Big boy

Bowen's room is in the back of the apartment, off the kitchen away from the street.  It's small for a bedroom, but works fine for a little guy.  The only thing I remember about daylight savings last weekend is the neighbor's all-night party and, shortly thereafter, a little voice at my face saying, "Mommy? You have good nap?"  He climbed out of his crib a few times since, so it was time to take the side off and convert it to a toddler bed.  Sniff, sniff.  He's not mah baybay any more!

Bowen's duvet is from Ikea and features hedgehogs.  It just so happens that Hedgie is the only stuffed animal we brought from home, plus Olivia's set of wall decals had a hedgehog in it, so that worked out well.  In the back corner is a curved wall because of a spiral staircase.  The baskets to the left serve as his dresser and also the bane of my existence because they don't slide in and out.  They must be wrestled.  But it's all part of the experience!  To the right you'll see a closet his little sweaters share with the vacuum cleaner and ironing board.

This is such a light, bright little room, which reminds me that we need to get blackout shades now that the days are getting longer and he can get out so easily now.  Wish us luck!

Here's Olivia's room, in case you didn't see it on Facebook.  It also serves as their playroom so we don't have toys all over the apartment.  And Bowen naps at school now, so they play fight over toys in here all afternoon.  Please don't tell me, "I miss those days when my kids were little," or, "Cherish every day because they grow up so fast," unless you are willing to babysit.

Our Flight

With an impending snow/ice storm in the forecast my dad took us to the airport.  He and Steve guided two luggage carts through the hour-long line at ticketing while I kept Bowen busy.  I'm sure Dulles main terminal's architect Eero Saarinen (a Finn, but it sounds Swedish!) didn't intend for his concrete columns and heating grates to be used as a play area, they proved to be durable and interesting to our kids.

Sidebar: I have talked before about traveling with kids, and I want to clarify something about that.  I love my kids.  I love to travel.  That does not mean I love to travel with our kids.  And that does not mean I will never love to travel with our kids.  I have come across a couple of key books on the subject, and one of them (Thanks, Mary!) validated my feelings when it specifies that their book was written about traveling with kids who are at least 6 years old, i.e. can carry a suitcase, not wet the bed, and don't need naps.  I do look forward to adventures with our kids when they're school-aged.

Waiting for the train to Concourse B

Back to our journey to Sweden with a 2- and 5-year old...  Even after checking our biggest bags we looked like pack mules. Two rollers, a duffel stuffed with coats and last-minute "don't leave me" items, two backpacks, a messenger bag, my purse, two kids, and a carseat.  You should have seen us snaking through the line at security, no longer with the benefit of another grownup and two luggage carts.  By this time Bowen was super cranky (didn't get his nap, wanted to Run! Free!) Once we finally got all of our items and children through security we deployed this handy tool that allows you to strap a carseat to a rolling suitcase.  This was extra important because the movers accidentally put our stroller in storage on Thursday.  Once Bowen was strapped in and riding backwards, two things happened: 1) He was happy again, and 2) strangers in three airports were staring at Steve pulling Bowen as if they were celebrities.  Even gate crew had never seen this before, so I'm writing to you now to tell you to get one if you need to fly with a toddler in a carseat.

Excited to ride on an airpwane

One of the few advantages to flying with little guys is being able to pre-board the plane.  We were able to get settled with the things we'd need for the long-haul flight before the masses boarded, and the plane was full.

Couldn't care less about takeoff

As our departure time came and went, the captain let us know he was waiting for a few passengers who were connecting from other flights, and we would make up the time in the air.  By the time they boarded it was getting a little stuffy in the cabin, and then we were told there had been a problem with the air conditioning. Finally we we pushed back, only to taxi out and wait in line to take off.  Meanwhile I had pulled out a water pen book and Bowen sat and colored for a couple of hours.  As the pages get wet the design is revealed, and by the time he worked through several pages the first one had evaporated and he'd start over.  I had bought this for the plane ride, remembering how our friend Pam had gotten one for Olivia (who was about the same age) when Bowen was born.  It's one of those simple-yet-captivating toys that doesn't make a mess, yet I rarely see them, so this is my little advertisement for all the moms who need a little quiet time.  A mini-Etch-A-Sketch was the magical toy that kept Olivia busy.

Once we were airborne Olivia was thrilled to watch Frozen again on her seatback monitor.  (All the overseas planes seem to have this feature - a huge improvement over craning your neck to see an overhead screen.)  Dinner was pot roast with mashed potatoes, supporting my opinion that airplane food is quite good.  Maybe it's just that by the time dinner is served you're so hungry that anything tastes delicious.  After dinner they thankfully dimmed the cabin lights and our kids dropped off to sleep.  Bowen did wake up disoriented and upset a little while later, but I held him for a while and then plunked him back in his seat and he slept for the rest of the flight.  He even slept through breakfast, so I saved that for later.

When I've taken an overnight flight before, my goal is to sleep as much as possible so I don't lose a night of sleep.  I have even taken a sleep aid and tried to fall asleep right away, only to be interrupted by the flight attendants constantly offering refreshment.  This time I dozed when I could, not expecting to get any real sleep, and when we landed I was kinda tired but didn't have that groggy feeling I usually get from the medicine.  We did land on time and connected smoothly in Copenhagen.  I was thankful that we didn't have to claim+recheck our big bags there (because sometimes we do; I just can't remember when).  We were able to pre-board the next plane, and that flight was only 30 minutes to Gothenburg.  By the time we got off the plane and to baggage claim the only things left on the carousel were our bags and Olivia's 2-part booster seat.  Outside there was a taxi available to accommodate our baggage, although it may have looked a little like this.

Just kidding, this is a stock photo

Throughout our trip it occurred to me that so many things could have gone wrong but didn't, even the snowstorm that happened just after we left.  I am so thankful for all the friends back home who were praying.  I expected it to be a dark day in the history of my life, but even with all the baggage-schlepping and toddler-wrangling it was nothing compared to labor.  Travel with toddlers!  It's easier than giving birth!  It'll be great!  Ahem.

Car Seat Canopy

I blinked and a month went by!  It's been kinda busy around here and I have even less free time than when Bowen slept all the time.  He's so sweet and smiley, though; I don't mind seeing him awake.  When he was born my friend Trice made a car seat canopy for us, and it is super convenient.  We already had a BundleMe for warmth, but the seat's accordion shade leaves a little to be desired in terms of cuteness.  Plus, when the fabric canopy is closed it keeps germy stranger fingers out of the baby's face.  Here is the tutorial Trice used, and I finally finished making this argyle/stripe one for my friend Jill who had a baby the same week as me.  (We got a Hobby Lobby last year and I love it!  Cutest fabric.)  I traced the canopy from Trice and the Lazy Sewist in me substituted wide grosgrain ribbon + velcro for the straps instead of making fabric strips and tear-my-hair-out buttonholes.  Sewing rickrack between the layers was probably the hardest part, and you could totally skip that.  Trice and Jill and I are pretty partial to rickrack, though, so that was worth the effort.

Baby-dumb

I am not really into kid and baby stuff, but I'm learning as I go.  I usually poll my friends when I have a problem, and someone politely states the obvious answer that I had not thought of.  There should be a manual with annual updates that include all the newly-invented baby gear and whether or not it's really necessary. 

I stink at rinsing baby hair.  I mean, the hair gets rinsed but Olivia sputters through it, gasping for breath and trying to find a way out of the tub.  I've tried doing it with a cup, under the faucet, with a washcloth, with handfuls of water, but ultimately it either doesn't get the job done or my kid thinks she's drowning.  I just don't know how else to do it, so I told myself that maybe OJ is just sensitive to water in her face.  And nobody knowledgeable about baby-hair rinsing is in the bathroom with us when I need some advice, and so far I've forgotten to poll my panel of experts.

Last week my niece Lyla confirmed that the hair rinsing problem lies with me, that I'm apparently trying to drown her as well.  The girls did very well in the tub together, and Olivia enjoyed all the new tub toys.  Lyla had a rubber-sided bucket and they both enjoyed finding little things to put in it. 

Then a few days later I was at Babies R Us in Akron and saw the label on the rubber-sided bucket which, come to find out, is designed for the purpose of rinsing baby hair.  You press the rubber side against little Sven's forehead to protect his face, then dump the water toward the back of his head.  Brilliant! 

I'm going to be the old lady saying, "I wish they had that when I had little ones."  And somebody will politely let me know that they did have those; I was just baby-dumb.

More snow, more O

Steve and I weren't to be deterred by a little snow yesterday, so even with the forecast of 2-3" we did our normal Saturday thing and headed to Gainesville for Wegmans and HomeGoods.  On the way back after we'd gotten a few inches and were trudging along in a single-lane caravan at 45mph watching emergency crews responding to several accidents, I did think maybe it wasn't the wisest decision.  But we got home safely and now we can look back and say we did something this weekend. 

We got about 6" and it is lovely, but no, we still haven't let Olivia play in it (gasp!). She doesn't have mittens or a snowsuit, so we figured we'll just let her watch it this year. She likes watching it fall, and also likes when it's windy outside. She gets a big smile on her face with a chilly blast - so weird but so funny!

Since she was a few months old, hostesses at restaurants see her and think "kid" and automatically give us a kid's pack of crayons and a picture to draw.  We finally let her have them and while she does like to eat the crayons, she does understand that they make marks on the paper.  Kinda fun!

We get so many comments about our hook-on high chair, from people worried it's going to fall to servers who like how small of a space it consumes.  We use it to keep our germs to ourselves.  Speaking of germs, Olivia has had green stuff coming out of her nose for a week and a half now.  She doesn't have a fever and we aspirate and elevate one end of her mattress and run the humidifier, but that's about all we can do.  It's tough to miss out on stuff since she and I both feel fine, but Steve and my mom have both started getting colds this weekend, so I'm thinkin' it's still catchin'.

Catching up

Well, my poison ivy is getting better, so I figured it's time to update the blog. What's new? Let's see...

I was told by a lady in the nursery that Olivia needs more Vitamin D for her scaly legs, so Steve inflated the pool I got at a yard sale (thanks, Liz - pink works for us) so we could stay cool on a hot day.


This seems to be the summer of weddings. I think it's been several years since we had one to attend. This year two have already passed, four to go, and I am very excited for all of them! Here are John and Lauren (who just got engaged) at our house on Memorial Day. (Like how I sneaked in a picture of Olivia ready for bed?)

That's right, we've weaned her off swaddling and for a while she would only sleep in the bear suit. Now she'll sleep in a sack, but only in her crib. She'll doze in the car and occasionally at a store or restaurant when it's boring, but we'd love it if she'd fall asleep at Grandma & Grandpa's house. I've tried putting her down for naps in the pack & play here, but we end up wasting a naptime and so the crib addiction continues.

I haven't done anything with my sewing machine lately, but my mom made a couple cute little rompers for Olivia (pants are covering her legs so she doesn't scratch).

This is what I call a complicated big-girl pattern with multiple pieces. That fabric is vintage; we have a picture circa 1978 of my mom wearing a dress she made from the same bolt.

Olivia has been doing better at restaurants. Here she is devouring the menu with Johnny at Roma.


We've added peaches and bananas to her repertoire, the last of the stage 1 jar foods. The soft bib solved part of our chair-feeding problems, but now she's started making a grunting sound after about the third bite, so maybe that means she doesn't like it? I manage to feed her a bowl once a day, but it is not something I look forward to. We started using the stage 2 bottle nipples (thanks again, Liz) and that makes bottle feeding quick & easy. She's still napping about 3x a day for 1-3 hours at a time, and about 10 hours at night. (!) I will never again take for granted the ability to sleep through the night. It makes such a difference!

Olivia has discovered her toes...


...and sticks her tongue out a lot.


Last weekend we tried out the Kelty backpack (CraigsList find) for the first time at Bear's Den. She was fine on the way out, but screamed the whole way back. I think she was just tired.

See My Lovely Poison Ivy

We have poison ivy in our garden. Each year we get a vine or two, and each year I manage to get a rash. This year I was considering latex gloves until my dad volunteered to get rid of it, so I stood by with a bag to put it in. Dad grabbed it bare-handed, roots and all, and put it in the bag. No problem.

And then I found another vine a few weeks later and we repeated the process. I'm sure I didn't touch it, but I managed to get a rash on the back of my hand this time. The oil must have camped out under my ring, so I haven't been able to wear that either. And so, for the last few days I've been watching the rash blister and weep, trying not to get it on Olivia or anyone else. I'm debating about going to the doctor, but it seems to be getting a little better.

My friend Karen also got poison ivy last week while standing nearby while her husband pulled some out. She told me the oil sprays into the air when the plant is bruised, but she didn't know that until afterward either.

Having poson ivy is a great excuse not to go to the gym. But, it is gorgeous and clear outside, not humid at all, so instead I put some miles on the Baby Jogger I scored on CraigsList last week ($50).

Scratchy scratch

Baby fingernails are so tiny and cute. Except when they are scratching everything Olivia can get her hands on. Her face, my face, her legs, my neck... I'm thinking it's part of a tactile exploration phase (What does this surface feel like when I scratch it?), so I'm hoping it won't last forever because trimming baby fingernails is an art I have yet to master. I have to put socks on her hands while I put lotion & cortisone cream on her, otherwise she'll leave scratches all over herself. Yesterday I put her in the Bjorn Mini-Me-style to hold her still (facing forward - sorry, Mom, I couldn't find a picture online) and sat in front of the TV to distract her. That worked for about 45 seconds until I caught her finger in there by mistake. Will file instead of clipping next time. For the record, Riley also hates getting her nails trimmed, so the girls are neck-and-neck in that department. Olivia slept through the night earlier, Riley recognizes more words, they both drool about the same.

In other developmental news, Olivia is more interested in things in front of her face. She's able to entertain herself in the Gymini for a little while, and has started reaching out to grab things that she sees. Before it was just incidental grasping, her arms flailing about until she felt something to grab. Now if you hold a toy out in front of her she'll slooooowly reach and grab it, usually with her right hand. And she's starting to put everything she grabs into her mouth. Other new stuff: Starting to drool, rolling onto her side (but not rolling over), selective stranger anxiety, first goopy nose (allergies?), eyelashes already longer than Mama's (daddy's eyes).

The other day I was having lunch with my friend Debora, who pointed out that Olivia was very content in her bucket seat and not needing to be held all the time. She's right! (I complain a lot on here and don't always give updates - sorry!) I hadn't really noticed the transition, but now Olivia is usually happy to be in her Johnny Jumper, Excersaucer, Bjorn, crib with mobile, swing, bouncy seat, Gymini, and sometimes (as in this case) her carseat.

Steve's sister Lydia and her husband just paid us a quick visit on their way through town and Olivia got to meet Linus, their Great Dane who was a lot more interested in giving Olivia kisses than Riley is.

Cuteness: Olivia's yawns often end in the letter "k". Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhh....kkkk. I have no explanation for this, but it makes me laugh. She also clasps her hands while taking a bottle, glee club-style, or like she's going to make an announcement.

Normal infant ailments that I fully appreciate Olivia not having/doing: Diaper rash, spit-up (okay, only like once a week), reflux, sensitivities to what I eat, fussiness/colic, waking up during the night, cradle crap cap, nipple confusion, needing a warm bottle. My friend Tiffany (mother of 5) calls these "sucker babies" because they suck you right into having another.

I can't wait for a little bit of warmer weather to see how Olivia likes the yard and going to the pool. I have been looking online for a portable mesh sunshade/tent, and we have swim diapers, a couple bathing suits, and a float to put her in. It's a little early yet -- yesterday we had snow flurries and she is pretty little for the float --but I'm also looking at a neoprene front carrier because it helps keep her warm in the water.

While we're talking about gear, my friend Melissa uses a bath seat for her 1-year-old. Anyone have any experience with this for smaller babies? Or a PeaPod travel bed vs. Pack 'n' Play? We have a PNP but it seems pretty cumbersome for short trips or when we have to pack the car full. And anyone have any advice on jogging strollers? We have narrow sidewalks and if I hit the grass in the regular stroller it acts like I'm stuck in the mud.

*TMI alert*

I don't like to talk about poop much, but for the sake of documentation I'm going to note that we're now at peanut butter consistency instead of applesauce, which means it's less likely to go everywhere.

To Dreft or not to Dreft? That is the question.

Some people have said not to bother with special baby detergent unless the baby shows signs of skin sensitivity, and others say they *invest* in Dreft just because it smells so good. I wonder whether these are the same people that think the traditional pink Johnson & Johnson products smell so good, too. (We went with the purple line and others gave us fun scents like cucumber & green tea.) Baby powder scent should really be on the list of things that have set me back on the baby track, and I am equally baffled by women who wear the current shirt style with empire waist and/or extra fabric in the front as I am with women who choose powder-scented deodorant.

So rather than pay double for Dreft (which I intentionally have not smelled) or do all the baby laundry with our regular detergent only to discover a skin allergy and have to re-wash everything, we settled on dye/perfume-free detergent and fabric softener. You know, because I am such a greenie. I am now working through the second load of lights and there is a literal mountain of darks (probably 3 loads) waiting to be washed. Did I mention I have a little problem with buying baby clothes? They are so cute! I cannot stop.

I had been purchasing and sorting baby clothes by label according to season and thought I was so clever because the calendar months match the size in months, so 0-3mo will surely be December through March (cold weather) and 6-9mo will surely be the hottest summer weather. Once again my little bit of logic was foiled when my mother pointed out that I (being a gargantuan baby) wore double the size on the tag, so at 3 months old I was wearing 6mo labels. [A couple of my friends have since pointed this out as well.] And, to top it off, Mom proceeded to kindly go through the nursery closet and show me even within one size category just how varied the lengths are, depending on the brand. So now I have taken everything off the hangers and out of the drawers for laundry (and Steve helped me remove the million hang-tags), and I will be putting them back according to size by using a measuring tape. And if little Rowena/Tristan does turn out to be anything but textbook size, I get to go shopping.

Steve assembled the stroller over the weekend (!) and helped me sort through the huge pile of shower gifts and other baby gear. Plus, last week we had overhead light fixtures installed in the nursery, my studio, and Steve's office -- such a difference! I will not think about what other corners the builder may have cut...

Diaper bag

I love buying purses, but I have resisted lately because I'm wondering what life will be like when I need to carry the baby's stuff and my own personal stuff. Do I carry a purse and a diaper bag? Do I treat the diaper bag like one big purse? What do I do with my wallet when I drop little Gunner/Starleen off at the nursery?

And so, after picking out a carseat and stroller, I finally sat down to think about a diaper bag. I didn't want the boring black nylon kind or one with a kitten print just because it's baby gear, I wanted one that looks like a bag I'd normally carry. And I wanted side pockets and interior pockets and a matching detachable changing pad. So when I found this Etsy seller in my search for a Anne-style nursing cover, I splurged on a custom diaper bag with a matching changing pad, wristlet (removable insert for my wallet, keys, phone), and even car seat strap covers out of scrumptious chocolate and green Amy Butler fabric. I am hoping that diaper duty will be a little more fun now.

Update

I'd like to retract my earlier statement about the acne... As Stu would say, you don't mention the no-hitter. By the way, Stuart and Christina just had a beautiful baby girl, Annika. Congrats!

There seems to be no consensus on the foot size issue; everybody is affected differently. So I decided not to go all-out and buy a whole bunch of new shoes, but I did get a couple new pairs so that I can appear in public without my driving moccasins. As I was trying a new pair on, another shopper carrying a baby said that she wore the same ones when she was pregnant. Sold! The best part? They slide on. Now if I could only skip the sock-wrangling.

In general I feel pretty good, although I get out of breath pretty easily and I still have the heart-pounding issue (due to increased blood volume). Singing and eating are getting more difficult as my organs get squished by the baby & entourage. Getting up off the floor or sofa or bed involves a new center of gravity (and pretty pathetic abs) so I'm gladly enlisting the help of anyone standing nearby. But even with all these challenges, pregnant life is still easier than I expected.

Last week I found a Diaper Champ, Gymini play mat, and crib mirror on CraigsList for a fraction of the price of buying them new. Kohls had a great sale going on (what's new?) so I ordered a Lamaze carrier toy, a frog bath toy scoop, and a high chair. And I finally made a decision on a stroller and car seat... The Peg Perego Pliko P3 is last year's model so we got it for half off, plus it folds smaller and weighs much less than any of the Graco travel system strollers, and is more sturdy than a Combi. We got a Graco SafeSeat because of the higher weight limit (30lb) and I like the color, plus it fits into the stroller. With the furniture still piled in the middle of the room from the painter, all this new gear, and the huge pile of shower gifts spilling into the hallway, we've got quite the baby clutter thing going on. We are *still* waiting on the chair rail to be installed, so after that goes in (hopefully later this week) I'm looking forward to getting things put away and organized.

Stroller saga continues

With all the trips to Dulles in the last couple of weeks, I "got" to go and test-drive strollers a couple more times. Each time I think it gets easier as I get used to the different models. And on Saturday, Steve even suggested he go and help decide instead of his former "whatever you think is best" stance. He was a good sport and was indeed helpful, but our eyes eventually glazed over so we walked around Wegmans and Super Target for a while and then had ribs and crab cakes at the wonderful Sweetwater Tavern.

Babies-R-Us had the new model of the Peg Perego Pliko, but ultimately I think we're going with a Combi because they are lighter (half the weight of a Graco travel system) and more compact when folded (much like an umbrella stroller). Now I just have to pick a model and stick with it! Unfortunately, Babies-R-Us only has 3 of the strollers and none of the associated car seats in the store to really get a feel for the travel system. I'm sure this is not the last you'll hear about it!

In search of the perfect stroller

I did what I thought was The Test-Driving of strollers on Friday. My friend Mary went with me and was tremendously helpful in what to look for (in the entire store, not just strollers). However, there are so many options and trade-offs (comfort/cost/weight/size/durability), plus the user reviews I read online just serve to muddy the water. I now realize there will probably be several trips to Babies R Us to do more collapsing and lifting and steering with one hand, and there is probably no such thing as a perfect stroller. For less than a million dollars.

What I value:

• compact when folded so I can fit other things in the trunk (don't EVEN bring up the minivan option)
• lightweight (I'm 5'2" and not a weightlifter) AND durable
• able to accept an infant carseat for when when little Jim Kelly isn't big enough for a regular stroller

My options:

• travel system: car seat snaps into a full-size (read: bulky) stroller
• lightweight (read: flimsy/uncomfortable) stroller
• frame-on-wheels for the car seat phase, and then a lightweight stroller for later

Research continually suggests that I purchase a stroller according to my needs. News flash: I don't have a baby yet, so how do I know what life will be like? Right now I go for walks through the neighborhood. We travel. We eat out a lot. I run errands around town. We fly sometimes. But I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that I may not do things the same way after little Tord comes along. I even have a fantasy that, because Steve and I both work from home, when I need to go to the store I'll go during little Mildred's nap time. In the meantime I continue to research, make spreadsheets, and get frustrated. Comments welcome, but do remember that everybody has different needs and the babies are different as well. Too many factors!

San Francisco

Steve and I just joined my parents for a trip to San Francisco. Flying while pregnant is a little different, mainly my ability to pay to check a bag without batting an eye, and eyeing strollers the way my brother checks out cars.  I noticed what seemed like hundreds of English luxury-class "buggys" that had not previously been on my radar. I caught glimpses of a few Aussie Bugaboos, what I consider the Rolls Royce of strollers. I had thought "everybody" had Graco Travel Systems, but I saw very few Graco strollers at all. I'm heading to Babies R Us soon (closest one is 1hr away), so I'm hoping I don't pass out in the stroller aisle.

We checked out a maternity clothing store in Union Square, mainly because I am kind of limited in the style of maternity clothing offered in our little town. This store had all kinds of fun stuff but ultimately made me realize I don't have a need for fancy maternity clothes. (Practicality still reigns in baby world.) They did have a really *well-equipped* (read: cute) giraffe print diaper bag I kind of still have a crush on.  While we were in SF Steve got to feel the baby move for the first time. I'm excited for him to feel the kitten karate, too.

Mom and I got pedicures at Bliss on Friday morning, and I have to say that was the most thorough job anyone has ever spent on my toes.



Plus, each chair has a personal video screen, they bring you hot tea, and afterward they lead you to the lounge to let your toes dry (read: eat brownies). Not to mention the live orchids everywhere and all the goodies in the bathroom like mouthwash and lotion.




We waited in line for an hour for breakfast at Mama's on Washington Square, and it was so worth it.  I had French toast made from several quickbreads, like cranberry orange and banana nut.

We went to the Chihuly exhibit at the De Young Museum.  After learning how to flamework glass on a small scale, we have even more respect for his amazing glass work.

Other highlights...

Dinner on Belden Place

Steve and I drove down to Monterey and Carmel, too.  It always seems to be overcast when we're there.

Pasta Pomodoro on Washington Square...

Mini tiramisu

And then a sunset walk up, up, up the hill to Coit Tower.

Fly fishing bar at Orvis

Fisherman's Wharf

Chinatown...

Fortune Cookie factory

And just like that it was time to go home.  We love San Francisco!

But when laying over in Dallas...