the mall. Well, we drove...but doesn't "run" sound so much more dramatic?

Once at the mall we spent who knows how long in Gymboree. Determined to spend as much money as humanly possible, and find coordinating boy-girl outfits in the process, we dove head first into baby couture. It was a blast! We opted for rainbow colored summer outfits for the babies; Alaina in a cute off-the-shoulder summer dress and Richie in a polo shirt and brown shorts. After our splurge at Gymboree, we went to the photo place where they were ready for us. Looking back, I wonder why we thought it was a good idea to put two kids who didn't remember, or like, one another in a small space to cheese for the camera. Somehow, it just didn't work out. Of hundreds of clicks, we got two good pictures. Alaina was determined to be away from Richie while he was smiling big (as always) for the camera and running off. Most of the pictures were funny, but in a sarcastic-not-very-cute sort of way. Still, we did like two of the poses and ordered prints.

After Jennie driving out first thing in the morning all of a sudden it was past 8:00 p.m. Where did the time go? We still needed to eat dinner and drive home. So, we hit Mimi's Cafe and then straight home for me and poor Jennie still had to drive all the way back to San Ramon!

Jennie, I found another positive for you; no more hours of driving just to hang out for the day! Not that we still won't, but at least we won't have to!

A special note to end on:
My son ate his first crayon at Applebees. Yes, baby Richie took a bite out of a blue wax crayon. It only took him a few hours to leave me a little blue present in his diaper. Bring on the toddler years!