Second half of April

So here is finally the second half of April. I'll try to do it weekly so I don't have to take so long to go through pictures...or I could take less pictures...naaa :-D

Isabella showing off how big she is getting! When I ask how big she is, she'll do this, or she'll cover her eyes and play peek-a-boo...it's kinda close :-)

Close up of the wee one. Sebastian was playing outside so I was taking some pictures of Isabella.

She wanted to go outside too. She's watching her brother. We have a gate on the front door so we can keep it open without her running off. It probably tastes like chalk...Sebastian used it as a canvas once. That, and the house, and the porch, and the steps, and the pathway, and the chairs outside...

Happy cutie!

Looking at something outside...

In the sun on the couch after the evening bath.

Sebastian managed to trick pappa into playing some catch while he was home for lunch one day. Obviously Sebastian was preferring a mellow game...seated :-p

I've said it before, Santa Barbara loves festivals. This was from the Earth Day Festival on the 17th, six blocks or so from out house. We went and listened to some music in the evening. The kiddos were all bathed and ready for bed (note Isabella's spotted pjs :-D) and were enjoying some music and pappa snuggle time.

He might be loud and wild some times, but he can also be very focused and mellow. And he does enjoy music, a lot!

Isabella likes music too...but she likes pappa more. When he's around, forget about mamma!

Can't see it, but she was dancing.

The next day we went to the Scandinavian Festival at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks (about an hour south). Craft activities, food, music, performances, and lots of stuff to buy.

Sebastian preferred the creek and the bridges. If there's water, he wants in it!

But we did manage to sneak in some drawing too...working on a Norwegian flag.

Work in progress.

And Isabella waiting in the stroller.

Finished! Of course he teased Isabella with it in the car on the way home until she grabbed it, ate a corner and tore it in half. He wasn't too happy about that...moral is, don't give it to Isabella!

Isabella watching Sebastian run around...those turned out blurry.

After some more looking around, visiting with a Norwegian Elk Hound, getting a balloon and trying to keep Sebastian from running across the festival area to "the Little House" (aka, the gazebo), it was time for a picnic lunch.

Sandwiches all around, and raspberry muffins made by yours truly that morning. Live music in the background, two little ones who sat still for a little while, husband taking a break from work, sunny and warm...perfect!

Then Sebastian got to roam and Isabella wanted to eat grass or something. Mamma and pappa got to chat and hang out for a little while.

Playgroup at the park the next week.

Sebastian and Jack looking at spider webs (I was informed in the car on the way home) during playgroup at the park. We parked almost a mile away and walked this nice paved path through the woods and neighbor hoods. Sebastian walked all the way there and back! Isabella kindly napped so I got to chat with Sebastian. We found all kinds of flowers and leaves and saw lizards. One of them was a pappa lizard according to Sebastian, because it was doing push-ups. It looked like it was!

Weekend again! Time for another adventure! This time we took pappa to Nojoqui Falls, which the kiddos and I visited back in February.

Pappa, serious and focused on the drive ahead :-p

Sebastian, all excited to go for a hike!

Isabella, trying to figure out what in the world mamma is doing!

Mamma all set and ready for our walk!

It's not very far, maybe a mile total, but it takes much longer when the creek needs inspection :-).

It was so nice. Cool and shady, sound of birds and the creek the whole time.

We were informed by our water inspector that the water was kinda cold.

Hanging out by the falls while Sebastian was splashing around.

Happy :-)

Lately, when he washes his hands, he tends to wet his hair too for some reason...no reason not to do it at the waterfall, right?!?

Nice with pants that zip off to shorts when they bottom is soaking wet!

Afterwards we had a picnic snack at the park just before the trail head to the falls.

Sebastian and pappa were playing hide and seek. It's funny, most of the time, Sebastian will seek, and he's really pretty good at that. Sometimes he wants to hide, so we'll count, he'll hide, and as soon as we finish counting he'll come running out laughing before we get a chance to look for him :-p

Watching pappa and Sebastian play.

And a few pictures from home the next few days.

Lately, Sebastian has been able to play outside the house on his own a bit more. I have to keep an eye on him, of course, but for him to be able to play out there, doing his own thing, is really cool. He'll sweep, draw, play with his stomp rocket, ride his trike...whatever he comes up with.

And as I'm trying to take pictures of the action, he'll come sit down and pose for pictures instead. Sweet happy boy :-)

28th of April...Isabella 13 months! Time sure flies! She's been very into playing peek-a-boo behind the cabinet thingie in the living room lately. She'll go hide in the corner next to it and peek out laughing. Sweet, happy girlie :-)

Well, that was a loooooong update from the second half of the month. I'm thinking I better start working on this weeks now so I can post it this weekend and it won't need to be so long :-)