Fun Filled Fourth

Many friends escaped the desert heat to join us for our annual 4th of July celebration.

We decorated the dinghy, dressed up and joined in the dinghy parade. Next year we'll take the bubble machine along with us!

The afternoon was spent napping (adults only, of course), grilling and enjoying Big Sticks on the back deck. The kids had fun with a bubble machine and splash pool on the back deck.

That weekend Fisher and Mommy went along on Mike's first albacore trip of the year on Persistence. Mike, give us some details...

July Birthdays

We celebrated Mike's birthday and Fisher's half-birthday on July 3 aboard Persistence.

All grandparents were in attendance along with our friends the Beaches.

For lunch we ate sail boat stuffed peppers.

Baby Kasey was a special gift Fisher latched onto right away. He enjoys practicing being "big brother" by giving baby a bottle and covering him with a blanket.

It's getting hard to keep him down!

Father's Day 2007

We spent Father's Day weekend aboard Persistence in Newport Harbor. The seas were calm, the weather warm and the scenery absolutely beautiful! The boat was moored in the harbor so all our shore excursions were by dinghy.

Mike had been waiting for the day he could teach his son to drive the dinghy! We patiently sat through jerky starts and stops as Fisher learned to operate the throtle. Thankfully we were in a 5 mile per hour zone so he didn't get a taste for speed. While Mike patiently kept pulling the trotle back to neutral I spied for any activity at Nicholas Cage's waterfront mansion.

Our day visitors included Grandma & Grandpa Gaddis, Grandma Sohair & George and Uncle Fahmy and his family. We enjoyed the Balboa Fun Zone, Carousel, Funnel Cakes and walks along the waterfront.

The weekend wouldn't be complete without a fishing lesson. Fisher liked holding his pole and watched Mike catch a fish. He enjoyed watching the live bait school around in the bait tank but did not want to touch it.

From his Captain's Chair Fisher would watch agressive sea lions jump up onto other boats moored nearby. All weekend long he practiced saying bubble when water would splash and signed airplane, boat and fish.

Little Brother

We're having a boy! Here's his first photo.

Sea World

Sea World with Grandma & Grandpa Gaddis, Uncle J.D. and Alison.

Thanks for the popcorn. I like it!

Fisher was very intense as he followed instruction to wave his arms up and down signing SHAMU-SHAMU. Later that week we took an evening walk on the beach and he was continually signing Shamu. I finally figured out he must have been associating surfers in full black wetsuits with the Shamu trainers.

A New Sign

Fisher has good news to share. Watch for the "baby" sign at the beginning, before he runs off for his ball.
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We are thankful to God for this special blessing!

The due date is November 4.

To see the real sign click here http://www.mybabycantalk.com/content/dictionary/dictionaryofsigns.aspx?letter=B&word=ae0cd557-fde9-497c-98cd-54543392036f

Backyard Makeover

Flush out the misting system, we're ready for summer! Thanks Mike for our new grass.

March 2007

Fisher loves riding on the golf cart. This Sunday afternoon Grandpa took him on a long ride down the ditch banks to Great Grandma Rosie's house where he sees animals and plays in the dirt.

Fisher is wearing special Egyptian cotton pjamas made for him by his Great Grandmother Teta.

The whole family was very entertained watching Fisher eat spaghetti at our weekly family dinner on Wednesday nights at Jill's parents' house.

Caribbean Cruise

Mike, Jill and Fisher cruised the Eastern Caribben the first week of March aboard Holland America's Zuiderdam.

We touched stingrays in Grand Turk, played on water slides at Half Moon Cay, leisurely swam in shady Brewers Bay on Tortola (somewhere we hope to return to in our own boat) and Mike spotted Larry Ellis' "Rising Sun" one of the largest private yachts in the world, in St. Thomas. We all enjoyed the time spent together, away from daily demands and the busyness of life.

Do we have to go home?

February Fun

In Febrauary we visited Los Angeles to say goodbye to our friends the Ansiels who were moving to South Dakota. Our first stop was KidSpace Museum in Pasadena where Grandma Sohair met us for a fun evening of exploration and play. Next stop: Cabrillo Aquarium in San Pedro. Here we are with Melissa, Garrett, Danielle and Josiah Ansiel dressed up as sea creatures.
Off to a play-date in Santa Clarita at the Bernards' home. Emily and Nathan showed us their new pool and Madeline introduced us to her new baby brother Mason.
Fisher surprised his Grandma with a special treat. He took his first steps at her house, on her birthday. They spent an entire evening practicing walking across the room, interrupted by enthusiastic stair climbing. He hasn't stopped since!
Our good friends Jim, Tricia and Isabel McNulty visited us in San Diego. We spent a day at the San Diego Wild Animal Park where we saw elephants, lions, and even a gnu!

We enjoyed dining out one evening without kids while "Fisher's Grandma" and "Fisher's Grandpa", as Isabel called them, graciously babysat.

Fisher Calling

Hi Grandma,
I want to tell you about what I've been doing. I really like dialing your number on the phones and watching the buttons light up. The big TALK button is my favorite because it's easy to push and makes a sound. Mom and Dad took me to the Gaddis Family Retreat in Pine Valley. We saw snow along the way, but it didn't snow on us there. My cousin Mykenzie and I played together and my other cousins Caroline and Julia took me for long stroller rides outside. Unfortunately, I came home with a cold. This week's been tough. Every day Mom takes me to the torture chamber (bathroom) and puts a horrible big blue bulb in my nose. It makes a terrible sound and I hate it!

On a lighter note, I'm learning new signs and using them everyday. Mom even caught them on video today, she just needs to figure out how to post it. I think we might come visit you soon. I can't wait to ride my new tricycle at your house.

Love,
Fisher

Christmas

Christmas Eve at Grandma Sohair's House

Yea for Christmas presents. There were so many for me to open from all our family.

Uncle Fahmy and Aunt Geri

I went right to Uncle Fahmy the moment I saw him and let him hold me a lot that evening.

MORE -- MORE

During the drive home Christmas morning I spotted Mom cracking open a tin of Christmas cookies in the front seat. For the first time I put my fingertips togther and signed MORE, for more Christmas cookies.

Christmas morning we drove to El Centro, opened presents then had dinner with the Gaddis family. This is my cousin Mykenzie playing the piano with me.

On a sunny Saturday morning Mom and I walked into town to watch the El Centro Christmas Parade. I'm sitting with Mrs. Brock and her daughters Elizabeth and Amelia and their cousin Gracie. I was entertained by the floats and would clap along when marching bands went by.

The week before Christmas I had friends over to Granny Julie's house for a Christmas Party. We made sticker nativity scenes, ate gingerbread man sandwiches, played games, sang songs with kazoos and jingle bells and decorated cookies. I really liked eating the cookies, but my favorite part was playing in the sandboat with my friends. I'm just like Dad and always wanted to have my hands on the wheel!

A little decorating and a lot of eating Christmas cookies with my friends Michael, Timothy and Micah.

Playing in the sandboat with Caleb, Nate, Amelia and Micah.

My 1st Birthday

Photos coming soon!

December Delights

We were treated to a rare "White Christmas" during our drive home from San Diego after Christmas shopping. We stopped in Pine Valley for hot drinks to sip as we drove though the winter wonderland listening to Christmas carols.

I dearly love my pacifier, which stays in the crib with my blankee for bedtime and naptime. I crawl over to my crib, pull up, reach in and feel around until I find it. I'll just stand there so content, secretly rubbing my blankee and silently sucking away.

My second visit to the barber shop didn't go any better than the first. I still hate those clippers, but I needed to look handsome for my one year photos and Christmas.

When Ian and Demi came over to play we got crazy rocking my boat all around the house.

December Delights

In December we visited Grandma Sohair's house. I begged her to share her yummy oatmeal with me and she did. We practiced walking in the backyard at Teta's house.