Summer Trip to CA 2014

Now that we are on the mainland trips to visit family and friends are much easier. All it takes to get to Southern California is a 10-13 hour (depending on stops) drive with an 18 month old. Easy, right?
We actually don't have anything to complain about, the tiny human is a rock star in the car. The drive down he barely fussed. We went to Gramps' house in Simi Valley first.

Monkey is the best for snuggles

Grrr, drive drive drive

Family Driving Selfie

 We get to Gramps and the tiny human is handed a hockey stick and a ball. He is then busy for the next three days.

We visited Underwood Family Farms so the tiny human could check out some farm animals and play.

Drive, Jeeves

Wooden train with mom

Practicing my tractor driving with Dad

Serious face is serious

Feeding animals

Tubular

Wheelbarrow! This should go well.

Watching TV holding a 3D printed Weeping Angel

Gramps has to hang upside down for his back.

Momma got to knit!

Chillin' with Gramps

zzzzzzzzzzzzz

 Friends from Hawaii were in LA for reasons so we went into town to visit them. It was great to see Andy and Hiromi again. Miss them.

Because Los Angeles

Hiromi needs a walker to help her. And a Roland to help.

Yep, my kid stole her walker

We went to lunch and he was adorable

Back at the House of Gramps we had ribs. The tiny human then revealed he is actually Bam Bam.

Yes, of course we stripped him to his diaper first.

MEAT!

Hello?

After our time with Gramps we headed north to Lancaster to visit with Grammy, Papa, Auntie Summer, Uncle Kevin, cousins Jackson and (brand new) River, and Uncle Chris, Aunt Heather, and couson Kaitlyn.

Meeting to tiny River

Hello, I'm your favorite Auntie

Fun with glasses

 We went to the Drytown Water Park and were having a great time. Then the tiny human got a little excited, tripped, and smashed his face on the concrete. Immediate flood of tears and blood. I didn't take pictures of his face, but think that Andrew W.K. album cover. We took him over the the lifeguard office (where I used to work) and they cleaned him up. He was fine and actually stopped crying and started flirting as soon as he noticed all the girl guards cooing at how cute he is. Anyway, here's what his rash guard looked like afterwards. 

Yep, all the red is blood. Yes, it' funny that there's a shark on it.

Even with a small fat lip he wasn't that upset.

This is the Cover Your White Head So You Don't Burn hat he picked out.

More proof he's the coolest kid ever.

Being cute with couson Kaitlyn back at Grammy's

This was the trip of funny food pictures. I call this "Baby Lecter"

Shopping carts are fun and disposable diapers means his butt is too small to keep shorts up

Kids today, with their sagging pants

Helping Papa vacuum.

Reading Uncle Chris's new book, "Harry and the Hot Lava" with Grammy.

'sup?

Playing motorcycle's with Grayson

Vrrrrrrrrrmmmm

 Much like he hockey stick, once he discovered the baseball bat, ball, and tee it's all he wanted to do. And, speaking as a completely impartial observer, his hand-eye coordination is incredible for his age.

Bam Bam!

Base hit!

Fooling around with dad before bed

Grammy in heaven with Roland and Grayson

River with smiles. Or gas.

Sandbox!

Watching the Dodger game

He was great with River. "Baby" is a word he picked up right away. He also gave her a gentle kiss but I missed it because he's faster than my phone.

 And then it was time to head home. Drive took longer with more stops because while we were gone he got better at "diaper" and six times out of ten he actually means he needs a new one when he says it. Except on the drive, when he lied twice. Still, stops are good for him. He was happy most of it, and I spent most of it backwards picking up toys and keeping him busy.

The reader of books

Stopped at In-n-Out in Stockon to see Uncle Matt. (Grayson and Aunt Meghan were napping)

His kid cries when I hold him.

So this is only fair.

Rest Stop Selfie