Taj turns ONE year old!

Happy 1st Birthday to our baby boy! So crazy how fast time flies, and how incredibly fast babies grow in their first year! Taj weighs 20 lbs, is 29 3/4 inches tall (9th % for weight, and 40th % for height!...... must have inherited this from daddy, who started out a shrimper then was a late bloomer and now towers over everyone! Taji is our joy who lights up our world every second of the day! You know how some kids are early walkers or early talkers? Well, I think he was both an early walker AND talker! We are amazed what an independent, care-free, funny, little boy he's grown into! He expresses himself so well, he calls out for us when he wants us, requests "nana" for banana, "wawa" for water, "baba" for his bottle, "cookie", and does the sign for all done when he's done eating. He says "ba" for bathtime, yells out "trar!" for either truck or car, "doggie", "kuki" for Kuki the cat, "ball", etc. He attempts to say any and every word he hears us say. Taj continues to be a good sleeper and napper, but lately diaper changes have become a battle. He squirms, he rolls, he tries to stand, and runs away while getting his diaper changed! His absolutely most favorite activity is independently playing with the tupperware, bowls, and cups in the kitchen. He also loves flipping through his books, puzzle pieces, stacking cups, and following us around wherever we go. He loves going to the park, library, going on bikerides, and LOVES playing in the sand at the beach..... something we have been doing a lot of lately!

Its been one big adventure to watch him grow, accomplish his milestones, and we just love to sit back and observe him playing and interacting. Our little baby has grown into such a fine young boy, and we couldn't be more proud. Every month it gets more and more exciting, fun, and interesting with a toddler. We cherish every moment we have with him, he is an extension of our love, and the epitomy of our happiness. Taj represents all things innocent and good, and what an incredible thing it is to look at the world through his eyes. We are impressed by his determination, drive, and his zest for life and learning! Here's to a hundred more years of love and laughter with our sweet Taj Leon!

Happy FIRST Birthday Taji!

taj 1st year montage from jana grover on Vimeo.

Happy Mother's Day Wknd To Me!

Leave it to my wonderful husband to turn Mother's day into a Mother's "weekend!" Last wknd, when I got home from work, Brad surprised me with flowers, a balloon, and stocked the fridge with food, juice, and desserts for the entire weekend! My boys took good care of their woman of the house :) All I wanted was to spend time with my boys, go bikeriding, and lots of R & R, and they made that happen plus more. On Sunday, Mother's Day, Taji slept in to 8am and then Brad took him outside for a walk so I could sleep in even more. I guess I'm out of that morning habit of "sleeping in", instead I took advantage of the free time and loaded the dishwasher, cleaned the kitchen, and did the laundry! When the boys got back they surprised me with a breakfast burrito and donuts from our favorite bakery down the street. In the afternoon, Brad took us to Avocado park where both him and Taji gave me the sweetest cards. I forgot to mention that Taji made me an adorable "handprint" rose mother's day card in montessori.

It was a very special *first* official mother's day, and we had so much to celebrate and feel grateful for.

Here's some pics from the wknd, bikeriding has become our saturday ritual the last few weeks. Taji LOVES cruising!

He also loves his new perch on our balcony where he watches the cars drive by and doggies walk by below. He always recognizes his daddy when he rolls in. Here are pics of him actually noticing Brad pulling up to the curb and getting super excited! In the pic, is a sneak peek of Brad's lastest car collection, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer white "woody" he bought and is re-storing to take back to Bemus, NY for our summers! We've nicknamed it "the godfather," and I gotta admit it really grows on you!

Hezky Den Maminek Moja Maminko!

To my beautiful mother, and our wonderful Babi: Happy Mother's Day! We love and miss you so much, and hope today especially you know how special you are to our entire family and Taji of course! I dug up some incredible photos over the years, so this mami, is a tribute to you...... thank you for everything you have done for me my whole life, the unconditional love and support you continously provide, and all the wisdom and patience you have passed on to me. I am the mother I am today because of you, and the values and kindness you have instilled in me. If it wasn't for you and tatka, I wouldn't have the kind of life, the amazing husband, and beautiful baby I have today, and for that I will always be grateful. Thank you for for the sacrifices you made for your children. Even though you are far right now, you are always always close to our hearts, (especially through skype!)

Playdates Galore

Taji and I love our playdates, and it seems like we are lucky to have one almost every week with our little buddies! A couple of weeks ago we visited my good friend Kristen and her kiddies in LA. We met at Giggles & Hugs at the Century City Mall, a super cute restaurant for families, where they also have a fun indoor play place for the kids. We dined, we played, we laughed, and we had a fantastic quality time with auntie Kiki, Ella bella, and Prince William (who is a little under 3 months younger than Taj.) We hope to see them very soon again, we just can't get enough of their company :)

Then last week, another close friend of mine, auntie Laura, took the day off of work and we had a fabulous lunch at Fashion Island with her sweet 4 month old Brooklyn! Taj thinks Brooklyn is very pretty, he wanted to crawl in her stroller just so he could sit next to her! These two will grow up playing together and probably attend the same high school, since we live so close! Maybe they will even date, ha ha! Anyhow, FI was a blast, it was such a warm summery day, Taj was so excited to walk around and look at the water fountains, koi fish, and on one of the pcs below you will see him walking to his favorite, Russos Pets, to hang with his puppy friends :)

Professional Walker

Ladies and Gentlemen, in just these last 3 weeks since Taj started walking, each day that passes he perfects his every step, goes further, is stronger and more stable, and has the courage to continuously push the limits. We may be a bit biased, but never have we met a more determined and driven little baby as Taj. He became a toddler overnight and has truly embraced his new independence and exploration as a walker. Check out his walking moves in these two videos taken in the last couple weeks. The first, showcases a little game we like to play at home, where he follows us around. The second, he displays how well he can manuever his body and turn with ease!

Happy Birthday Kuki!

Happy Birthday to the oldest living cat in CDM (as told to us by the CDM Pet Hospital down the street, she is the oldest cat they have ever had!) Happy 95th something Birthday (in cat years) to our little grandma Kuki! She has been my furry companion, my secret keeper, my feline best friend that has always given me unconditional love since I was 15 years old! She moved with me to LA and has lived in 6 different places :) We love her so much, and Taji loves going down to visit her in her kitty condo, he always yells out "kuki!" when we pass by the side garage door.