I took Julie and Nate to a nice new park in Palo Alto. While Nate made sand pancakes, I took some shots of the oh-so-happy swinging girl. You can almost see her two bottom teeth.

End of a busy day.

Saturday we drove (and drove and drove) to Bonny Doone winery in the Santa Cruz mountains and then hiked through Rancho San Antonio park in Los Altos. On Sunday we parked at SFO and took the BART train to the Embarcadero and San Francisco Farmer's Market. It was Nate's second time on BART, and our first time exploring the new Air Train at the airport. Nate also liked walking through the water sculpture at Justin Miller plaza and chasing the birds. Both kids were so tired they passed out in the stroller headed back to the airport, giving mom and dad a rare opportunity to quietly enjoy some time together: dim sum and beer while watching the planes.

The Rite Spot (at the right time)

Today is the seventh anniversary of when I met Gina in a tiny bar/cafe in San Francisco called the Rite Spot. Four houses, two kids, and a number of jobs later, I clearly remember the moment we met as if it happened yesterday. Happy anniversary, babe.

San Francisco Zoo

The entrance to the children's petting zoo is protected by ravenous looking ducks.

Even the trees are fun at the zoo.

New giraffe exhibit

A conversation with a goat.

Nate and the cayman.

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One benefit of being members of Oakland Zoo (thank you Dave & Chris): we receive discounts at nearby reciprocal Zoos, including San Francisco. So on a windy but surprisingly fogless Saturday, we checked out the much improved SF Zoo near Ocean Beach. Nate's favorite animal: the giraffe! Julie seemed to like the prairie dog exhibit. We even rode the steam train, although it's track seemed tiny compared to the Tilden Park Steamtrains. But the best part had to be the very clean and kid-friendly petting zoo, complete with some of the nicest and fattest goats I've seen. Nate brushed one goat who pad perched on a stump, and then proceeded to bend down to have a conversation with another one resting in the shade. "The trains, they're not working" he said with a self-humored grin.

Like Nate, Julia is a serious eater - this look entreating mom to please place more cheerios on the table...now.

Where's Julie?

What happened to that slobbering bundle we called Julie? She’s hit her nine month development peak and seems like a whole new person in the family. When we talk about giving “high fives”, she now raises her hand and looks for someone to respond. She eats Cheerios. She crawls, a lot. She even loves pulling herself up using my fingers and takes clumsy steps forward. There’s even a cute scowl if she doesn’t get her way.

Labor Day weekend, we head to the beach (just south of Half Moon Bay) early Saturday morning to beat the crowds. Julia takes no time in deciding to ingest as much sand as possible; Nate creates sand holes in which we cover him up. A couple of seagulls get a half eaten bagel. All-in-all, a successful trip to the foggy but beautiful beach.

Children's Discovery Museum

We met Chloe and her parents at the Children's Discovery Museum in San Jose for picnic lunch and play date. What a great spot: water displays, bubbles, firetruck, garden (with praying mantis), and a lot more. We're members, so we expect to go back again soon.

Bagels

Since Nate and I are the early risers, we occasionally drive down to Noah’s for bagels. Each time as we stand in line looking at the flavors I ask him “what type of bagel would you like?”

The answer recently: “A big one!”

The answer this morning: “A round one.”

Fry's Non-working Trains

On a recent trip to Fry’s Electronics, we noticed the non-functional model train display above the cameras. (Gina was upgrading her new camera to an SD500.) To distract Nate, who’s biggest trauma in life now is non-working trains, I carried him back to the appliances. We both were surprised to notice a full-sized, beautiful steam engine tucked behind the washers and refrigerators. And now, for the past week, Nate will go up to anyone willing to listen to say “The trains, they’re not working” in a low pitched voice (meaning the large train) often followed by "The trains, they're not working" in a small, high pitched voice, meaning the small model train.

It’s so hard not to laugh sometimes…

Grace, Nate & Joey

Nate and Sydney in the front yard horsing around.

"Choo Choo! Train tracks, backing up."