In the City

For our last full day we decided to take it easy and stay in the city. I had spa appointments in the morning and Justin got to sleep in and lounge around the room until I got back.

We ate lunch and then decided to go to Golden Gate Park to stroll around. We saw the windmills and the buffalo and of course the beach since it was on the side of the park where we had left the car. 

We drove out to Corte Madera to visit with some of Justin's family for a couple of hours and then headed back into the city for dinner at The Cliff House. 

We had decided we wanted to try to see a movie, which sounds like a silly thing to do on vacation but we don't get the opportunity to go together very often, so we woke up Monday, got our things together, checked out of the hotel, and headed to the theater a few blocks away. It was interesting how there was a movie theater right in the middle of the city! We saw Man of Steel and liked it a lot! 

After the movie there was just enough time to stop in H&M before meeting a former colleague of Justin's for lunch. We enjoyed our yummy ramen and then headed back to the hotel to get our bags and head to the airport. 

We had a great, long weekend in San Francisco. It never disappoints! We were happy to be home and see Nora, though. She was happy to see me in the morning, too. After picking her up from the crib she just laid her head on my shoulder for awhile... Very hug-like. So sweet! Justin is looking forward to seeing her when he gets back from Austin (work) on Friday!

Bike Adventure

I knew what we wanted to do when we got to San Francisco the first couple of days but the rest of the weekend we had less of a plan. I had a thought that riding bikes along the Embarcadero would be fun and was also looking into where to get great views of the Golden Gate Bridge when I came across the idea that we could ride bikes over the bridge to Sausalito. I was convinced that it would be a fun little adventure for us so that was the plan!

We slept in a little (I got up at 6) and grabbed breakfast and headed towards Fisherman's Wharf to get our bikes. We rented electric bikes (AMAZING) from Blazing Saddles and got started!

First of all, there are TONS of people who bike in San Francisco. Tourists and locals and some serious bikers. Plus people walking. But the bike ride along the coast through Fort Mason to Crissy Field was pretty. I loved that we were right there by the water and could see the boats and the bridge. We stopped and walked around the Palace of Fine Arts and rode by the America's Cup Village since it was right along our little path. We went along the Golden Gate Promenade until we got to the last little fishing pier and The Warming Hut. We stopped for a snack and some more pictures before heading down to the very end of the road there, Fort Point.

We had to go up a big hill (pedal assist, please!) to get to the bridge from here. We stopped at the top of the hill at some clearings to get even more pictures of the bridge. It was the perfect day for our bike ride. The first two days the bridge never cleared enough for us to see the top of it but it was all sun Saturday and we got some great shots.

So then it was over the bridge! Bridges freak me out. Like, a lot. So I was a little nervous. But... I LOVE this bridge and I loved riding over it! I am sure anyone who saw me and the big smile on my face as I was riding probably thought I looked silly. We did stop once to get a picture but with all the other bikes moving along there it wasn't easy so we just enjoyed the ride across.

I had read that Hawk Hill had some of the best views of the bridge so I was determined to get there. It was on top of this HUGE hill in the Marin Headlands. But, we went anyways. I had a little trouble since my bike was not in the right gear but once we got everything situated, we made it. It was hard with the electric bike so I can't imagine what it would have been like without it! The views were great from up there. It was definitely one if the two better spots for pictures of the bridge on a clear day. 

We decided it was time to head down, down, down to Sausalito (slowly for me, please!) and we grabbed lunch after the cute little ride along the coast into town. Our original plan was to take a ferry back from Sausalito but we decided that we were feeling great (again, the electric bikes...) and could bike some more. So, to Tiberon we went! This part of our ride went faster since we weren't stopping to take as many pictures.

Tiberon is a cute little town across the bay from Sausalito. We got there in time to grab an ice cream and walk around and then get in line for the ferry ride back to San Francisco.

It was a great trip!! I really enjoyed it. I think it was 22 miles to Tiberon from the bike rental place and I would really suggest the electric bike for anyone who is not a biker or would like a more leisurely ride. I would definitely consider doing it again. It could probably be done in just a couple of hours if you stopped in Sausalito, too. 

We made it back to our hotel after returning our bikes around 6:00 and decided to rest and freshen up before grabbing dinner. Pat Kuleto (owner of our favorite winery) has worked on several restaurants, Kuleto's down the street from our hotel being one of them. We met some family in the area for dinner there so it worked out perfectly. I enjoyed meeting Justin's cousin Paul and his wife Shelley and we ate some really yummy food! It was another fun and fantastic day in San Francisco!

Napa Valley

One of the places we love in California is Napa Valley. We actually thought about just staying out here the whole weekend we enjoy the wine country so much. We had contemplated it and actually were going to even though I knew I couldn't have any wine but the hotels were pretty booked and so San Francisco it was. It was probably better this way since we found some new and interesting ways to spend some time in the city later in the weekend.

So we got up and headed out to our first appointment at Domaine Carneros. We just grabbed a quick and light breakfast at the hotel since we knew we would be eating all day. We got there right about when they opened and got seated at a table on the terrace, which is beautiful: the view and the actual building. The Carneros region has amazing rolling hills covered in grapes and I just love it. Domaine Carneros sits on top of one of those hills and you get some great views from their terrace.

Justin got a wine sampler (they are known for sparkling but also have Pinot Noir) and I got some yummy sparkling soda (which I was super excited about) and we shared some cheese and dried fruits. We really enjoyed the freedom of sitting there and ordering what we wanted and just relaxing. I felt like we got good amounts of food and drink for what we paid for as well. We walked around a bit, took some pictures, and then decided to head into Napa for lunch. 

We went to the Oxbow Public Market which is a tiny little place that has a few food vendors, a couple restaurants, and even a little grocery. We decided to eat at Hog Island Oyster Co. and sat outside. I got a yummy grilled cheese and Justin enjoyed their clam chowder. We had eaten there in San Francisco before and liked it and it was pretty good here too! If we hadn't been super full we may have gotten a cupcake from Kara's but we didn't. I regret that decision now. 

Our favorite winery was the only appointment we had left for the day (we like to go slow) and it is quite a trek out to it so we decided to meander that direction. We stopped at a little strawberry stand on the way and picked up our "dessert" and then headed up the Silverado Trail. It is a pretty drive and there are lots of wineries along the way you could pull into if you wanted. I wish we had stopped at Signorello since I had remembered it from my research but we decided to pull into Clus de Bos to check out the grounds and eat our strawberries. It was a good place for that. It had a pretty building and lots of tables to sit and picnic. I don't think they minded that we brought food and there were other people eating as well. They probably would have preferred that we drink some of their wine but no one said so.

We didn't stay long and headed toward Kuleto Estate, knowing we would be a bit early but we didn't mind. You have to drive off the main roads a bit and then when you get to their gate it is a 2 mile drive up a one lane winding road on the side of a ravine. Luckily, we didn't pass any cars, trucks, or vans going either up or down! We finally made it up to the top and settled in until our tour. 

It is more structured there because they have to monitor who comes up and down that crazy driveway but the atmosphere is definitely relaxing. The views at Kuleto are what made us want to come back every time we come to wine country. We enjoyed our little tour/walk around the grounds, took some more pictures and drank our wine and water. The tour is more expensive than other places but the wine is too, generally, and they did give Justin 8 different tastings. We bought a couple bottles (we aren't opening them until March so I can enjoy them!!!) and we actually have some shipping to us in October so we are stocked up. I think you can buy a Kuleto Cabernet, which is what they grow most of, at Central Market now... Go try it!!! I just wish you could get the view while you do. 

By the time we left Kuleto most of the wineries were closed or close to it so we headed into Napa to stroll around and eat dinner. I was really disappointed that we didn't get to the Olive Oil Co. in time but we got some chocolates at a little place and then headed to dinner. We ate at Oenotri's, a cute little Italian restaurant that didn't seem full at the time but even at 6:00 seemed like you needed a reservation to get seated right away. We sat outside and really enjoyed it. The portions were not too big and the ingredients were fresh. And they left two little cookies (which I ate both of) at our table when we paid. Yum!

After dinner we headed back to San Francisco and crashed at our hotel. We either wore ourselves out or still hadn't adjusted to the time difference because we fell asleep early, again. I suppose Justin drinking all day probably didn't help that much! 

San Francisco

We love San Francisco!!!

When we had an opportunity to take a little trip just the two of us this summer we mulled over a few different options but decided that we really wanted to come back to one of our most favorite places. We had reservations (who goes to Napa pregnant??) but not being able to have some wine wasn't a good enough reason to keep us away. There are so many different places to go with so many different kinds of views. I've said before that if I was brave enough to move away from Texas and our families and friends, it would be to California!

So, we (well, I) started planning our long weekend in San Fran! We actually didn't feel the need to see much of the city since we've done all that before. We had some day trips we wanted to take and left some free time open so we could just enjoy some of our time, just the two of us. 

We got in late Wednesday night and went straight to bed. The two hour time difference made for a really strange nights sleep (biological clocks are amazing...) but we worked through it. We got up, grabbed the car, and headed out to Mill Valley, CA. We stopped at a little place for breakfast called the Dipsea Cafe that we tend to hit every time we are here. It is yummy and has a great little ambiance about it. 

We got to our first stop, Muir Woods, pretty early to beat the crowds. Justin wanted to spend more time than we had before walking through the redwoods so I geared up my little pregnant self for some hiking. It winded me a little, I must say, but it was well worth it to take a little (2.5 mile) excursion away from the main path. We saw LOTS of beautiful trees, some animals, and hardly any people for the 3 hours we were there. Well, until we got back to the main path where it was crowded since it was now about lunch time.

Redwoods are beautiful!

Off to the trails...

We decided to head to the beach since we weren't ready to eat yet after our huge breakfast. We drove along the coast until we got to Stinson Beach. Unfortunately, Muir Beach was closed so we only had this one stop to make. We grabbed a light lunch and then walked up and down the beach, settling on a place to sit away from the flocks of seagulls... I hate birds!! It was far to chilly to even put a swimsuit on, though some people were in the water. Baffling. We napped on the beach for awhile, which was nice and relaxing, and then decided to head to Sausalito where we had dinner reservations.

Hanging out on the beach.

Stinson Beach from above.

We had about 2 hours to explore Sausalito before dinner so we popped in and out of some little stores. Soxalito was my favorite though I did not buy us any socks... We got some ice cream cones from Lappert's (yum!) and walked through the marina to see the masses of boats. We ended our day eating a yummy seafood dinner at the Spinnaker on the water.

Sausalito Marina

Walking on the dock on the bay!

We were exhausted by the end of dinner. I think the time difference had finally caught up with us. We came straight back, cleaned up, and went to bed. 

Ten Months

I had a thought today as Nora was complaining because her daddy wouldn't let her go where she wanted to in the house (the laundry room): Are we really approaching toddler-hood!?!?

Such a sweetie!

This month has gone by so fast. We've been enjoying our summer together (not getting things checked off the checklist...) and I can't believe that we have just 6 more weeks until reality sets back in! 

Pulling all the books out like we like to do...

We love our books!

I am really loving Nora's age, though I can honestly say that about every "stage" she's gone through so far. I love how social she is and even though her newfound clingy-ness can be troublesome, it has it's upsides, too. We were definitely blessed with one sweet, happy little girl!

Little thing won't sit still for very long. Makes for a difficult photo shoot!

Updates since nine months:

recognizes her name Also we have selective hearing. 

knows mommy, daddy, and Ford (looks when asked) I believe she also recognizes a few other words. I'm pretty sure she knows more and eat. Ya know, the essentials. 

talks to other people and self I think Nora is either growing into a shyer personality-type or she is just at an age where strangers are not cool anymore. She did wave randomly at a stranger while walking around in her stroller today but other than that, I cannot get her to talk, smile, wave, or really show any reaction towards people she doesn't know well. She does like to do her fair share of talking at home, but she is definitely different around other people. She has also started chewing on her fingers. It makes her look shy though maybe she is just enjoying chewing on something.

says "dada" and other babbles (no "mama" yet) Lots of dada still. She does say a lot of other sounds, but I am still waiting for that distinct "mama". Some day soon, I am hoping! (I am really trying to persuade her. Every day, all day.)

eats three meals a day I think we have safely graduated to only finger foods at meal times. She still doesn't eat much and can be selective a lot of times. I never know how much or how little she will eat. It is a pretty safe bet that she will eat some fruit, though!

takes two naps a day I am not looking forward to the day when we start day care and only nap once a day. She really enjoys her two naps. We'll see how it goes in a month or so!

sleeps all night Nora is such a great sleeper! She is starting to snuggle a whole lot right before nap times and bed time. It is the cutest thing. She will lay her head down on my shoulder and just be still. I enjoy it a little too much. When we do put her down, she really does not like it. This may be part of her age or personality... not sure... but either way it is awful. She cries as soon as you put her in the crib and just looks at you with sad, sad eyes as you walk out the door, trying to reassure her that you do in fact love her dearly. She always calms down quickly and falls asleep with no problem, but that doesn't make it easier!

climbs stairs (up only) I don't trust her on stairs by herself or anything, but Nora has mastered the art of going both up and down the stairs. She wanted to go down head first when she first was interested in going down stairs, but after just a few times of showing her, she now knows that she has to turn around and go down on her tummy. Does she have perfect aim? No. Half the time she tries to go down the stairs, she is scooting in a completely different direction than the actual stairs. But yes, she does know what to do! She has also used this technique to get off of laps, chairs, and couches. 

doesn't want to be left alone to play This has not changed. At all. We have resorted to giving her more space to roam around (the kitchen/living area) which isn't exactly baby proofed 100% so she has to be watched closely. And usually every few minutes I will have two little hands clinging to my legs because she wants to be held. It's no wonder I don't get much done around the house!

doesn't want to be left alone to nap (slight separation anxiety??) This is the same as well, as noted above. Ugh. I hate it! So sad.

Laughing at daddy!

What Nora does at ten months:

waves on occasion

smiles, squeals, giggles, and talks

shy around strangers

prefers to be held, especially by mommy

explores the house

snuggles before sleeping

stands with support, climbs, and creeps

stands alone on occasion (accidentally)

eats lots of different finger foods

drinks 4 bottles a day

loves her water bottle

reaches and points

pulls out/down everything she can

When can I crawl again?

I'm a big girl!