Peers Park and a few other Palo Alto things

When I was a young lass we went to Palo Alto every 9 weeks to visit grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.  Some families went skiing or camping, or maybe to Hawaii, we went to Palo Alto and sometimes Palm Springs.  Mainly Palo Alto.  I have so many memories of good times there it can just make a girl ache.  Thus saith I, there are few things that could bring me more joy than to see my child playing at one of my old haunts: Peers Park.  We met up with the Jacobs and the Lassens (Paughs) which sweetened the deal even more!

Also, I pin it on all the brain power swirling through the air here, but Jude decided he was good and ready to stand UP from a sitting position!  Sarah and I were watching him Gollum-crawl around in their apartment when he just straightened himself to standing!  It was plain as day he was 9 miles over the moon about his new trick and could not stop squealing and clapping for himself -- in fact, the only thing that knocked him down was his spastic clapping!  Sarah and I were in stitches and clapped for him and waxed shrill, "GOOD JOB, JUJU!!!  GOOD JOB, BUDDY!" 

Since then he's...get ready...taken several steps as long as his destination is me, Jeff, or the iPad.  Now I truly realize how tall he is, and the thing that makes this milestone more awesome is the elation dripping from his sweet face.  What a thrill!

Also, we met a whole bunch of third-year law students and professors that know Harry.  Every single one of them had so many specific, complimentary things to say about him and then they'd say to me, "Oh yeah, you're Sarah's sister --  you look so alike!" We still don't totally see it.  Anyway, it was so nice to hear such lovely things said about the guy my sis married.

Back to the trip: Jude has had access to the iPad maybe 3 times.  Each time he's been so excited it's like his head was about to explode.  While he was begging to be released from the car seat as a last ditch effort I picked up the iPad and just seeing his reflection in the photo booth soothed him.  We took a bunch of pictures which had him all excited and I could even see him without cranking around....

That only lasted so long....

We tried the funky effects.... 

Jeff's fingers made a cameo....

 Which spooked him.

And then he eventually got over it/took a nap/found other things to entertain him.

Palo Alto 2012

Jeff was invited to be a member of the Stanford Law School Board of Visitors.  There was a conference last weekend, which meant a trip for all 3 of us!

Completely out of chronological order, here it is:

While Jeff was in meetings I got to hang with my most prized little sis.  Aunt Sarah and Jude matched.  They didn't even call each other the night before to arrange it all!

We browsed and perused at the Stanford Shopping Mall and got Sprinkles Cupcakes.  It's all about the frosting for me; I could take or leave the cake.  

Breakfast at Stacks.  

Very cool: Meeting cousin Lizzy.  Jude, as per his baby usual, loved her but was unnerved with jealousy.  Lizzy is dreamy.

We went to San Fransisco on Saturday and waited in a 25 minute line for Bi-Rite ice cream.  It was worth it when we heard a few of the flavors: Strawberry Balsamic, Salted Caramel, and Brown Sugar.

Dolores Park -- it smelled a little...herbal there.....

Dolores' View

Jude's travel skills improve with each trip.  He didn't get all of his napping hours logged but was still pretty fantastic company and bonus: gave me a sleepy snuggle over Indian food.  I think we ate too much on this trip.

There were a few touchy moments on the drive up (and down).  I could hardly blame him; it seems criminal to pin him down for 7 hours!  We tried to calm his antsy frustration with lots of food and thus the car floors were morphed into a thick lawn of crumbs, and the doors were splashed with la leche.  New family rule: only sippies of water allowed in the car!

It wouldn't be a trip to Palo Alto without a quick photo in front of the house I miss and love.

On our way home.  Until next time, Palo Alto, and bring on the bunny ears!

Home from Palo Alto

and we had a grand old time.

And now, after 7 hours in the car, GOODNIGHT!

Bay Area Trip 2011

We hung out on campus, shopped, visited with the Campbells, Reynolds, Jacobs, Buskirks, went to San Fransisco,  went to Reunion stuff, and really, altogether, had a great time.  I love NorCal.

Eat your heart out.

I did my hair.  For reals.  I turned on the blow dryer, took my round brush in hand, and twirled.  

Ok I'm sorry to break the news to Aunts Erica, Angie, Elizabeth, and Sarah: Jude loves each of you, but he has an unprecedented twinkle for Aunt Michelle.  He L-O-V-E-D her and would practically lunge into her arms giggling.  

A dying breed found on campus.

That awesome bridge and those awesome boys

Never mind my double chin.  I love those tiny little fingers on my face.

Moments of imparted wisdom

Ghirardelli Square was a little more on the beaten path than Jeff wanted to invest time in, but I needed some chocolate, and I needed it fast.

Union Square

Jude is obsessed with facing out in the Bjorn.  He goes into high octane energy expenditure.

Crashed in the stroller

And last but not least, paying respects to my Grandparents' house in Palo Alto.  We came here last year with Jude in-tummy.  They put in solar panels; otherwise everything else seems to be the same, it still breaks my heart a little that it's not ours anymore, but que sera sera.

We are really tired, but if being tired in exchange for good family times is wrong I don't want to be right.

Reuniting

I'm here with my boys at Jeff's 5 year Law School Reunion in the crisp Palo Alto, observing the nerdy granolas, wondering what it would have been like if I'd met Jeff earlier and been here with him, eating the free food, trying to keep Jude from having an I-Don't-Sleep-Well-Ever-On-Vacation meltdown (but he's currently sleeping in the stroller and his lips are smushed and it looks so darn cute), eavesdropping on conversations about your typical nerdy things, remembering coming here a few times with my cousins when we'd visit family in them younger days, smelling the Palo Alto smell that always gets me choked up for those heavenly visits in them younger days and how my childhood is so wrapped up in this place, and sighing a lot.  And then grumbling when Jude starts shrieking like he did in months 0 to 3.

P.S. Jeff and I would go back and forth on taking Jude to Europe whenever it is that we actually go.  (I should mention we were planning a trip for our first anniversary but low and behold I became a vessel for the next generation.)  After this trip, not a chance, not if you paid me.

Palo Alto

We went for Karren and Bruce's 3 cheers wedding and loved it like it's nobody's business.



Grandma and grandpa McOmber's house that is a sacred spot. The smells of the town were killing my nostalgia button. There is no place quite like your childhood heaven.




We saw sisters, brothers-in-law, friends, and this dapper pair, Uncle Bryant and Aunt Susan.

I spent most of my time in Palo Alto as a rascally youth, but Jeff was a grown grad man student there with his own car. He knew the geography and restaurants, etc. so I was pleased to still introduce him to something I knew: The Village Cheese House. They



make epic sandwiches there. Something about growing up and revisiting old haunts: things get smaller. These sandwiches that my mom and aunt and grandparents would order for us were so huge I would think, "Are they crazy?? I can't even fit my mouth around this thing." I somehow thought I would still feel that way, but now... I could have maybe eaten two.

It was way too great to see everyone and celebrate the marriage of 2 more winners we know will have an awesome life, etc. Now back to the real world.

-- Post From My iPhone