Trip to Lake Tahoe

So the trip did not start out like I thought it would. I had planned to get up early, pack the car, then wake Jeff and Cameron and hit the road while they slept in the car. PJ and I got up and was halfway done with the packing when I tried to start the car. It wouldn't start and slowly lost all power. We spent the morning waiting for the tow-truck driver but was unable to get the car into neutral and get it out of the garage. Luckily, Land Rover San Jose loaned us another car and we were able to leave in the afternoon.

Cameron and PJ did very well on the ride to Tahoe. When we arrived at our cabin, and Jeff took Cameron to spend some quality daddy time on the swing and the hammock.

The Spruce Grove Cabins are very dog friendly, and have a fenced in courtyard where the dogs can run free. PJ explored the whole yard and found a bucket of water which he immediately jumped into, then he found a little pond that the sprinklers drained into. This weekend was all about water for PJ.

I unloaded the car while they played and made dinner. We spent the rest of the day walking to the lake from our cabin and just hanging out on the hammock. It was a nice lazy day after the long drive and we didn't do anything but spend time together as a family.

On Sunday we decided to go for a hike. We went to the ranger's station and started a hike towards the lake and the Tallac Historic Site. There is a dog friendly beach at the historic site and I think PJ knew it all along. He pulled me the whole time until he made it to the lake. When he finally saw the lake he pulled with all his might ripping the leash out of my hand. PJ jumped straight into the lake and swam out to try and catch a few of the ducks swimming by, all while dragging his leash behind him. I think he knew he was supposed to be on leash because he grabbed the leash on the swim back and brought it back to me. It was really funny watching him swim with his retractable leash in his mouth.


Usually PJ just wants to stay on the beach but he would jump into the lake and then want to continue the hike and then jump into the lake at the next alcove we hit. The trail stayed close to the lake but there were trees between the different beach locations and PJ wanted to check them all out, regardless of whether a group was already enjoying the alcove. We continued to the historic buildings and explored the grounds a bit. The beach in front of the Baldwin estate was PJ's favorite. He dragged me into the lake this time and went crazy running back and forth between me and the lake with the ducks.

Cameron slept a lot during the hike but she would wake up to watch PJ be crazy. After we explored the rest of the historic buildings which included the Pope estate we headed back to the ranger's station and had a picnic. We then loaded up the car and took a drive all the way around the lake. We have historically stayed in South Lake Tahoe when we go but the drive allowed us toexplore the west and north side of the lakes. We think we like these areas much better which didn't seem to have the sketchy parts of town like South Lake. Next time we will probably stay in one of these areas of the lake (if they are dog friendly).


After our long day we headed back to the cabin and enjoyed a nice dinner cooked on the grill and just hung out and enjoyed the quiet of no work, no tv, etc.

On Monday we planned to drive back home, but not right away. We decided to drive out Hwy 80, so we would have time to stop at the Truckee River and let PJ enjoy some more water play. We found a nice spot to enter the river and let PJ swim after the ducks and fetch sticks.



Jeff and Cameron hung out under a tree and watched us play in the river. When everyone was good and tired we decided to head back home. The drive was long and Cameron was good until the last half hour. She had had enough of the car by then.

Regardless of the mishaps at the beginning and the screaming baby at the end, we had a really good time and enjoyed ourselves. It was a break that we all needed.

Stroller Day

This is the look I got from Cameron when she woke up this morning. I took this as a "I have to get out of this house." She seemed to be as bored, and stir crazy as I've been lately. I think we are all in the need for some time away from the house.



So today we got good use out of the stroller. I took Cameron to Live Oak Park located in our neighborhood for the first time. We met my friend Lisa and her 19 month old Caroline. It was warm but windy in the park so I kept Cameron wrapped up in her blanket. It was fun to watch Caroline explore and play on the playground toys. I have a lot to look forward to.


Cameron was very good and seemed to enjoy watching the other kids and of course the trees. When we take her on walks she seems fascinated looking up at trees. She got hungry so I fed her at the park, which I don't normally do in public but all the other moms didn't seem to mind. After she ate I laid her in her stroller and she rested quietly until we left. She fell asleep on the walk home.

When Jeff came home and Cameron awoke from her nap we decided to go on a long walk as a family. We haven't really done that as much as before Cameron arrived. We are usually taking turns walking PJ, and its usually Jeff's turn. We put Cameron in her stroller and PJ on the leash and headed out. We went to the Sun Campus first. We let PJ off leash for a bit in the semi enclosed area but he found a dead bird and we immediately put him back on leash. We walked around the rest of the campus and found an area where the trees began to drop their leaves.



I grabbed a bunch of leaves, threw them into the air, and PJ would jump up to catch them. After doing this a few times he went crazy with excitement. He started to run in circles full speed, but of course he was still on leash. He nearly pulled me off my feet and choked himself in the process. Jeff got this really funny picture of the scene. Even still he loved it, but Cameron didn't understand what all the fuss was about.


We finished our walk with a stroll around the neighborhood. Jeff cooked me dinner and he put Cameron to bed. It was a really nice day. We still need to get away so we are going to head to Tahoe this weekend. Stay tuned for the details on that.

Soaking up some culture

So Grandma Cindy called us on Saturday to tell us about a concert in Golden Gate park on Sunday afternoon. It was to be a mix of Hungarian music, dancers, and a horse parade. Since Cameron loves music Jeff and I decided to go.

We dressed Cameron in warm clothes and headed to the Temple of Music in the park, but it was empty. We looked around for Cindy but couldn't find her so we had lunch at the DeYoung cafe. It was a nice lunch and even though it was very noisy in the cafe, Cameron fell asleep. We decided to wait until the museum's free Sunday concert started in the sculpture garden at 2pm. When we realized nobody was setting up for a concert, we thought we would walk Cameron through the Botanical Gardens.



As we entered the Botanical Gardens we saw the Hungarian flag and heard the singers and musicians. We started to walk towards it when Cindy called and told us she had just left and was headed back to the bus. When we told her we were at the concert she turned back. We were able to enjoy the end of the concert, but Cameron stayed asleep the whole time.

After the concert we decided to go and see the Monet exhibit at the Legion of Honor in Lincoln park.

Cameron definitely likes art and she would stare at the paintings she liked, and would look away if she wanted to move on. If you didn't pick up her cues she would really let you know. We bought Cameron a book about enjoying the impressionist artists, "Katie meets the Impressionist" and it includes pictures from Monet, Renoir, and Degas. Its a really nice story about visiting museums.

This is the second museum we have taken Cameron to. The first was the new deYoung museum when Yvonne and Ricky visited. This is a picture of her favorite painting (notice the boys finger in the painting, Cameron is always holding up the #1 with her fingers). I think she really liked the bright colors.


After we finished walking around the rest of the museum we headed back south. We were late to dinner so we called Sonya and David and asked that they take PJ out so we could go directly to dinner. They agreed and we went to dinner with the old NetSuite gang so they could finally meet Cameron. She was very good throughout dinner but at the end she was hungry and tired and started to fuss. She cried the whole way home and not even her new cds would settle her down.

She was pretty mad by the time we got home. But I fed her, gave her bath and she was back to her old self.

Walk-N -Wag

Today Cameron and PJ completed their fundraising walk for the Silicon Valley Humane Society. Together they raised $1000 and came in fifth place overall. Our team finished in third. The event was much smaller than last year and not nearly as much fun, but we did get to see a rescued spider monkey. PJ was very excited but stayed reasonably calm throughout the walk. When he saw his dogwalker Gini and her husband Scott he jumped all over them. I was surprised that he didn't get scared of the man in the dog costume. He seemed to like the dog who seemed almost human.

Since Cameron arrived, PJ has been very disobedient when mommy is around. He jumps and barks. He has become territorial around the house and at the park he plays at with Ellie. He can no longer be trusted off leash to go potty in front of the house, because he will take off and bark at neighbors, like he did yesterday. It was the first time that happened but I could tell things were escalating. I'm not sure how or if we can break the territorial thing. It's so annoying because with Jeff he never acts out. For instance Jeff and PJ went for a hike by the Guadalupe river near our house and he was off leash and Jeff had no problems. If I would have been there he would have been in that river.

In the afternoon, I went out with Cookie and Jeff watched the baby and Mikey. Mikey was very excited because he got to hold Cameron all by himself. Cameron was fascinated with Mikey and just smiled at him. She is so expressive now and we can easily get her to smile and giggle. Jeff is especially good at it.

After Cameron's big day, she was pretty tired. While daddy and PJ were out for their hike, I gave her a bath and read her two new books from Grandma Cindy, "The Rooster Struts" and "Owl Babies". She fell asleep when we were finished the stories (of course we had to read them a couple of times) and I just rocked with her until daddy got home. I love holding my sleeping baby.