We won't say who we're supporting in the presidential election, but Helena was out at our local park this morning supporting Obama. Thanks for the great T-shirt, Aunt Kristi!

Random shots of cuteness!

Gigi and Grandad recently paid us a visit and Helena loved being adored by her grandparents! The visit included a trip to the carousel and indoor playground, a trip to the Getty Museum where Helena viewed her first famous works of art and frolicked on the lawn, and a trip to the farmer's market where we enjoyed lots of tasty samples and a brief conversation with Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser, M.D.). All and all, a great visit with Gigi and Grandad Samson!

Helena had a fun playdate with her friend Ella at our favorite mall and indoor playground. Helena and Ella share the same birthday and were born hours apart at St. Joe's. We met Ella's parents at our birthing class and ended up being neighbors in the delivery room. I thought I would include a shot of the ladies a year ago as they snoozed hours after birth. What a difference a year makes!

Here's a video of our beach vacation to Carpinteria...just before Helena shoved a handful of sand into her mouth!

We enjoyed a relaxing vacation over 4th of July weekend to Carpinteria, CA. We rented a beach house just two blocks from the beach and right in the heart of this quaint, little beach town. It was so much fun exploring the shops, beaches, and farmer's markets with the little "mini human" as Matt has taken to calling her since she has shed so many of her baby-like qualities and is becoming more and more like a little girl. Bittersweet, as all parents understand. Helena loved the beaches and also loved eating the sand, much to her parents horror. You should have seen the two of us frantically trying to flush the sand from her mouth with water bottle after water bottle! I'm sure this is something only first parents worry about, but still rather disconcerting. It was a great summer vacation as you can see from the pictures below.