A busy day

Today was so much fun.  The sun was shining as if to skip spring and launch into beachy summer bliss.  Abigail and I started out in the morning with our neighbors and friends on a wagon ride to the beach, followed by the park, and lunch at a local burrito stop.  My big girl sat in the high chair eating a black bean, brown rice, and cheese kid burrito.  The sight of her little mouth opening wide to take a big bite is truly priceless.  (For some reason I love to watch toddlers eat.  Their tiny hands are so cute putting food in their mouths.  It always makes me smile.)

An example

After showing off her slide and play house to her little friend upon arriving home, we settled in for nap time, reading books and falling asleep together on the floor of her room with pillows (her new favorite thing to do).  After nap time we stopped by the park to meet up with her favorite play pal, then headed back home for another beach trip in the wagon with another sweet little girl from playgroup.  We were outside ALL day, enjoying the sun and spending time with fun people.  Now, if only I could find a way to participate in national margarita day!

On a very serious pony ride at a neighbor boy's birthday party.  She still points and says NNNNNEIGH every time we pass their house.

Another sweet neighbor boy taking Abigail in the petting zoo area

And trying (unsuccessfully) to interest her in a baby chick

Dancing

Abigail's wagon and cousins

We LOVE to have family visitors -- she talks about them for weeks afterward by pointing at them in the family photo

My beach baby

Running from waves! 

Loving her uncle 

Not afraid to get wet

Running from waves with mama

Swim class

Ma ma runs, Da da bikes

This Saturday my little one clearly learned some new things about her parents.  We went to the alumni track meet in Claremont on Saturday.  I ran a few events while Abigail and Jake cheered.  She was taken with the track, to be sure.  As the racers passed her by she would point at them and scream "Ma ma ma ma ma ma ma", like "Get out there now -- you are missing it!".  Even though she was none too pleased with the prospect of running the munchkin 50 yard-dash, she proceeded to run laps around the infield once she was free.  She had to be carried away from the long jump pit at the end of the day.

Then Sunday came and we went out to watch Jake in a closed course bicycle race.  They had a 1000 kilometer loop that they traveled for 40 minutes.  With 75 riders in the field, it was pretty cool to watch.  Before the race Abigail and I were walking to the start and she was yelling at all the cyclists, "Da da da".  Once we found him she pointed to a bike and asked for the water bottle by making the popping noise that she uses to ask for a drink.  She sat in her stroller patiently for 40 minutes listening to the finish-line music and clapping for the passing peloton.

Before this weekend she would say Ma ma when she saw the running stroller and Da da when she saw a cycling helmet.  I think both concepts have new meaning now, which makes me smile.