The Newmans...: California 2009 (World's longest Post EVER)

Every summer my family goes to California. It had been a couple of years because of me being pregnant last year. It was a lot of fun! It was nice to spend time with the family. She did great in the car and slept most of the time. My sister rode with us to entertain her in the back seat, but she would fall asleep within two minutes of us driving. Jason golfed every morning...and was in heaven! Me and Carlyn would wake up and take advantage of the beautiful weather and take a walk around the resort. Normally, she would fall asleep during the walk and we would head back to the room, have breakfast with my mom and sister, and wait for Jason to get done! Carlyn had a lot of "firsts" while we were there: going on vacation out of state, being at the beach, feeling the sand and water over her toes, swimming in a pool, taking a bubble bath, meeting Kenna (my cousin), going to Sea World...and her first bump and bruise. Warning...there are A LOT of pictures! I couldn't choose!

The beach was beautiful. I went to Coronado with my mom and my sister the first day and walked the beach to pick up sand dollars! Carlyn loved looking at the waves coming in and would just stare out at the ocean. Every once in a while, she would kick her legs and yell when she got really excited! We also all went to Oceanside. Jason got to boogey board and play with the kids! Carlyn got to feel the water come over her toes for the first time, and when it did, she started cracking up! She loved it! She smiled and just looked at the water and sand on her feet...and then, there was sand EVERYWHERE, her hair, her mouth, and her diaper! It was so fun to see her discovering all of the new sights and sounds of the ocean!

Every year, my family goes to Seaport Village. I love it there. They have this store that sells swings and hammocks...it's my favorite! Then we go to Anthony's Grotto! So yummy. Fried fish, shrimp, and fries oceanside. It doesn't get any better! When we got back from Seaport, we took Carlyn to the pool for the first time! She was very relaxed and chill in the pool. She didn't seem to mind it to bad, and then we went back to the condo and all took a long nap!

We also go wine tasting in Temecula while we are there. I love wine, and the wineries are just beautiful! We went to one this year that looks like a barn...right up my dad's alley! While the girls were wine tasting, the boys were waiting outside. My little cousin Adyn LOVES Carlyn, and she loves him right back. He was making her laugh so hard, and she wanted to hug and kiss him! They are going to be great friends one day!

We went to Sea World this year with my cousins. They wanted to take Adyn because he had never been. I haven't been in a very long time...and it was so fun! Carlyn went with us, but she would just look around at everything that was going on. I have to admit, I got a little emotional while we were there. I was standing up with Carlyn watching the Shamu show, the music was playing, and then it happened...Shamu popped out of the water and flew through the air! It made me feel just like a kid again, and I remembered how excited I got to see that when I was a kid...all while standing there holding my own child. It was just crazy! Later in the day Jason and my cousin JR took Carlyn back home. Me, my sister, my cousin Sharon, and Adyn all stayed to watch the night show. While we were waiting for it to start, we went to see the polar bears. We were taking pictures of the polar bears when this man who worked there asked if we wanted better pictures. We followed him back to the training pool of the Beluga Whales. It was insane. He let us feed them fish, pet them, and they even gave us a kiss on the cheek! It was the one of the neatest things I've done!

On Friday the girls went to the outlet malls and then we went to go watch the sunset at La Jolla Beach, while the boys golfed ALL day! The sunset was beautiful, as it always is at the beach! On the way back to the car the worst thing ever happened. I was holding Carlyn and tripped...and we both fell. She never left my arms, but she did hit the ground. I started screaming, and just picked her up and held her. I didn't want to let her go. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my entire life. My mom ran over to me and told me to look at her...she wasn't bleeding or anything. She was just crying really hard. My mom said it was probably more because I was screaming and crying than anything. We made it to a bench and I just held her and hugged her. She already had a big goose egg on her forehead. I felt awful...like the worst mother. I couldn't believe I let her fall. Everyone kept saying it was just an accident, but I felt like I should have been able to protect her more. I watched her all night. She was fine. She was eating fine, sleeping fine, waking up fine...it was me that was hurt, emotionally. My knees were dripping blood, but I didn't even feel it until the next morning. I didn't put her down all night. She slept in my arms until the next morning. I cried for two days...It was awful. Thinking back on it makes me cry. I know there will be many more bumps and bruises in her lifetime, but hopefully, they won't happen while she's in my arms, that's supposed to be the safest place.