California.

We went to California! What!?  So random...but so completely great!  Ness was going home to California with Parker, and asked us to go, along with some of our best buds!  So, Megan and Clara, Jenny and Asher, Vanessa and Parker, and Oak and I, packed up and headed west! (P.S.  This is mine AND Oaks first time to California.)

The plane ride stories alone need their own posts...but in a nutshell, this picture gives you a glimpse into what the ride to Cali was like:

Yup.  Diarrhea. Or diarrear, as my Mama would say.  All up Oak's back.  Oak had his first ear infection the week before we left, so he was on antibiotics, which gave him diarrear.  Ness and I were on the plane out there together...so while we were waiting I grabbed a latte. (what was i thinking!?)

Here is the rundown of Oak and I's first plane ride together...

made it through security with ease(and help from greg!)...check.

notice the people looking at the four of us hoping we aren't on their plane...check.

change diaper one last time...check.

get moby wrap on...check.

put baby in moby...check.

wait 'til the last second to board...check.

oak and i touch the outside of the plane(weird family thing)...check.

realize the latte is a mistake pretty quick, give to flight attendant...check.

squeeze through the tiny aisle(that seemed a lot smaller than usual) past the big nice first class seats...check.

meet eyes with the poor people who will experience Oaks first plane ride with us...check.

oh goodie, center seat...check.

girl in window seat who sleeps the whole time...check.

lady who sets up very intense office in aisle seat...check.

1x1 sq.ft. area to hold/nurse/entertain/put to sleep Oak in...check.

HERE WE GO!!!

Oak immediately starts fussing as we wait on the plane to leave.  We finally get going and I awkwardly nurse him as we take off.  He falls a sleep for, ehhh, 30 minutes.  Wakes up, we "play." He poops. I look down. (see pic above). Did I mention the 1x1 cubical we were in? And the aisle lady that was doing some serious work next to us?  And that I would probably be the last person to ask to get up?

So...somehow, (i think it was a miracle) Oak's diaper and clothes get changed. (Could you pause for a second and realized what went into that? wipes, dirty diaper, extra long baby, butt paste, dirty clothes, clean clothes, clean diaper, diaper bag...not to mention he had a TERRIBLE diaper rash from the diarrear that needed to air out!!!? and some tendin' to.) Anyways...

Office lady pretended nothing was happening.

The rest of the ride was pretty good.  We "played" for a while in our 1x1 cubical ( so fun!).  And some more. Then the mister finally fell asleep. whew!  Longest plane ride of my life (including Thailand).

Here's the man on his first plane ride with the plane grandma got him:

Ta-da!!! We made it to California!!!

Ness's dad picked us up from the airport. Car seats and all.  Can I tell you how amazing her parents are?  They had carseats, strollers, pack-n-plays, highchairs, exer-saucer, and toys all ready for us.  We were spoiled.  I can't imagine traveling by yourself with all that extra stuff.  

After meeting up with the rest of the crew (at Ness's sister, Al's, appartment in LA) we went to Santa Monica Pier for some beach time!!!  

This pic is RIGHT before the tide came up real high and Oak and Asher were almost swept away with the sea.  Not really, but seriously.

And this is after we all screamed, the cold water came crashing into them, and they were rescued by highly trained instinctive mothers who almost yanked their arms out of socket, all in a total of 3 seconds.  Not scary for the little guys at all.

And happy to be alive again.

BFF's. 

Bath time after swimming in the ocean.  

A fun lunch in downtown Riverside.

Fruit trees everywhere.  I want to plant a lemon tree.

Behind Ness is the church she and Z got married in.  Cute.

The following pictures are hilarious.  Well, I think they are.  I was taking pictures of Oak in their backyard and Ginger came outside and this is what happened.

well... hello.

that was nice... my dog doesn't do that.

hmmm...yup. best friends.

really? you love me?

really?!!!!!!

well....I love you too.

so happy together.

Janet, Ness' mom, with all her babies.

Janet and Burton were soooo good to us.  Janet had a friend come over and they watched all four babies, and she sent us to get massages or pedicures.  Jenny and I had massages (which were really great) and Ness and Meg got pedicures.  Janet made us amazing home cooked meals every night.  Burton made us his famous eggs and rice for breakfast one morning.  We soaked in the hot tub late one night talking about the husbands.  Janet, Burton and Rach watched the babies while we went to get yogurt one night.  We went to downtown riverside for lunch one day.  Most of all, we did A LOT of relaxin'...and it was GREAT.  It was so fun to see where Ness is from and get to know her family more.  We love Vanessa, and she has an amazing family.

the famous, In-N-Out...I give it a thumbs up.

These next beach pictures are from Balboa Island.  Such a cute island filled with shops and beach houses.  Made me feel like I was in a small town.  Love it.

Eating "Balboa Bars."

Cute, old, rich guys just hanging out.

my lemon trees!

These next pics are from Fashion Island.  It is a beautiful outdoor mall (can you say a mall is beautiful?  well, this one is).

the ocean is in the background...promise.

rachel, ness' sister, and oaks best friend.

We had such an amazing time in California.  I love our friends and am so blessed to walk with them.  It was so fun to spend 3 whole days with Meg, Jenny and Ness.  I feel like we got to know each other that much better.  Such amazing friends.

Okay, I have to document the plane ride home.  This time I decide I 'm going to be brave and ask my row partners if I could have the aisle seat.  After all, this would be better for EVERYONE involved.  

This time I have the window seat.  Tom Selleck (had to be his twin) was in the center, and Juan who doesn't speak a ton of english ( at least he pretended like he didn't) was in the aisle seat.  

So I awkwardly give them my song and dance about letting me have the aisle seat. 

 Tom quickly moves over but Juan tries to explain to me that he will need to get his laptop. WHAT?! And that he doesn't mind getting up.

 (GREAT...need i remind you...i'm not good at asking people to get up?! shheesh.) So...dun dun dun...who now has the CENTER seat once again? YUP.YUP.YUP.

SO, HERE WE GO AGAIN.  (Only this time, i'm with two MEN.  This could get a bit tricky.)

We sit down, get situated, and bam...Oak starts crying. 

 Tom asks me if this is his first time. 

I smile and say, "his second."

Tom says, "this is my first next to a baby."

OH GOOD. GOOD.

Oak is still crying.  I'm trying to hold off nursing him until we take off, because of his ears.  We start towards the runway and I realized I can't get my shirt down to nurse.  

OKAY PAUSE.  let me remind you of the 1x1 cubical...two men on either side.  crying baby. hooter hider. can't get shirt down to nurse. i feel like im trying to get to the top of the boat on the Titanic and the water is rising.  seriously. thank you for the pause.

So, i'm going to have to get the moby wrap off.  

I look at Tom.

"Tom, can you hold him real quick." (literally held Oak, like the real Tom Selleck held Mary for the first time on Three Men and a Little Baby) 

I get the moby off.

Grab Oak.

Shove him under the hider and SILENCE.

AND AWKWARD.  

There we sit.  Juan, Tom, Oak, Me, and my breast.

The rest of the flight went pretty well, next time I'll request an all girl aisle and demand the aisle seat. 

 Dad came and picked us up from the airport!  I have to admit I was kind of sad his shirt didn't say anything about me.  We were about half-way home until I figured out the "ra" was ME!  LauRA. duh. I get it now. Whew, close call.  Oak and I were so glad to see this guy.