Dreamworks San Francisco Offices

We got a private tour of Dreamworks San Francisco offices, which was super cool.  The cast also gave interested animators a talk back about what it was like to turn there animation into a live stage musical!

Christmas celebration in Winter Garden Dec. 16

 On our way to FL, the view was beautiful.

 Mia gives Soph big hugs.

 Soph finds Papa Joe's nose!

 Uncle Trey helps out, in style, at the mall.

 Great Grandmom and Granddad giving Sophie a steering wheel.

 Headed back to daddy in San Francisco, we found Santa had a layover in Philly too.

 Vigin America Airlines Rocks!!!!

Sophia and I packed up again and headed to the airport.  This time we are just in for a quick weekend.  Everyone is so excited.  The plane trip seemed less daunting this time.  I've really got things into a routine with her as far as flying goes.  5.5 hrs to Philly. 1hr lay over. 2.2 hrs to Orlando. It's all in the timing.  We left at 11 Pacific time and get in at 11 Eastern time.  This flight worked the best for her schedule.  Even if you have to pay more,  you have to get a flight that times out with her eating on the decent and that doesn't interfere with bedtime.  She can nap out, but don't mess with bedtime.  You realize how sacred it is when you speak with parents who don't have a good sleeper. We want to do everything in our power to make it easy for her to go to bed.  The wknd in FL was awesome and way too quick.  Sophie totally recognized everyone this time.  She was a happy girl and was so ready for all her interactive Christmas toys.  Eric and I held off on new stuff since Christmas was coming!  She even enjoyed unwrapping.  She got the hang of Christmas way too easily.  Eric was able to watch her open gifts via iChat.   She loved all the buttons and talking and singing on her jungle, steering wheel, and Laugh and Play Kitchen!!! Eric had 4 shows over the wknd, so he was kept busy while we were gone.  He actually took off Thursday and Friday nights to rest his mind and body.  It gave him more rest for us not to be there.  We know he loves us, but sometimes even hearing me get up with Soph makes sleep not as sound.  Sophie and I iChatted with the Danly family Christmas gathering on Saturday night.  It was great to see everyone gathered together at Aunt Mary and Uncle Dave's this year.  Somehow, we didn't even know it was even happening, but thanks to iChat we were able to be there.  Trey and Ariana stayed the night on Saturday to get a full dose of Sophie.  She sure has a lot of love in FL.  It was a nice break for mommy's arms to have Mia, Papa Joe, Grandmom, Granddad, Trey and Ariana all eagerly waiting to hold and love on her if she's happy, sad or anything in between.  Got Eric's Christmas shopping done!  Yay!  We headed back on Sunday, so we could be there for Eric's day off.  It's the first day in weeks that he hasn't had press or rhsl or traveling or something.  We are planing to relax and go see the Full House house(the pink ladies.). It will be a nice, chill day.  P.S.  This Virgin America flight back to SF is awesome!  Soph and I feel like rock stars.  In flight TV, big seats, cool vibe, LED purple lights.  Love it!

 REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOO-OOD!!!!    Daddy met us at the airport in San Fran!

Company Christmas Party and Shrek BCEFA Benefit.

So, in planning for Eric and I to attend his company Christmas Party and then perform at a benefit the following night, we needed to find a sitter in SF. My mom said she'd be happy to do it, but that was a little expensive...since she lives in FL:). Plan B.  We went to this site called Sittercity.com and found someone.  This was super scary for me, because Soph had never been put to bed by someone else or left with a sitter for more than 2hrs about 4 times.  After perusing the site, I felt that the system was good.  Essentially, you post a job(Sunday and Monday, 4 month old, 5- midnight ). You get a bunch if responses and are then able to filter thru the applicants profiles.  We requested someone with CPR certification, First Aid Training, a clean background check, and looked for someone who was over the age of 20 and had experience with infants.  We ended up with Melissa.  She is a 44 yr old mother of 2.  I had her come one day while we were there so that we could get a read on her and see if she was good with Sophie...a sort of working interview.  She was great.  Thank God!  We went to the Christmas party and had an awesome time.  It was at E & O Trading Company.  The food was amazing and the company even better!  We came home to a sleeping baby, who proceeded to sleep til 8:30am.  The very next night was the Shrek Benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids and we had Melissa come again.  She worked her magic once more.   Eric and I performed a duet at the benefit and Eric sang "What Are You Doing New Years?". Everyone sounded great and lots of money was raised for a really great cause.  We had a lot of fun being out with all the adults, but couldn't wait to get home to Soph.  The only downside to Melissa is that she reorganized all the cabinets and I couldn't find my trash bags for 30 minutes, and I totally have no idea where the 409 is.  I really didn't mind and I can appreciate the intention.  Hey, and I guess a lot of people pay to have someone organize their stuff.  Two birds.  One stone.

Sophie's BFF: Kenzie

View of the TransAmerica Building

This is the view from our apartment in San Fran.

Right Idea, Wrong Direction: Mastering the Art of Scooting.

Sophie is now 4 and a half months old.  She is trying to figure out how to move and has learned that she can use her arms to push.  Too bad it is pushing her backwards.  She'll figure it out soon enough.

San Francisco Tourist.

 Golden Gate Park: Stow Lake

 

Grace Cathedral:  Where Soph and I got coffee, walked the labyrinths,  and admired the beauty inside most mornings.

 Union Square: San Francisco

Sophia and I found Shrek on a trolley!

Sophia and I took advantage of this cool city.  Eric was working to the bone in this city.  Press pick-ups almost everyday between 9-11am and then the show at night or 2 show days.  He missed a lot of the tourism, but Sophie and I still got out.  We stayed in Nob Hill. In all the magazines our address was described as elegant and with the view from our apartment building, we really didn't even have to leave to enjoy landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, the bay, and the TransAmerica building.   Pretty awesome.  Every morning I would walk down the block to the famous Grace Cathedral and get a latte from the Pete's Coffee shop that occupies their basement.  Then we walk around the cathedral, walk the labyrinths , and walk to the park across the street.  This gives Eric a little more sleep to recoup from the show.  It gives Soph and I some much needed fresh air and exercise.  One day I even got up the courage to walk to Union Square with Soph in the stroller, Christmas shop, and walk back up the hills home.  Now that's a work out.  Another day we went with Tracy and Kenzie to Golden Gate Park and walked around the Buffalo Reserve.  When Eric and I were here in October 2009, we did Alcatraz and Fisherman's Wharf/pier39.  We are going to take Sophie together to see the sea lions:)