One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Winston met Uncle Jim last Friday - we visited the Long Beach Aquarium and then met Jim for lunch at his favorite Thai Food restaurant on 7th Avenue in LB.
The aquarium was absolutely mobbed with children of all ages. Winston slept through the entire experience, but we did get a few cute pictures and Dave and I were impressed by the aquarium - it is small but there are beautiful fish. My favorite were the otters - Dave loved the sharks (specifically the sandbar shark and the black tip shark).

If Winston had been awake, we think he would have liked this colorful crab.

Swimming Pools and Movie Stars...

We finally made it to California! Winston had his first plane ride last Wednesday and despite the anxiety of his parental units, he was an absolute angel for the 4.5 hour trip. He was more upset (as were we) about the 2 hour car ride from LAX to La Canada (a trip that usually takes 30-45 minutes when traffic is cooperating). Anyone who thinks the traffic in their city is bad needs to spend a few days in Los Angeles, where "rush hour" is a 24 hour phenomenon.

Traveling with a baby is incredible. We've never had to carry so much luggage. I can understand why families buy mini vans - we rented a mid-sized car and it was packed to the gills with suit cases, stroller, car seat, diaper bag, book bag, etc. Does it really take all this to take car of a 8 (ok, maybe 9 lbs now) human? Yes, it does.

Photos of Winston at Miami International Airport...

We spent Wednesday through Sunday with Barb and Mary Jo, and there are few places more beautiful and relaxing than their home on El Vago in La Canada. We swam, sat outside amdist their beautiful gardens, spent hours observing the humming birds, listening to the "water feature" (aka water fall) and generally feeling like we had been transplanted to the world's most exclusive spa (Barb even made fresh muffins every morning, along with the world famous green juice). The weather was unusually mild for August in SoCal, and Winston spent more time outside in five days than he had in the past seven weeks in Miami.

Winston loved to cuddle with Mary Jo and Barb and he experienced his first taste of "real" food (his pacifier dipped in pineapple juice). Judging from his reaction (positive and curious), it shouldn't be too difficult to get him to begin eating real food in a few months.

Newsflash - Winston Surpasses Kitty in the Weight Category

Winston met a very important milestone today: he officially weighs more than our kitty, Flurry!

Winston weighed in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces - he's gained more than 2 pounds since birth and has grown 1.5 ounces in the past month. He is growing beautifully and everything is normal from a developmental perspective. While we were pretty confident he was gaining weight, it certainly is a relief to get a thumbs up from the doctor.We've had a wonderful visit with Mary and Richard, aka Grandma and Grandpa, from Wisconsin. Winston has spent zero time in his crib, which is fine by him - he loves nothing more than to be cuddled and held close, whether he is awake or asleep. Dave and I are eternally grateful for their visit - the company is most welcome (especially since it is tough to get out of the house in the Miami heat); we've had some great meals; and we are well-rested for the first time in several weeks. All's well in the Sullivan-Wanless household.

Dave and I even got to take a quick kayak trip on Saturday - our first together since Winston arrived. Dave, Wendy and I ventured out around Key Biscayne, and while we didn't find any starfish, we found conches, countless eagle rays, and were even warned about a bull shark nearby (we didn't see him). Thrilling!
And, of course, we ended the trip with a quick lunch at the lighthouse cafe...best venue for casual dining in town.