Maggie's First Trip to L.A.

We took a quick jaunt down to l.a. this past weekend. We stayed with Chris & Edward, visited Jenny Fritz & Michael, and spent a little time running around with Ava, Ethan & Matt at the Getty. It was refreshing to get away!

The view from the Getty.



A little time with Ava, Ethan & Matt.



Maggie came home with a new trick. She figured out how to open the door. She takes her tiny little hand, makes a fist & knocks. All I had to do was show her once & instantly we had a pro-knocker on our hands! It takes away the pain of doors slamming at 6am watching that fist gently knock on the door...and even more so the pure happiness that emerges on her face EVERY time she gets that door to open on her terms.

The Joy of Giving

The magnetic pull of a toy store is pretty strong, and how can you resist picking out something you just know will get you a big, fat grin & lots of laughter??!! I found myself at Ark yesterday; hands down one of THE best toy stores in the city (and Ambassador Toys). I was in the girlie, pink doll area & a bit confused on what to get until I looked up & saw it. A brand new, red, shiny babydoll stroller. I all but tripped over everyone to grab it & dashed to the counter before anyone else could possibly think what I was thinking (it was the last one mind you)! And let me tell you, Maggie about exploded when she realized it was something she could (1) push and (2) put kittie in!


At the Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park feeding the ducks with Daddy.


Maggie & Kittie on a stroll.

Who is this little person?!?!

I look at Maggie these days & I see Joel, and a bit of me... but really I see this magical little being who is gradually becoming her own little, sweet person. It's truly amazing.

She LOVES to give hugs, and my favorite is when she runs across the room into my arms. In her tiny little voice she has a way of saying 'BYE' that makes you want to melt & stick around a few seconds longer just to hear it again. She eats ketchup like it's an actual course... and no matter how much she ends up wearing it makes me giggle every time. And her latest is imitating sounds, which she easily slips into with Joel. He mimics some electronic musical loop & she shoots it right back - although with her own twist.

It's these moments when everything slips away & I feel so incredibly whole.

The New Year

Maggie & I were walking down to Martha's (the coffee shop at the corner - we're 7am regulars!), and all of a sudden it just kinda hit me like a ton of bricks. Where had this past year gone?? Who had I become? and this sweet, beautiful little girl holding my hand as we shuffled on down the street... how lucky are we??!!!

I have never seen as much change as I have in my life over the past year. I have never experienced love this rich, this pure, and this innocent. I have never laughed and cried as much as I have in this past year. And I cannot wait to do it all again in 2007!!!

Maggie is my inspiration for all things good in this coming year.