Trains, Trains, and More Trains

Well, I succubmed to Brad's fantasies (get your mind out of the gutter!) and we are now the proud members of the Los Angeles Live Steamers club (www.lals.org). In a few weeks, we will be the proud owners of a "speeder"...you will have to ask Brad what that is, as I am just an innocent bystander. Today, we took advantage of the beautiful weather and packed Maya and Grammy B., and took off for the train club in Burbank. It was great to be on the "inside" and enjoy the perks of the membership. We got to ride the trains without waiting in line, had a great lunch, and met some interesting people. Maya got into the trains and waved to the people going by. Here are some pictures of our day.

Maya's Sixth Month

Well, so much as happened since I last blogged. Maya turned six months, and celebrated her half birthday along with her Dad. She is developing well and doing everything that a six month old should. Solid foods are not the order of the day...vegetables and fruits. Thank God, Maya is open to all tastes, and has no food allergies. She devours her vegetables and when she finds some fruit mixed in with her morning cereal, she is pleasantly surprised. Maya is now 14lbs and 27 inches long. She is lighter than most babies her age, but is taller than them as well. Our little baby has turned into the littlest girl, with a bit of a tomboy side. She's adventurous, funny, curious, daring, and most of all just precious. Her Dad has found a very huge soft spot for her, especially when she squeals upon him entering the house. Maya is sitting upright; she is in the beginning of her crawling stage, and has developed an acute sense of sight. Suffice to say, she is keeping us on our toes. Thanks to her Disney-loving Daddy, Maya has now visited Disneyland three times and has made her acquaintance with Pinnochio, Donald, Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, and Eor. She loves the rides, but tends to fall asleep on some of the really exciting ones. Maya also loves the water...swimming is second nature to her. Well, we're halfway there...Go Miss Maya Rosie Nosie Gosie!

Our Garden Fairy

Thanks to the Green Thumb Grannies, Maya loves the garden. She is curious about the flowers, the bugs, and the trees. Since the weather is beautiful outside Maya has been spending more time in the garden, smelling the roses and admiring all the flora. Grandma Betty bought us a big flower pot from Costco and along wit it came a Garden Fairy...imagine that!

Maya's Encounter with Mr. Leno

Brad decided to take Maya down to a classic car show that was close to our house, so that he could share with her his love for all things cars. It was a hot day, but it felt great to be outside. After slathering Maya with sunscreen, putting on her little blue hat, and shading her pram, we walked through a quarter mile of classic America cars, some from as far back as 1932. We saw Fords and Chevys and Buicks and thanks to Jay Leno, we saw a classic Dusenbergs. Mr. Leno was the guest of honor at this charity car show and was as gracious as ever, talking to his many fans, signing autographs and taking pictures. This was the one day that we forgot our camera, so we have no pictures of the event; however, Brad asked Mr. Leno to sign Maya's blue hat, which he graciously did. After a meal of hot dogs and hamburgers, and some organic lemonade, in the shade, the car show came to an end.

Maya's First Trip to Disneyland

Today we decided that it was time to take Maya to Disneyland. She has been really cognisant of her surroundings and shows a great deal of curiosity when exposed to something new, so we decided that it was time for some Disney stimulation. Teething issues aside, we decided that we were going to make the trip, and if she got really cranky, we would turn around and come right back. We bought season passes so that we could introduce her to the Disney fantasy in small doses. She was great! Maya napped on the way over, and when we got to the park, she was in great form...happy and full of laughs in the happiest place on earth. The stroller was her means of transportation, and we sat her up like a big girl with her sun hat so that she could see everything around her. She was wide-eyed and definitely curious. The noises and music, and masses of people caught her eye, and she would turn her head at every step. Brad, the Disney guru, decided to start her out slow, so off to Fantasy Land we went. Pinnochio was our first ride, followed by Alice in Wonderland. Maya was in awe of the black-lit animation, the darkness, and all the colors that each ride had. She was not afraid of the dark, or the pop-up characters, and in fact, smiled the whole way through. Not ever the "scary" mouth of the whale in Pinnochio phased her. She made waiting in line fun, interacting with other little kids and adults. After that we were off to Winnie the Pooh, where she took a power nap while waiting in line. By the time we got to the front, she was wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. We stopped and had lunch at the Bengal BBQ restaurant, where Brad and I feasted on carnivorous delights, and Maya feasted on organic sweet potatoes and milk. She was in fine spirits so we headed out to the Jungle Cruise, where she was awed by the creatures of the jungle. She even had an elephant spray water on her. After walking around Disneyland some more, we headed out to California Adventure and visited Bug's Land. I was determined to make this a memorable trip for Maya, and even resorted to some guerrilla tactics in tracking down some characters. We got to see Cruella DeVille, Eor, Pluto, and most of all, Miss Minnie Mouse. Maya recognizes Minnie because she is one of her favorite toys. After some strategic running and dodging, I managed to get second in line for a photo opportunity with Miss Mouse. Five hours later, achy feet oN Brad's and my part led us to the decision to head home. Maya was out like a light as soon as her head lay down in her car seat; she slept all the way home with a huge smile on her face and our promise to come back soon!

Maya and I on the trolley.













Brad and Maya at the ticket booth.













Since this was Maya's firs time at Disneyland, Daddy wanted to carry her into this special place.













There was a piano man fascinated with Maya, so he began to serenade her.













Daddy walking his little Maya Papaya into the world of fairy tales (Brad is in the red jacket).


Waiting in line at Alice in Wonderland.


All smiles on the Jungle Cruise.


Maya taking a power nap on Daddy's shoulder.


Stylin' on Main Street.


Daddy and Papaya running through the rain forest.


The Smiths' with Minnie Mouse.


Minnie signing Maya's autograph book.


Happy at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Carrot Catastrophe

Maya has been teething for the last week, or so, and has not had much of an appetite. My Mum suggested that I feed her something that she would like, so I tried carrots. Well, she gobbled them right up, and was right back to her old self. She started yakking away and carrying on like a little fool, and finally, after the last spoon, after we had been nice and clean for the entire meal, she made some raspberries...suffice to say, we had carrots everywhere!

Sunday at the Japanese Garden

The day was beautiful, so we decided to take a drive to the Japanese Garden in Van Nuys. Brad and I packed Maya up, stopped for a snack at MacDonalds, and headed out. The garden was in full bloom and the scenery was gorgeous, so instead of writing this blog, I am going to let the pictures do the talking.