new favorite toys

Reese loves the pots and pans here. It his game of choice to get a pot and lid from the cabinet and pound them on the coffee table.

He does have to stop and play a bit on his way to the table.

The bang is so loud he has to close his eyes.

Week 2 in SD

We have internet here BUT half the time it doesn't work. It is incredibly frustrating so most days I don't even attempt. Today I finally got on so here are some new photos.Reese helping with the laundry.

the boys playing Daddy's new game: World of War Craft

still watching Daddy's computer screen

ride 'em cowboy!

Eating a burger at Islands Restaurant

This week we moved to a way better apartment, went to the pool a few times, watched 2.5 seasons of Six Feet Under, Smart People, and What Happens in Vegas (LOVED IT!). We checked out Fashion Valley Mall. Mostly we played with blocks A LOT and read some books--Reese likes more than just the Hungry Caterpillar now. He is really enjoying hanging out with his Daddy.

warm pool water woo hoo!

blue smile after blue raspberry icee at the SD wild animal park

Sunday we barbecued with the guys from work. The apartment complexes here have grills at their pools so we were able to a have all the fixins. Reese LOVED the pool. He jumped in off the edge and splashed around and put his face in. I think going swimming in a pool that isn't freezing a la all Washington pools was really exciting for him. And we've been able to avoid sunburn so far. But we did lose his cute sun hat at the wildlife park, so I'll avoid swimming around the noonish high sun until we get a replacement hat.
Tomorrow we are moving from our dumpy (moldy and stinky) apartment to one that we here is really nice and it's got laundry in it and it's walking distance to Costco and Ikea and the trolley. That's important since Reese and I have no car and would no doubt get a little stir crazy. My new Kathy Reichs book comes out tomorrow so we'll hit Barnes and Noble while wait for check in time at the new place. Then hopefully Reese will nap nicely so I can start reading my new book.

San Diego Wild Life Park

We hit the Wild Life Park today where you ride the tram around for a tour of the animal habitats and then there are some walk around areas too.

The boy riding the bronze rhino

on the carousel

taking an icee break

the petting zoo

getting his hand painted to make a handprint monkey picture

We forget the names of everything but this is some kind of buffalo type animal. Our safari guide pointed out they are black which provides no camouflage whatsoever because are the bad asses of Africa and have no problem taking on (and beating) a pride of lions.

the tram is fun

some lady rhinos sitting butt to butt and a giraffe

a giraffe youth and a baby, which was 5 ft tall at birth

This is one of only 8 living Northern White Rhinos left in the world. This park has 2 and the Czech Republic has 6. The 2 groups are working together on a mating plan to try to avoid allowing this animal to be come extinct. Their horns have made them vulnerable to poachers and unfortunately their natural habitats are in countries that have been filled with "political unrest" for so long animal conservation is a low priority.

These guys in the antelope family have an elliptical "follow me" symbol on their butts so they can keep track of each other as the herd travels.

you'll have to enlarge this one to see the mama and baby rhino (a different breed than the almost extinct one)

lions--I guess they already ate the people that go to this truck

overview of the park

almost as a big as a gorilla

pelican--these get 20 pounds

hatching from a stork egg

a meerkat--don't feed they bite

It was so disgustingly hot today. We were pretty uncomfortable, but had fun. Reese made a hand print monkey to hang on his bedroom wall and got a tshirt and book about baby giraffes.

Yummy Lemons

One of the other wives came down to visit too, so Reese and I hung out at their place yesterday. We ate at a diner in walking distance from their apartment. Reese stole Miss Cheryl's lemon and gave it a nibble.Yucky

the second try was even more yucky.

San Diego

So we are situated and have grocery shopped. Reese really like the low cabinets he can open so he helped put stuff away. He's very happy the trash can cabinet isn't latched like it is at home.
The water in San Diego is apparently undrinkable so Kyle's apartment has 2 jugs of Culligan water--no dispenser mind you so you have to just chug a lug. Reese is getting the hang of it!

albino peacock

Reese's NICU neighbor just emailed me these photos. I have no idea where this albino peacock lives but it is super cool.

Also a cool little tidbit: my friend Ginny lives on the Northshore of Oahu, Hawaii and in one single work day she saw Diane Lane, Woody Harrelson and Sean Penn. She had to give Sean Penn change and their hands touched. MY friend touched Sean Penn..super cool.

Catch Up

Let's back up a bit: Tuesday we rode the ferry to Seattle to go to Reese's surgery followup at Swedish. He found the round spin chairs on the upper deck endlessly amusing. Doesn't he look like a bog boy?

Then Wednesday to Friday we went to Spokane to take Uncle Travis to school. Here is the boy mere seconds after a nap with some crazy hair.

Saturday was so HOT. We went to Mimi's swimming pool. Then he checked out the deck.

and the radio.

Tuesday we left for San Diego. Reese rode the airporter for the first time.

He chatted with all his fellow passengers.

We got to visit the cockpit becasue it was Reese's first flight. The pilots said hi and the flight attendant held him for a photo--he was a little unhappy with a stranger hoisting him up.

Sitting in the EMPTY chair next to me--woo hoo--reading his book.

Finally in his car seat in Daddy's rental Mustang.