Saucer Time

Cally is enjoying her saucer more and more each day. The first time we put her in there she just sat there not knowing what to do. Now she is super interactive with all the toys, smiling and laughing and having a grand old time. Thanks Aunt Jil for such a wonderful toy...it keeps her entertained for a good while and she absoultely loves it!

Happy Birthday Murrieta

Murrieta, the town where we live, was celebrating their birthday this weekend and we, along with Mike and Erin, decided to join in on the fun. The city put together a small carnival at the park and a fireworks show at the end of the night for everyone to see. We picked our spot in the grass and hung out eating ice cream and snow cones while waiting for the show to begin. I was excited for Cally to see her first fireworks but she fell asleep before they even began. Soon into them however, she was awakened by a sky full of bright lights and loud noises. She was mesmerized by them. It was so fun to watch her watch them. Here's a few pictures of our fun night.

The Family

Erin and Mike

Erin and I

Cally Mae

The three of us watching the fireworks show

Happy Birthday Daddy-O

Zane turned 27 years old today. He has been waking up every day this week at 3am and spending 12 hour days at work and in the field for rifle and pistol qualifications, so being a weekday and knowing how exhausted he would be, we decided to quietly celebrate his birthday at home with Cally and our wonderful friends and neighbors Mike and Erin.

I cooked some chicken enchiladas, per Zane's request, and we spent the evening in good conversation and good company. Thanks Mike and Erin for joining us! We had a great time.

Cally's Progress-3 Months Old

Our baby girl is growing fast. Cally is now 3 months old. I can't believe how much she's grown and changed. I can barely remember her as a newborn, so little...I miss that already.

Everyday just gets more and more fun. Here are some of the things that I have discovered she can now do:

1-She has found her hands and is always looking at them.
2-She has also discovered her thumb which has become really good to suck on when it finds it's way in her mouth.

3-She's is talking more and more now, to herself and anyone who will listen.

4-Everything is more interesting to her now and she is drawn to bright colors and moving objects...she absolutely loves ceiling fans!!!

5- She is also big enough to sit in her saucer and play.

6-Her little legs have gotten super strong and she loves to stand (with our help ofcourse).

7-She recognizes my voice and knows what I look like.

8-She wiggles around and kicks with excitement when you do something she likes.

Its been so amazing to watch her progress everyday. Time is flying by but I'm cherishing every moment with her.

Our Trip Back East

It had been a while since we had gone anywhere and when we heard that Michelle and the rest of her family was headed to TN to visit Nan and Papa Bear (Mary and John) we too decided that we should go. This would give Cally the opportunity to meet her Aunt and cousins and for Zane to see his sis before he deploys to Iraq.

I was a bit nervous about the plane ride with Cally. People always stare at the person holding the baby as they walk down the aisle looking for a seat and they are all thinking the same thing, "please don't sit here, please don't sit here..." After all, who wants a screaming child next to them for a 3 1/2 hour flight. Although Cally has yet to cry like that, there's always that first time...I just kept praying that it wouldn't be this time. And again she surprised me and never made a sound. I always wait for that day, but it has yet to come. Cally did wonderfully the whole plane ride. She slept in daddy's arms most of the time and quietly sat with us the rest of the time. So proud of her!!!

Part of our trip was not only to spend some time in TN but for Zane and I to take a mini vacation just the two of us. We decided to take a 3 day cruise to The Bahamas. I was very unsure about leaving Cally for that long and was feeling horribly guilty, but knowing that Mary was watching her made me feel a bit more at ease. Leaving was tougher than I expected, breaking down in tears and crying while saying goodbye to her. She on the other hand, had no idea.

Once on the cruise, it was like the old days, just Zane and I and we really enjoyed ourselves. During our trip we got the chance to swim and play with sea lions, go snorkeling, parasailing, and relax at the beach just the two of us. And although Cally never entirely left my thoughts, I was really glad to have my hubby back all to myself with no interruptions. We had an amazing time together and it was well worth it.

When we got back to TN we continued relaxing at John and Mary's beautiful place. Cally and I got some swimming in and did a lot of front porch sittin' rocking away and talking to Nan while Zane and John worked on their new toy, a zip line that runs across the lake. After many test runs and trials, the zip line is now fully functional and just another great way to have fun at their place.

We also got to spend some time with Aunt Michelle and Cally got to meet her cousins. Amaya even volunteered to change Cally's diaper to get some practice in before Michelle has her baby girl due in August.

All in all our trip was awesome and we had a great time. Thanks for having us John and Mary!

Captain Running

Today Zane was promoted from 1st Lieutenant to Captain in the Marine Corps. Cally and I joined him at his squadron where the informal ceremony was held just for him. In front of a few fellow Marines and us, his commanding officer, Colonel Boucher, proudly promoted him to Captain while we both pinned on his new bars. It was an exciting moment for all of us and I'm so glad Cally and I got to be there to share it with him.

So proud of you babe!