california

Here is an old picture from WAAAAAY back in April.  These are my sweeties chillin on our favorite park bench.  They are so adorable.  I spent seven days away from my family on a solo trip to California a week ago on business.  It was both wonderful (to take a break from the screaming toddlers and see my besties) and horrible (to find that I'm spending all my time missing my kiddos.)

While I was there, I attended a series of team-buildling activities... among them, MB2 racing.  These cars go 45 miles per hour, and it's pretty serious racing.  Very fun.  Very.  And we had a couple of very memorable happy hours as well.  So it was not all business and boring.

 And then I got to attend Madhuri's surprise baby shower.  I was so happy to be able to spend some quality time with her, see our mutual friends, and eat all my favorite Indian dishes.  I definitely felt spoiled. 

Off to SFO to spend a day with my Nancy.  Man was it great to see her.  We had a romantic date on the bluffs of the bay, drank wine, did a little Martha Stewart canning of spicy pickled vegetables, and chatted up a storm.  It was hard to say goodbye to my old friends. 

While I was gone (of course), Viola started talking.  Up to then, she has been a single syllable whispered or non-commital gut scream, but as to actually making sounds that add up to anything meaningful, she's been sort of shy to try it despite being able to comprehend at least 75 words.  When I got home, she ran up to me, grabbed my legs, and said "Momma!"  What a welcome home!  She has about 30 words or more now that she can say within a meaningful context (Milk, ball, duck, that sort of thing).