Home Sweet Sweet Home.

After two weeks of visiting great grandparents and grandparents, great aunts and uncles and a plethora of cousins on the east coast, Noah and I are nestling back into our southern California rhythm.

The visit was eventful and enjoyable and while we were gone, Noah made several developmental leaps and bounds--he can now reach for, grab, hold and pull things to his mouth and has expanded his squeaks, squeals and squawks sound library. A lonely daddy and pair of kitty cats called several times a day while we were gone and greeted us eagerly at the airport after a long but delightful flight with flowers, kisses and smiles--and since our plane landed, we have hit the pavement running.

Saturday, we trekked out to the high desert to visit Annaliisa, Drew and Owen at her parent's place in Acton. We hadn't seen baby Owen for several months and it was incredible to see how much he had grown. Noah and his first little friend posed for pictures, held hands, pooped and nursed the visit away.

Yesterday, our friend Sara urged us to take some baby gear off of her hands until she had a need for it again. Due to our own case of baby gadget overload, we at first resisted . . . that is until we spied a bouncer seat similar to one Owen had that Noah enjoyed during our visit. After Noah took it for a sucessful test spin, we quickly threw decorative caution to the wind and greedily agreed to temporary ownership of the seat in anticipation of several moments of arm-free-of-baby bliss. We've recently learned, anyway, that baby happiness equals parental unit happiness, therefore, a successful hushing toy trumps aesthetics. The more tacky, okay that's not nice, garish, alright that's a little harsh too--flashy?--a toy is, the more junior likes it. So welcome little rainbow colored, blue light flashing, monkey moving rain forest chair, welcome.