Bon Voyage!

Taji's first time on a boat..... on our duffy boat!

Brad was super stoked to get him out on the water and give him a tour of our beloved Newport Bay :) All the excitement and preparation beforehand wore Taji out, so he snoozed away for the first part of the cruise!



Then when he woke up, we strapped on his lifejacket (compliments of the Benson Family.... thanks guys!). Even though it is still a little big on him, he looked adorable! Here he is, chewing on it.... he puts everything in his mouth now!

Photo with Captain daddy behind the wheel...

He looked out the window and played with mommy most of the trip around the bay, but his favorite thing to look at was our silver mirror disco ball hanging from the ceiling!

A family pic on the water.....

New Record!

At almost 11 weeks old, Taji has beat his night-time sleep record once again... the new number is 8 consecutive hours! Last night he slept from 9pm-5am, without a single peep! We woke up at 4am wondering what was wrong and had to check that he was still breathing in his crib. I also had to pump to relieve the pain, that was what woke me up and prompted me to check the clock. Then sure enough, at 4:45am Taji began to stir and make noises, until finally crying at 5am. He ate and then went back to sleep :) What triggered this wonderful long sleep you ask? Hmmm, well it could have been the sleep sack or him feeding from both breasts (as opposed to one like his usual feedings), or it could just be that he is almost 3 months old!! We are so proud of our little boy, growing up right before our eyes! We will see if this turns into a nightly habit, but either way, I am amazed at how Taj has been extending his sleep time all on his own....... just in time when mommy is returning to work part-time and will need her sleep! Thanks honey-buns! Forget the rigorous Babywise book technique or "letting your baby cry it out all night"...... no offense, but all that is way too extreme, and selfish of a parent. When you have a baby, sleepless nights are part of the package. We forget too often and try to instill unnatural expectations on such young babies who can't read the clock and their only form of expression (whether its discomfort or hunger) is through crying. Whatever happened to listening and learning about your baby, following their cues, and letting them take the lead with your gentle guidance? This is what I call the magic of becoming a parent..... respecting and loving the human being you have created.

Tis the Season for Baby Girls!

It appears that Boy Season has flipped to Girl Season!! When I was pregnant almost everybody that I knew was having a boy, but apparently now, the coin has flipped! I'm so excited to report that my Czech cousins Daniela and Zuska are both expecting girls, both due this fall! Here in California, my wonderful and sweet friend Laura and her husband Greg just found out their little princess is arriving late Dec/ early January! Congratulations guys! She will be a beauty like her mommy! We went out and celebrated last nite, with virgin drinks (my usual, virgin Mojito!) and appetizers at Bandera. Look at how fabulous Laura looks with her belly!!! Oh, and Taji is ecstatic to meet and play with his Czech girl cousins, along with his future girlfriend/ wifey Brooklyn! LOL

beach bums

Taji with his best bud Regan at CDM beach, our favorite summer hangout spot! Regan is my friend Jamie's little guy, and what a cuty he is! Regan is 4 1/2 weeks older than Taji, they weigh the same but have different body types! Jamie and I joke that Regan is the linebacker while Taj is the surfer! Thanks Regan and Jamie for playing with us today! More fun playdate pics with DJ, Cade, and Ryan coming soon.... we've been busy with playdates and have more coming up, so I promise to do a large post with all those pics!
Here are the boys lounging on their blankets at the beach as they watch their mommas chowing down on food! :)



Then when we got home, i took these pics after Taji finished eating! I'm a lucky mommy, this is what I have to look at all day long.... just look at that face! He's begining to teethe so he is sticking his hands in his mouth a lot!

Getty Time! Taji's first all-day fieldtrip

Yesterday, we drove to LA and did an all-day family excursion at the gorgeous Getty Museum. Since Taji is a big fan of our art at home and loves being outside looking at green trees and flowers, it was the perfect "first" day trip. The Getty has it all... art, sculptures, gardens, trees, architecture, and breathtaking views.... lots for Taji to admire, his first taste of fine arts & culture. He did pretty good in the car on the way there and back, sleeping most of time as well as being entertained by his babi :)

We had a picnic under a tree and frolicked through the gardens...


marveled at the views...


and took a tour through the French & Italian decorative arts (furniture) and paintings of 18th century. He couldn't take his eyes off of the paintings!

We were so impressed that we plan to visit the Getty's Malibu location, The Getty Villa, which features Greek and Roman architecture and art. Now that Taji is aware, interested, and interactive with his environment, we plan to do a family excursion like this monthly.... exploring parks, beaches, museums, aquariums, etc all over Southern California!

taj's personal paparazzi

Passionate about design and photography, and with our investment of the Nikon D3000 SLR camera, I have been having a grand time snapping away pics of our handsome little guy! As all of you know, Brad and I LOVE design and we have worked with some of the most amazing photographers (Victor Sizemore from our wedding, and most recently, Carrie & Brittany of BabyAsArt who shot Taji's newborn portraits.) Their photos have cost us a pretty penny but nevertheless, have filled our home with so much happiness & beauty. My goal is to take what I have observed from these photographers, along with my talented photographer friend Kristen's tips and training, and shoot my own beautiful portraits of Taji and our little family :) Here is a peek into the most recent pics (and don't forget to scroll down the blog to the photo I took of newly engaged Jane with her sparkly diamond ring, another photo I'm proud of)
smiling.....

sucking his thumb.....

close-up of his ever-changing sea blue eyes.....

looking at his mirror during tummy time....

mommy & daddy celebrate birthdays

July is a very fun and busy month for Brad and I because we both get to celebrate our birthdays, that are only 6 days apart!

Last week, on my birthday, Brad surprised me with a delicious breakfast and my mom cooked us a special Czech dish for dinner (Svickova). I received the cutest cards from every member of our family (brad, mom, taji, and kuki (our cat!), and blew out candles on my very own cake shaped like a present. Then, sunday, my sister and family came over for a picnic at the beach.


Yesterday, on Brad's birthday, my mom cooked us Brad's favorite Czech dish (Sekana). He received funny cards from every member of our family, along with chocolates and the new Eminem CD! We also suprised him with his favorite ice cream cake! And by his request, this weekend we are going to take Taj out for his first duffy boat ride (Brad has been begging me to take him out on the boat for the last month now, but I wanted to wait until he was big enough to wear the life vest!)

In the past, Brad and I have gone "all out" spoiling each other the last wknds of the month by either going away for the wknd or doing something fabulous with our friends. But after my big and expensive 30th birthday last year, we decided to simplify each July by doing a joint birthday celebration with friends... excluding the big milestones (e.g. Brad's 40th). So this year, Brad and I took our duffy boat out on a sunset cruise with our friends and had dinner at the Cannery, while Taji stayed home with his babi.

david beckham jr.

Meet the newest and youngest member of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South African team! Thanks Uncle G and Auntie J for the cool soccer uniform you brought back from the World Cup! Taji was very excited to wear it and was kicking around in it like a true soccer player!

Taji turns 2 months old!

Another month older, and another month cuter! Today, Taji had his 2 month checkup and first series of vaccines. He is in the 35th percentile for weight (11 lbs, 1 ounce) and 72nd percentile (WOW!) for height (23 1/2 inches), tall and slender...... like his daddy. Our Taji has had a busy 2nd month full of visitors, social outings, and playdates with his fellow baby buddies Ryan, Regan and soon.... Cade!, AND future girlfriends Dorothy and Molly. He loves to verbalize all about his experiences by cooing, babbling, and smiling! He "dances" by kicking around his legs and waving his arms. He loves his animal mobile, music, the beach, and the outside breeze, as well as mirrors and anything sparkly/ bright colored. He imitates our lip smacking, sticking out his tongue, and clicking his tongue. He continues to be quite the eater and pooper, with his colic decreasing. Although he still likes to suck on his pacifiers from time to time, Taji prefers his fist and thumb. Taji has always been a great night sleeper, but now is also beginning to sleep longer through the night, the longest consecutive sleep 5 hours, but we are still working on his nighttime sleeping :)

On his 2nd month birthday, Daddy took Taji to Bristol Farms and surprised him with a froggy cupcake with 2 candles on top!


our 2nd month family portrait:


Here are some of my fave photos from his 2nd month:






some of our family/ social outings:

Congrats future Mr. & Mrs. King

A big congratulations to our dear friends Jane and Griffin, who just got engaged on their exotic trip to S. Africa, (on the mountain top in Namibia to be exact)! We coulnd't be happier, and so excited about their wedding next year! Check out the gorgeous sparkler Jane received!

Big Talker

Our little Taji is a big social butterfly these days, "ooohing" like an owl, saying "ah", "ne", "ma" along with the other sweet sounds he makes! Our new game is we tell him "I love Youuuu" and he responds with "ooooh". He loves to interact with everyone, imitates sounds and mouth movements, and smiles so much. My favorite is when he recognizes I'm his mommy, and when he laughs and sticks out his tongue. Here is a little conversation we had this morning after waking up and starting the day: