It finally felt like summer here in the East Bay this weekend, so we decided to get out and enjoy the nice weather with an impromptu family picnic over in Tilden Park in Berkeley. We set a blanket down on the field and ate the sandwiches and fruit we brought, and just soaked up the sun for a couple hours….
I created a makeshift canopy to shade Mio from the sun, with a blanket and some help from the wind… 😉
Hopefully the warm weather will continue for a few more weeks so we can get some more outings in… I’m not ready to say goodbye to summer yet!
Mio’s favorite song seems to be å…Žã®ãƒ€ãƒ³ã‚¹ (Usagi no Dansu, or The Dance of the Rabbit), a Japanese children’s song, which I’ve been singing to her from when she was born. Lately, she starts jumping up and down to the song in her jumper whenever I sing it or play it from a CD for her. Here’s some footage we captured of Mio hopping up and down to the music, as if she were a rabbit herself!
Last night, I was eating some sherbet in an ice cream cone when Mio suddenly started trying to grab at my treat. I don’t know if it was the colorful colors (it was watermelon-flavored, so it was bright green and red), or how deliciously I was eating it, but no matter how much I’d try to pull it away, she’d keep going for it.
I suppose this is one of those signs that they tell you to watch for of when your baby is ready to start solids, but Dan and I are on the fence. We had been thinking of waiting until Mio turned six months, since we read that starting solids on the earlier side can lead to a higher risk of the child developing food allergies as well as obesity issues later in life. For now, we’re thinking of sticking with our plan to not introduce solids until she’s closer to six months of age. She will have decades to eat lots of yummy food, so waiting a couple more months shouldn’t hurt.
For now, Mio will just have to be satisfied with milk and attempts to eat her stuffed animals:
On a completely unrelated note, here are a couple photos of Mio playing with some of her older toddler friends this past weekend:
My friend from college, Esther, is in Fairfield for a few weeks for her residency, so we drove up to meet up with her on Sunday. We decided to visit the famous Jelly Belly Factory that is in Fairfield — I’ve always wanted to go, and this was the perfect opportunity to check it out! 🙂
Dan and Mio in front of the giant Jelly Belly.
We got there a little early, so we snapped a bunch of photos outside the factory.
Jelly Belly sign in front of the building.
This portrait of Ronald Reagan is made of jelly beans!
Meeting up with Esther outside.
I hadn't seen Esther in years, since I'd graduated from Tech. I was so happy to see her again!!!
Inside the Jelly Belly factory at Fairfield
Mio was wide awake the whole time we were at the factory.
Mio while waiting in line for the factory tour to begin.
We got Jelly Belly hats at the beginning of the tour, and even Mio got one to wear!
Her eyes twinkled as she took in all the candy around her. Too bad she can't eat it yet!
Our little family, as we entered the tour.
We weren’t allowed to take photographs during the tour, so I snagged a few online to show what the factory looked like. It was a forty-minute tour with videos, and we got to walk around to view different areas of the factory through glass windows and got to sample the jelly beans from each step of the process. It was really interesting to see all the steps involved in making Jelly Belly’s jelly beans — I never realized it was so involved and that it took over two weeks to make them! I’ve always loved Jelly Bellies, but I have an even deeper appreciation for them now!
The photo that was taken of us during the tour. Mio actually looked at the camera!
We received complimentary bags of jelly beans at the end of the tour, and they gave us one for Mio, too! No worries, Mio -- Mommy will make sure they don't go to waste! 😉
There was a "sample bar" where you could sample the various flavors, but I was not brave enough to try the more adventurous yucky flavors...
After the tour, we shopped around the souvenir shop. I didn't realize Jelly Belly made so much more than just jelly beans!
Mio looks a little overwhelmed by all the candy.
There were even Hello Kitty Jelly Bellies!
A cupcake made out of jelly beans!
My reflection in the funhouse mirror. It shows exactly how I felt when leaving after trying all that candy... Fatty McFat Fat.
With Esther outside the factory.
We had a fun time at the factory, but we were hungry for some real food afterwards so we headed over to get some sushi lunch at Yo Sushi.
Esther holding Mio at lunch.
A bright-eyed Mio meeting Auntie Esther for the first time!
Mio loved her! (Thank you Auntie Hyo for the adorable dress!)
It was wonderful seeing you again, Esther! Thank you for meeting up with us during your busy schedule, and good luck with the rest of your residency! 🙂
