PHEW! It's been a whirlwind summer! Shortly after our move to the Westside, I started looking for new friends and activities for Alexander and I. Shortly after I found a group of moms in the area on MeetUp.com, the organizer bailed and I had a choice: lose the group or take it over. So, of course, I am now the Organizer of Westside Moms of Toddlers. It's relatively low maintenance, just keep events moving, keep the mama drama to a minimum, and have fun all over town!Alexander has been adjusting well and growing. He knows there is a baby on the way and the baby has it's own seat in the car and a new bed in the bedroom. Every now and then he'll come over and pull my shirt up to give the baby kisses (on my tummy). He's not "talking" yet, but has lots of words and comes up with new ones everyday. He's definitely working on his terrible two's. A mother of grown children once told me that when I get mad, take pictures. Here is part of my collection:
Manny's company has made a HUGE move from the largest privately held printer in the world to the second largest public printing company with the purchase of one of the failing "big 3's". There has been quite a bit of staffing changes with the acquisition, but this has lead Manny to have a more senior position in his office and one of the most reliable employees. There will be plenty more change to come, but it will all unfold in time.
Overall the family is doing well. Carmen works a billion hours a week, VJ is home for the summer, Karen is working on getting into a Master's program, Xandy is working on four AMAZING scripts, Kara completed her school year AND managed to complete a Master's at the same time, and everyone is waiting for my water to break.Here is what we have done this summer:
Beach
We took Alexander to one of the beaches in Marina del Rey. It was his second trip to the beach since he was one. This one was MUCH more successful!
Summer with Sasha
Since we moved, we haven't gotten to see our best friends Sasha and Lori as much, so we have had to make the best out of the once or twice a week visits to the Valley.
Father's Day
Father's Day was fun and sweet. With Father's Day grocery sales, I served Surf 'n' Turf with a group grilling effort amongst the three of us.
Climbing
We didn't get any photos of the planes, but we had a lovely evening climbing trees and watching planes land at the In-N-Out next to LAX. Alexander got chills after each plae flew by, but he loved it too!
Park
When you live in LA where it's not 102 degrees, you get to go to the park and play during the summer. We have spent quite a bit of time exploring the parks in our new area.
4th of July
Our 4th of July has shown to be quite traditional. We went to the annual Westchester Parade and lunch with Uncle Xandy and Aunt Kara and headed off to the Rose Bowl for fireworks outside the stadium. Alexander enjoyed the fireworks through Many's jacket.
Dodgers Game
Tia Karen gave Manny Dodger tickets for his birthday. It was our only game of the season, so we made the best of it! Alexander did really well and only cried once with the roar of the crowd.
Kids Club
One of the events that has been regularly scheduled with my mom's group is "Kids Club". Every week in the Marina, the shopping center hosts puppeteers, wild animals shows, magic shows, gymnasiums, etc. The pics here are from the exotic animal show. Alexander was the only one to volunteer to wear a tarantula on his head. He LOVED the animals!
Marina
One of my other events was a picnic in the Marina. It was only one other mother, but the kids had a great time running around and seeing the sites.
Wading Pool
Yet another Westside Mom's event, we discovered a great wading pool that was 1.5 feet deep at the most. Alexander LOVES the water, but here in LA, it's too cold to go in the pool. The wading pool was an awesome alternative!
Knott's Berry Farm
Manny's company summer picnic was at Knott's Berry Farm (theme park) this year. It was my first visit and we have a very enjoyable day. There wasn't much for Alexander to do, but it was a fun change of pace.
Science Center
This past weekend, we had a BLAST with Aunt Veej at the California Science Center. We heard it was a great place for toddlers and the whole family and was it ever! It was a learning experience for ALL ages!
Waiting for the Next Chapter
A whole new chapter is DUE to begin any day now. We are excited and look forward to our new arrival. It will be quite a change, adventure, and challenge, but we are all up to it and can't wait. You'll hear from us as soon as possible afterward. Facebook friends MAY get first post, but we'll notify everyone as soon as possible!
NAPTIME!
Hugs, Love, and Kisses!
The Diaz Family
