Grown up time

(This is a lie in the blog-o-verse. I'm dating it for the day I wrote it since otherwise it doesn't make sense. And because I'm too lazy (busy!) to rewrite it. Sorry, internet.)

I went on a trip! Alone! And I took only one picture (for Steve, and for Lisa, too).

I went to Boston on Tuesday to attend events and an Advisory Board meeting for an organization that supported some of my work in graduate school and has since exposed me to a world of incredible leaders and change-makers in the social entrepreneurship and citizen leadership spaces. I'm writing this from the flight home, and I return both energized and inspired.

It is so hard sometimes to maintain enthusiasm when trying to just keep up with the day to day routine not to mention the tremendous amount of political nonsense at work. My job is intense and demanding and highly political, and we're doing some really hard things, but I return rejuvenated to try to remember the broader context of doing what is right for the taxpayers (that's you!) and not get stuck so much in the petty minutiae. Here's hoping I maintain this until at least noon on Monday!

Not only am I psyched to put all this inspiration to work, I also spent the last three days reconnecting with an old life and community and loving it. It is no secret that we miss Boston like crazy. I could see our old 'hood as the plane landed and felt right at home heading for the T and smelling its distinctive MBTA smell. I got to have dinner with Sarah and Anna at Figs - it was so great to catch up on their lives. I slept in the next morning and did a little shopping on Beacon Hill and then met Amy and Lily for coffee at Pace's where we used to meet and get coffee for our walks all the time. It was Lily's second birthday, too! I can't believe she has become a little girl - it was bittersweet to see how she's grown. I met her when she was two months old and then saw her at least once a week for a year and now she's all grown up. I took my old train out to Brandeis and had lunch with Jeff, so my ego is now appropriately back in check. Then, I got to attend these amazing events and meet some incredible people.

After the lecture, I got stay the night at my mentor's home (after making our way through the SNOW!!!) and her eight year old gave me a lesson in musical theory. We stayed up late talking over wine about how to balance changing the world with having a family. She is supposed to figure it out and tell me what to do. Had the advisory board meeting today (at which I took too many action items - when will I learn?) and then headed back to the airport.

It was a whirlwind trip, and not exactly a vacation, but it was a really wonderful treat to take a bit of time out of my real life and away from responsibilities to nourish relationships and my soul and be surrounded by people with both the passion for and action to make a difference. It's an honor to give back, in small, ways to this organization that has been so meaningful and inspiring to me. Plus it was soooo good to be back in Boston!

Huge, ginormous thank you to my dad for staying with Grace while I was away since Steve's work and call schedule meant we needed a lot of extra coverage. Plus, Grace loves to spend time with Pop!

I missed Grace while I was away, but was relieved that she was perfectly happy without me there. I can't wait to go peek in at Grace as she sleeps when I get home tonight.

Sooner than expected

I think all parents of newborns and infants look forward to the day when the same child is 13 that they can wake them early with bright lights and an obnoxious "rise and shine - this is payback!" I just didn't think we'd get to enjoy it so soon because Grace has always been an early riser.

Last week, while still adjusting to daylight savings time, Steve had to wake Grace up to go to school. He carried her out of room as she hid her eyes on his shoulder, pointing and pleading "criiiib, criiiib!" We couldn't stop laughing because we are empathetic like that.

So far, I heart daylight savings. Here's hoping she continues to sleep past 6:30AM...

Bridal festivities

While Steve spent 60 hours on call over the weekend (yep, you read that right - Friday night to Monday morning; I still need to write that post on how much i dislike fellowship), Grace and I headed north, through the torrential downpour on flooded roads, to Sonoma to celebrate Jess's coming nuptials.

Natalie hosted a lovely bridal shower for the west side crew of bridesmaids and extended family. Grace was so excited that she didn't sleep in the car (she kept saying "seeeee baby Gavin!" and my explanations about going to sleep and waking up at baby Gavin's house went nowhere) and was wide awake and wired for the party. But she's our party girl and mostly held it together.

Grace and the guest of honor. She saw the mimosas and wanted some, too! So she got special juice mixed with water.

Grace and Em. We played some games and tasted local wines. Emily got play some extra special toddler games, too.

Then, Grace got in on the gift-opening. As far as her father's concerned, this is the closest Grace will come to unwrapping bridal gifts.

Then she got down to cooking. I'm not sure Jess realized how many toys she'd registered for.

Then Gavin joined the party.

And Grace was his personal jack-in-the-box.

Sadly, in the version of this picture that is in focus, Emily's eyes are closed and Grace looks like she just bit a lemon. So this will do.

Grace was over it and walked out of the frame when we tried to get a group shot.

(Jess, Nat with Gavin, and Em)

Can you hear Grace yelling "mine!"?

He who holds Gavin must hold Grace. Plus, she loves Chris.

Getting ready for a slumber party.

After the kiddos were in bed (not asleep as it turned out), we braved the rain and flooded roads to go out to Valley Ford to the fabulous Rocker Oysterfellers for a low key, Sonoma-style bachelorette dinner. My camera battery was almost dead, so I just have a few pictures. PS, Sonoma is more rural than I realize and the roads on the trip back were basically ponds (they were supposed to get several inches of rain this weekend). Scariest driving I have ever done. Best glass of wine and piece of cake I have ever had upon our return to Nat's cozy, warm house.

The bride to be!

Oysters.

Babies in jammies eating cheerios. Melt. Not pictured are the dazed adults guzzling coffee since these two didn't get the memo that we were up later than I have been in years.

All the pictures here. So fun to spend some concentrated time with this dear group of friends. Thank you, thank you to Natalie for hosting such a lovely and fun weekend. Can't wait to be reunited at the wedding!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We are proud to be Irish (although her father seriously diluted all that good Irish blood with his barbaric Germanic heritage)! Remember, the Irish saved civilization.

Fun Funston

We finally made it to Fort Funston over the weekend. We almost bagged it as soon as we arrived because it was raining, but it was worth staying. What a gorgeous spot... we'll be going back when we have more time and the weather is better. This is what we missed living away from California!

Grace was dragging a little when we got there and so we were worried about getting her back up the steps. She walked the whole way. All the dogs running by were good inspiration. Then we saw a helicopter and she got very excited and kept asking "Where heli-doctor go?" Heh.

You should see the other guy

The other guy being a side table... Gracie and Lizzie were doing laps around Lizzie's house tonight, giggling and hollering, when Grace must have tripped and smacked her face. There was screaming and ice, but a few minutes later she said "I having fun!" That's our toughie (or trooper to Andrea).

Too bad for the poor quality pictures. There's going to be quite a bruise. I think this is the first big smack that had drawn blood.

Recently

GoGo came for a visit. I was sick and not very fun. But, we checked out the Randall Museum and got killer tacos in the Mission. Here are Grace and GoGo as Steve and I got ready for date night. We tried a (new to us) Japanese restaurant in the Inner Sunset. Such a treat to go out just the two of us, especially since in-restaurant dining is not on our regular circuit these days since Grace cannot sit for more than 10 seconds.

During GoGo's visit we headed over to P'ton for brunch the Greats, Scott and Katy. Here are Grace and Katy, the only pictures I took sadly. Grace spent most of the afternoon trying to convince us all to walk around the backyard looking for the neighbor's kitty cat.

We also got to see Great Aunt Mary (visiting from Connecticut) and cousin Amanda (visiting from Australia).

Grace started digging through Mary's purse to fill her piggybank.

But who can deny a smile like that?

Somebody got the sillies big-time....

But when we tried to get a group shot, Grace was so ready for a nap she insisted on being in her crib.

We celebrated Steve's birthday (or birfday, depending on your dialect).

Climbed around Tank Hill on a spring-like evening.

Hit the CAS and carried stuffed chickens around the playroom (LOVE that place - just for kids under 5, tons of cool stuff to play with and climb on, and small enough to let her roam without too close an eye).

Goofing around in the Shakespeare Garden in GG park.

A trip to the zoo ("I pet da goaaat!").

Had fun playing with Jennifer and the kids in a bouncy house at the park.

And giving baby Collette hugs and kisses.

We have known this family for years now, since we all lived outside DC together, back when Jennifer only had two kids (now there are four). I love that after scattering around the country, we all ended up in the same place again as the guys continue their (seemingly endless) training programs.

Fun playing with Lizzie.

Cooking with Ashley. The next morning when Grace woke up to find Ashley wasn't there anymore, she asked for her and then explained to me that she had "I hepped Asweee coooook!"

This sort of captures the past few weeks of non-blogginess. Not pictured are my dad's quick visit or game night with the cousins. Looking over the pictures, I notice a couple of things. It is SO WONDERFUL to be nearer to our families and be able to see them so much more often. I think we've seen most of them more times since moving to SF than we did the three years in Boston. The other big thing I realize is how many pictures are outside. There is sun and no snow. And it's winter. I heart California. But you knew that already.

I am so grateful for the people in our life.

A rock-a-my baby

About a dozen times a day, Grace comes up to Steve or me and says "a rock-a-my baaaybee." This means sit with her in the rocking chair and sing Rock-A-Bye Baby. Sometimes it also means rocking her baby doll or stuffed puppy, sometimes it means reading Richard Scarry while she points at every item, saying "Whaz dat?"