California - Day 1

 It felt good to feel good in California.  Our first day there was great.  We went shopping a little in the morning and let the kids play in the fountain, then rushed home to meet Grandma at Café Rio for lunch.  After some sweet pork salads, Theresa came with us over to the pool and held Alice the whole time we went swimming.  Jane LOVES her puddle jumper and hopped right into the pool and started paddling around with the biggest grin on her face.  What a huge improvement in her comfort level in the water.  Peter mostly wants to play around the water and is far too careless around the water’s edge.  It freaks me out.  I wish we could have brought puddle jumpers for them.  It would have helped put my mind at ease.  Jane was only borrowing Zoey’s for a little while.  

We had to leave way too soon to get dressed and make it down to Erik and Juliana’s for dinner.  Juliana bought a “Soccer Disk” for Peter and he was a riot with it.  He just wanted to kick it back and forth all night and broke into contagious giggles any time he was able to make it roll on its side.  He was tired and a little loopy, but that made it even funnier.   After dinner we went down to the San Clemente Pier and walked out over the ocean as the sun set.  It was gorgeous and such a fun thing to do with Erik and Juliana.  They have always only wanted us to come to their home.  It was so nice to be able to get out and do an activity with them.  I hope that becomes a tradition when we go down to see Grandpa.  It was probably the best visit I’ve had with them.  We got some ice cream and ate it on the beach.  It was pretty dark by the time we left and I told Jane as I was changing her into her pajamas in the van that the plan was for her and Peter to fall asleep on the way home and then we would just carry them into their beds while they were sleeping.  “That’s a great idea!” She exclaimed.  “I love that idea, mommy!”  As we drove off she started directing controls to create the ideal sleeping conditions.  “Daddy, can you turn on the music, but it has to be just quiet so I can go to sleep.”  “Daddy, it’s too bright on the stores.  I can’t go to sleep.  Can you turn them off?”  “Daddy, I’m too cold.  I need my blanket.”  In the end, she worried too much about the right conditions to fall asleep at all on that 30-minute drive. 

I really love his high kicks.

After, playing in the fountain, swimming in the pool, walking along the beach, and eating ice cream, I asked Peter what his favorite part of the day was, he answered:  “Playing Maters, Maters, Maters”.  He is just crazy for all of Mason’s old cars and trucks and it turns out, Mason has a good four different Mater tow trucks.  Peter heaven.