California Trip, Take 2

Starting where we left off...

The day after we got back from California, Danny was told he'd be flown back to LA for a shoot in one week.

"Wow, that sounds great," I told him. "Have a wonderful time."

He wanted me to come.

Oh.

I guess Katie is going to give birth any day now...and Tori is getting married, I thought. My parents didn't seem to get enough of their only grandchild last time I was down...I guess I'd be a big jerk if I didn't go.

But what about that baby shower coming up? And book club? I'm trying to have a life here you know.

The compromise was leave 2 days later than Danny, make the shower, and save book club for next month. (July's book was better anyway-Bossypants-(read it!!))

June 15/17-26

So. Danny left Wednesday with his partner, Mathias. Because Mathias is a suave, well manicured Latin man, when these two go out together, Danny ends up looking like the blond bombshell boyfriend. Knowing that he would be traveling with Twinkie, I bought Danny a more manly-looking dog carrier to give people less substantiation that these two were actually "life partners." I don't think it worked:



I left Friday.

A couple weeks after I gave birth, Danny treated me to some babysitting while I walked down Michigan Avenue alone for some postpartum shopping.

What in the world?! I thought.

No one was staring at me.

After months of waddling around having every door opened for me, every elevator held, smiles from the generally mean sales ladies, crazy congratulatory tidings from every neighborhood homeless man, I was no longer cute. Just a regular old shmo on the street.

I never made that mistake again. Danny was worried about me traveling alone with baby- but I knew better.

Flying alone with a baby- everyone wants to be your best friend. Help with my 50 pound suitcase down the stairs to the subway?- Thank you kind stranger. 2 seats to myself and my belongings on a crowded train?- Oh you don't mind sweaty people standing pressed up against each other, why thank you! Front of the line for check-in- Okay! Front of the line for security-Yep! Put my bag up there for me- oh and take it down when I need it?- You're so great! An extra drink?! And you're going to squeeze a lemon in it for me? Wow. Alright. Everybody stop smiling at me already! I'm just trying to travel with my baby!!



We made it back just in time for Father's Day

"Nothing is more beautiful than a mother who is proud of her husband and teaches her children to be like him." -Henry D. Moyle

This quote was in the program at church. I've been lucky to have this kind of beauty in my life. Growing up I was always particularly proud of who my dad and grandfather were. I knew my mom and grandma respected them and that made me feel like a valuable person part of a valuable family. Later in life, I quickly fell in love with the person Danny was, but what let me know he was husband material was how proud I was of him. I wanted him to meet my friends, my family, let everyone know he was mine, because he was really great. I'm excited for Belle to realize how great her dad is too.



One of my favorite of Belle and her dad



One of my favorites of my dad and I.

The rest of the visit, Danny spent most of his time working. (This was a business trip after all.) He did casting, callbacks, and shooting for some Hallmark Christmas spots. Right now he is working on editing. I get to see how the commercials are evolving every night after work. Excited for the finished products.

I saw lots of family. Hung out with some friends- (but not as many as I would have liked.) Got to see brand spanking new baby Joshua Jones!! Went to the beach with my umbrella, chair, and hat- because I am a mom now. Jason gave me a gnarly cold. (I have never had a fever or the flu or anything major so I get really dramatic and use words like "gnarly" when I get a cold.) This cold had me holed up in the Sheridan Santa Monica for a couple days, ordering copious amounts of room service with my husband's corporate card. (My life is so hard!) And here are my only photos of my time in LA:



Any given day I'm at Briana's, Celia is getting in trouble for eating too many blueberries. I remember when I was her age I would literally sit in the pantry eating spoonfuls of sugar.

Evidence of the strand of Streadbeck photography gene Danny possesses and I lack:



We have pictures of vitamins, fake snow, cameras, and ad people, but none of a best friend's newborn baby or a cousin's fab wedding dress.

Exhibit #2:



After going to a rehearsal dinner Friday night at Andrei's in Irvine, a beautiful wedding Saturday morning at the LA temple, and super sweet reception Saturday night at Cannon's in Dana Point, this is the only photo I have of Tori's wedding.

So I stole this one from Chrissy. (Thanks! Sorry!)



No that is not the back of Danny's head- its actually their photographer's.



And here is one stolen from their engagement photographer, Sandi. (Thanks! Sorry!) Their engagements are pretty amazing. And judging from the wedding day, I'm positive those pictures will be impressive as well. So glad I made it.


And then we went home. Again.



Q: What did the bird say when it flew next to the JetBlue plane?
A: "Cheap Cheap Cheap."

A free checked bag, those great TVs, leather seats, extra leg room- so why is JetBlue so inexpensive? Because their pilots are less experienced and therefore paid less allowing them to charge less for tickets. After being a patron of the airline for so long, my American Airlines flight down reminded me just how smooth taking off and landing can be.

Sunday we flew back JetBlue style. We're dangerous. (And we love TV.) (And we're "cheap cheap cheap.")



Danny likes this picture. I think it looks like baby is naked rock climbing up to my predivorced-Kate Gosslin-on a bad day-looking hair.

Well. "Take 1" was a vacation. "Take 2" was a long Hallmark shoot. In a couple weeks "Take 3" should be a quick Allstate shoot. I think I'll be a big jerk and stay home. Maybe have visitors instead?