Hiking Malibu Creek

We spent Saturday afternoon hiking up Malibu Creek Canyon with Grandma Kim, Kelsey, Kirk and Amy. It's a pretty trail and it was a really nice day. Kaya loves being outdoors and seemed to have a good time. We went to the beach for her very first time afterwards but it was cold and windy and I think she was tired at that point so she wasn't too interested. We'll try again when it's warmer and when she isn't so worn out. She looked adorable in her bathing suit, though! I'm looking forward to all the fun things we will do this summer. We are moving to Long Beach in August so I'm sure there will be lots of beach days in our future.

Daddy's Girl

Kaya loves her Papa.

The Latest & Greatest

I haven't updated in awhile, mostly because there isn't much to report. Kaya is doing great, getting bigger, stronger and chubbier by the day. She can roll over from her back to her belly with ease now and I have to keep my eye on her because I am still getting used to putting her down and turning my back for just a second and then finding her in a completely different location! She can almost sit up on her own and sometimes will sit up independently for a few seconds before face-planting gracefully while giggling. She is starting to really show interest in the food on our plates when she sits on our laps during mealtime, so we are thinking it's about time we started solid foods. We will be starting with rice cereal within the next couple weeks.
Our favorite thing to do as a family is still going to Dodger games, though Papa isn't a huge fan and thinks the games are too long. We spent our first Mother's Day at Dodgers Stadium and had a really nice day. Papa gave me beautiful pink roses and took us to a very nice breakfast before the game. I felt like a very lucky Mommy. I love my little family SO much!

Kaya is starting to be more social and isn't so clingy to Mama anymore. She has recognized me, Papa and Kelsey for awhile now since she lives with us and spends so much time with us. But, now is starting to be more comfortable with other people and seems to be recognizing other people, too. She loves her Grandma! We have lots of fun things planned for this summer with Auntie Amy home from school and Grandma only working half days at summer school. Should be fun!

Kaya of the Day

Wrote a Song for Everyone, Wrote a Song for Kaya

     I know that I have mentioned Kaya's love for Creedence Clearwater Revival several times already, but- it is a phenomenon so strange and so hilarious that I felt that it really merited it's own entry on this here blog. 

     In our first, desperate, frantic weeks as parents, Shaun and I did everything and anything we could think of to try to get even a few minutes reprieve from Kaya's incessant furious screaming. We would always go through the normal routine of feeding, diapering, swaddling, rocking etc. and when none of that worked, Shaun would frequently put music on and dance with her until she fell asleep. 

     Well, from the time she was only a few weeks old, we noticed that as soon as we put a Creedence album on, she would immediately get quiet and stay quiet as long as it was playing. We thought that it must have been something about the vinyl- maybe a faint background hiss that we couldn't hear. But, we knew that she didn't respond the same way to other vinyl albums so we made a Creedence CD and, sure enough- same thing. She LOVED it and got immediately quiet when it was put on. And I don't mean put on softly as background music for her to fall asleep to. I'm talking full on, turned up to 11 jam session. 

     We now rely on Creedence as much as we rely on clean diapers or bottles in our neverending quest to please, comfort and calm Ms. Holiday. It's become something of a party trick whenever we are out. She will be red-faced, balled-fist, screaming bloody murder and we will whip out the iPhone, find a Creedence video on YouTube and like the flip of a switch she will suddenly be wide-eyed and silent with a look on her face like "Oh, hot damn. This my jam." It almost never fails.

     Some times, when we are listening to "Who'll Stop The Rain" for the ninth time that morning, I find myself cursing the name of John Fogerty and hoping she grows out of it soon. But, most of the time, it just makes me love my funny little girl even more and so thankful that it's not the Wiggles or some Jonas Brothers nonsense that most kids want to listen to.

     Those of you who have witnessed this phenomenon for yourselves, please leave your favorite Kaya & Creedence story in the comments or at least just give me an amen so when she reads this someday, she knows I am not making it up.

UK: Too Far Away

Kaya's uncle Kirk is away at university in San Diego so we don't get to see him nearly as often as we wish we did. He came to visit us this weekend and it was brought to my attention that there were no photos of him on this blog yet. So, now we shall reconcile this oversight.
Kaya rockin out to Creedence with her uncle.
Newborn Kaya napping on her uncle.
Kaya, not even 1 hour old with her proud uncle.
And, just for good measure- Uncle Kirk with inside-belly Kaya.

We ♥ you, UK! Come visit us again soon!